Myths and Legends of the Great Plains — How Big Turtle Went on the War Path - Omaha
_Omaha_ The people dwelt in a very populous village.
Big Turtle joined them.
And people dwelling at another village came regularly to war against them.
Having killed one person they went homeward.
Big Turtle cooked for the warpath.
He caused two persons to go after guests.
The servants whom he sent after guests were Redbreasted Turtle and Gray Squirrel.
He made two round bunches of grass and placed them at the bottom of the stick to which the kettle was fastened.
Now they were coming.
They came in sight.
"Ho, warriors!"
said Big Turtle.
"Warriors, when men are injured, they always take revenge.
I cook this for the warpath.
I cook sweet corn and a buffalo paunch.
You will go after Corn Crusher for me," saying this to his servants.
"Call to Comb, Awl, Pestle, Firebrand, and Buffalo Bladder also," said Big Turtle.
The two men went to call them.
They called to Corn Crusher.
"Corn Crusher, be sure to bring your bowl!
Corn Crusher, be sure to bring your bowl!
Corn Crusher, be sure to bring your bowl!
Corn Crusher, be sure to bring your bowl!"
Four times they called.
They called to Comb.
"Comb, be sure to bring your bowl!"
So they called four times.
They called to Awl.
"Awl, be sure to bring your bowl!"
So they called four times.
Then they called to Pestle.
"Pestle, be sure to bring your bowl!"
So they called four times.
They called to Firebrand, too.
"Firebrand, be sure to bring your bowl!"
So they called four times.
Then they called to Buffalo Bladder.
"Buffalo Bladder, be sure to bring your bowl!"
So they called four times to him.
Then the criers reached home, having invited the guests.
"Oh, war chief," they said, "all heard it."
All those who were called arrived at the lodge of Big Turtle.
"Ho!
Oh, war chiefs!
Corn Crusher, Comb, Awl, Pestle, Firebrand, and Buffalo Bladder, though those people have been injured they do not seem to stir.
Let us go on the warpath for them," said Big Turtle.
"Let us go in four nights."
He commanded Corn Crusher to cook.
"O war chief, Corn Crusher, you will cook.
And you, O Comb, will cook on the night after that.
And you, O Awl, will cook, and complete the number."
That many war chiefs, four, cooked.
They were war chiefs.
The rest were servants.
The people of the village said, "Why!
Of the persons who have been called, who is cooking for the warpath?"
And one said, "Why!
Big Turtle cooked.
Pshaw!
Has he gathered all those who cannot move well enough, those who cannot move fast enough?
Pshaw!
If the foe find them out, they will destroy them.
When a war chief has sense, he will carry on war."
Corn Crusher cooked.
He cooked turnips, and he cooked a buffalo paunch with them, just as Big Turtle had cooked one with sweet corn.
Awl cooked wild rice.
Comb cooked other things.
Big Turtle said, "Time enough has passed.
Let us go at night."
So they departed.
Big Turtle made leggings with large flaps.
He tied short garters around them.
He rubbed earth on his face and he reddened it.
He wore grass around his head.
He put white feathers on top of his head.
He took his gourd rattle thus.
He rattled it.
He sang the song of the war chief: "Big Turtle is coming back from touching the foe, it is said, you say.
He is coming back from touching."
He walked, stepping very lively in the dance.
He walked around them.
As they went, it was day.
At length a young Buffalo Bull came.
"Warriors, wait for him," said Big Turtle.
He said to Buffalo Bull, "While I walk on a journey, I am in a great hurry.
Speak rapidly.
Why are you walking?"
"Yes, war chief, it is so.
As they have told of you while you have been walking, I thought that I would walk there with you, and I have sought you," said Buffalo Bull.
"Do so," said Big Turtle.
"I wish to see your movements."
Buffalo Bull rolled himself back and forth.
He arose suddenly.
He thrust repeatedly at the ground with his horns.
He pierced the ground and threw pieces away suddenly.
He stood with his tail in the air and its tip bent downward.
An ash tree stood there.
He rushed on it.
Pushing against it, he sent it flying through the air to a great distance.
"O war chief, I think I will do that, if they speak of vexing me," he said.
"Look at the persons with whom I am traveling.
There are none who are faint-hearted in the least degree.
You are not at all like them.
You have disappointed me.
Come, begone," said Big Turtle.
Again Big Turtle sang the song.
"Big Turtle is coming back from touching the foe, it is said, you say.
He is coming back from touching," said he.
Again they departed.
"Warriors, pass on!"
said he.
There before them lay a stream, which was not small.
They crossed it.
Firebrand was ahead, walking with a great effort.
At length, because he was weary, he plunged into the water and was extinguished.
"O war chief, I am not going beyond here with you," he said.
"Remain here for a while," said Big Turtle.
Having reached the other side, they departed.
At length a Puma came.
"Warriors, wait for him.
I suspect what he will say.
Stand in a row," said he.
"Speak quickly," he said, addressing Puma.
"Yes, O war chief," said Puma.
"It was told of you regularly, saying you walked on a journey.
And there I wish to walk, so I have sought you."
"Yes?"
said Big Turtle.
"Let me see your ways."
Puma made his hair bristle up all over his body.
He bent his tail backward and upward.
He went leaping to the bottom of a small hill.
Having caught by the throat a fawn, about two years old, he came back, making it cry out as he held it in his teeth.
"I think I will do that, O war chief, if anything threatens to vex me," he said.
"Do something else," said Big Turtle.
"No, O war chief; that is all," said Puma.
"You have disappointed me," said Big Turtle.
"Look at these persons with whom I am.
Where is one who is imperfect?
You are very inferior.
Come, depart.
You have disappointed me."
They departed.
At length when they reached the foot of a hill, Black Bear came.
"O war chief, again one has come," said the warriors.
