第24章

Family Traditions

I:A Visit to Smoky Day SMOKY DAY was widely known among us as a preserver of history and legend.He was a living book of the traditions and his-tory of his people.Among his effects were bundles of small sticks,notched and painted.One bundle contained the number of his own years.Another was composed of sticks representing the important events of his-tory,each of which was marked with the number of years since that particular event occurred.For instance,there was the year when so many stars fell from the sky,with the number of years since it happened cut into the wood.Another recorded the appearance of a comet;and from these heavenly wonders the great national catastrophes and victories were reckoned.

But I will try to repeat some of his favorite narratives as I heard them from his own lips.Iwent to him one day with a piece of tobacco and an eagle-feather;not to buy his MSS.,but hoping for the privilege of hearing him tell of some of the brave deeds of our people in remote times.

The tall and large old man greeted me with his usual courtesy and thanked me for my present.

As I recall the meeting,I well remember his un-usual stature,his slow speech and gracious man-ner.

"Ah,Ohiyesa!"said he,"my young warrior --for such you will be some day!I know this by your seeking to hear of the great deeds of your ancestors.That is a good sign,and I love to re-peat these stories to one who is destined to be a brave man.I do not wish to lull you to sleep with sweet words;but I know the conduct of your pa-ternal ancestors.They have been and are still among the bravest of our tribe.To prove this,Iwill relate what happened in your paternal grand-father's family,twenty years ago.

"Two of his brothers were murdered by a jeal-ous young man of their own band.The deed was committed without just cause;therefore all the braves were agreed to punish the murderer with death.When your grandfather was ap-proached with this suggestion,he replied that he and the remaining brothers could not condescend to spill the blood of such a wretch,but that the others might do whatever they thought just with the young man.These men were foremost among the warriors of the Sioux,and no one questioned their courage;yet when this calamity was brought upon them by a villain,they refused to touch him!

This,my boy,is a test of true bravery.Self-pos-session and self-control at such a moment is proof of a strong heart.

"You have heard of Jingling Thunder the elder,whose brave deeds are well known to the Villagers of the Lakes.He sought honor 'in the gates of the enemy,'as we often say.The Great Mystery was especially kind to him,because he was obedient.

"Many winters ago there was a great battle,in which Jingling Thunder won his first honors.It was forty winters before the falling of many stars,which event occurred twenty winters after the coming of the black-robed white priest;and that was fourteen winters before the annihilation by our people of thirty lodges of the Sac and Fox Indians.I well remember the latter event--it was just fifty winters ago.However,I will count my sticks again."So saying,Smoky Day produced his bundle of variously colored sticks,about five inches long.

He counted and gave them to me to verify his calculation.

"But you,"he resumed,"do not care to remember the winters that have passed.You are young,and care only for the event and the deed.It was very many years ago that this thing happened that I am about to tell you,and yet our people speak of it with as much enthusiasm as if it were only yesterday.Our heroes are always kept alive in the minds of the nation.

"Our people lived then on the east bank of the Mississippi,a little south of where Imnejah-skah,or White Cliff (St.Paul,Minnesota),now stands.

After they left Mille Lacs they founded several villages,but finally settled in this spot,whence the tribes have gradually dispersed.Here a battle occurred which surpassed all others in history.It lasted one whole day--the Sacs and Foxes and the Dakotas against the Ojib-ways.

"An invitation in the usual form of a filled pipe was brought to the Sioux by a brave of the Sac and Fox tribe,to make a general attack upon their common enemy.The Dakota braves quickly signified their willingness in the same manner,and it having been agreed to meet upon the St.Croix river,preparations were immediately begun to despatch a large war-party.

"Among our people there were many tried warriors whose names were known,and every youth of a suitable age was desirous of emulating them.As these young novices issued from every camp and almost every teepee,their mothers,sisters,grand-fathers and grandmothers were singing for them the 'strong-heart'songs.An old woman,liv-ing with her only grandchild,the remnant of a once large band who had all been killed at three different times by different parties of the Ojibways,was conspicuous among the singers.

"Everyone who heard,cast toward her a sympathetic glance,for it was well known that she and her grandson constituted the remnant of a band of Sioux,and that her song indicated that her pre-cious child had attained the age of a warrior,and was now about to join the war-party,and to seek a just revenge for the annihilation of his family.

This was Jingling Thunder,also familiarly known as 'The Little Last.'He was seen to carry with him some family relics in the shape of war-clubs and lances.

"The aged woman's song was something like this:

"Go,my brave Jingling Thunder!

Upon the silvery path Behold that glittering track--"And yet,my child,remember How pitiful to live Survivor of the young!

'Stablish our name and kin!"