"I suspect what he will say, warriors.
Wait for him.
Stand in a row," said Big Turtle.
"Ho," he said, addressing Black Bear.
"Come, speak quickly.
What is your business?
When I walk on a journey, I am in a great hurry," said Big Turtle.
"Yes, O warrior, it is so.
It was told of you regularly that you walked on a journey.
And as I desired to walk there, I have sought you diligently," said Black Bear.
"Ho!
Do something," said Big Turtle.
"You may have thought how you would do it.
I wish to see your ways."
Black Bear pierced the ground with his claws, and threw lumps of earth to a great distance.
And there stood an oak tree which had been blackened by fire.
He attacked it.
Having hugged it, he threw it with force to a great distance.
"O war chief, if anything vexes me, I think I will do that," said Black Bear.
Big Turtle said, "Ho!
warrior, you have disappointed me.
These persons with whom I am--look at them.
There is none who is faint-hearted in the least degree.
You have disappointed me.
Come, depart.
Thus do I regularly send off the inferior ones."
They went into a dense undergrowth.
At length Buffalo Bladder was torn open, making the sound, "_Qu´e. _" "Alas!
I am not going beyond with you," said he.
"Ho, warrior.
I will come back very soon.
Remain here for a while," said Big Turtle.
Again they departed.
As they went, they reached a bad path.
Very high logs were lying across it.
Redbreasted Turtle failed to step over them.
"Ho, O war chief," he said.
"I am not going beyond here with you."
"Ho, warrior.
I will come again very soon.
Remain here for a while," said Big Turtle.
Again they departed.
As they went, behold, a Big Wolf came.
"O war chief, again one has come," said they.
"I suspect what he will say, warriors.
Wait for him.
Stand in a row," said Big Turtle.
"Ho," he said, addressing Wolf, "Come, speak quickly, whatever may be your business.
When I walk on a journey, I am in a very great hurry."
"Yes, O war chief.
It is so.
It was told of you regularly, saying that you walked on a journey; and as I desired to walk there, I have sought you," said Wolf.
"Ho!
Show me what you can do," said Big Turtle.
"You may have been thinking about it.
I wish to see your ways."
Wolf decorated himself.
He reddened his nose; he reddened all his feet.
He tied eagle feathers to his back.
"Well, do so.
Do so.
I wish to see your ways," said Big Turtle.
Wolf turned himself round and round.
He went to the attack by the wood on a small creek.
He killed a deer.
He brought it back, holding it with his teeth.
"O war chief, I think I will do that, if anything vexes me," said Wolf.
"You have disappointed me," said Big Turtle.
"See these people with whom I travel.
There is none who is faint-hearted in the least degree.
Come, depart.
Thus do I regularly send off the inferior ones.
"Warrior Gray Squirrel, go as a scout," said Big Turtle.
Gray Squirrel went as a scout.
At length he was coming back, blowing a horn.
"Ho, war chief, he is coming back to you," they said.
Big Turtle went there.
"Ho, warrior.
Act very honestly.
Tell me just how it is," said Big Turtle.
"Yes, O war chief, it is just so.
I have been there without their finding me out at all," said he.
"Let us sit at the very boundary of their camp," said Big Turtle.
He spoke of going.
"Warriors, I will look around to see how things are, and how many persons there may be there," he said.
He came back.
"Warriors, let us go in that direction.
This far is a good place for sitting," he said.
So they moved forward.
Then he said, "O war chief Corn Crusher, go to the end lodge of the village before us, and sit on the outside."
Corn Crusher did so.
A woman came out of the lodge.
When she saw him, she said, "Oh!
Heretofore have I desired mush.
I have found for myself an excellent corn crusher."
But when she pounded on the corn with it, she hurt her hand.
Then she threw it out.
"Bad Corn Crusher!"
she said.
He came back to Big Turtle, who was near.
"He whom you call 'Corn Crusher' has come back," he said, "having killed one right at the lodge."
Big Turtle said, "O war chief Comb, make an attempt.
Sit in the door of the lodge where Corn Crusher sat."
Comb did so.
He was very handsome.
Then a woman came out of the lodge.
She found Comb.
"Heretofore I have been without a comb.
I have found a good comb for myself," she said.
Very soon she combed her hair with it.
Comb pulled out all the hair on one side by the roots.
She said, "A very bad comb, but I thought it was good."
She threw him away at the door.
Then he went back.
He went back with the hair he had pulled out.
"He whom you call 'Comb,'" he said, "has come back, having snatched all the hair from one at the lodge."
"Good!"
said Turtle.
"O war chief, when we reach home, we shall cause the women to dance."
Then Big Turtle said, "O war chief Awl, make an attempt.
Go sit in the door of the lodge where war chief Comb sat."
Awl was very handsome.
He was very good to look at.
He sat in the door of the lodge.
A woman passing out, found him.
"Oh!
I have found a good awl for myself," she said.
"Heretofore I have had no awl.
It makes me thankful."
She went back to the lodge with him.
She spoke of sewing her moccasins with him.
"I will sew my moccasins with it," she said.
She sewed them.
She pierced her fingers with him.
She missed in pushing him, sending him with force.
There was much blood from her fingers.
She threw him away at the door.
"The awl is indeed bad.
I
have indeed hurt myself.
I have wounded myself badly."
She threw him far out from the door, sending him homeward.
"He whom you have called 'Awl,' O war chief," he reported, returning to Big Turtle.
"I stabbed one right at the lodge; I killed her."
He returned with his spear very bloody.
"O war chief," said the others to Big Turtle.
"Awl is coming back, telling his own name.
He has killed one."
Big Turtle said, "Ho!
O war chief.
You make me thankful.
Since it is you, I will blacken my face.
The village shall be joyful.
Ho!
O
