BLACK WOLF.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 102, 30 April 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

BLACK WOLF.

Ev?ry evening, when they were not away hunting or on the warpath, Black Wolf and his friend, Ochilla, used to come and sit on the big red rock by the river to smoke and talk and watch the shadows of the tall hills on the other side deepen and grow longer as the sun sank.

Black Wolf loved the spot. He loved the darting shadows, the sighing of the evening breeze as it stirred the leaves among the trees about him. The terrible whirlpool at the foot of the rock was fascinating. It twisted and swirled and ate into the rock with a horrible hissing sound. Black Wolf would sometimes lie and look at it for hours, never taking his eyes from it. He and Ochilla had cast many things into the pool, and not one had ever come out.

The Wolf loved this spot also because here he could come and dream and think whenever he liked, with nothing but the birds and squirrels to disturb him, and they went to sleep early. For Ochilla was a silent man, and never spoke unless he had something to say. There was no charm for him in the woods and hills and river. He enjoyed most the silence and his friend's company. Sometimes the Wolf would try to tell him what he saw in nature, and what the leaves whispered to him. Then Ochilla would take his pipe out of his mouth and grunt, and call the Wolf an old woman and a dreamer, and ask him how he thought lie would look carrying wood and dressing skins. And then they would both laugh a little and become silent again.

Sometimes the Wolf would retort and tell Ochilla that he was a mole, because ho could not see and hear all that the Wolf enjoyed, and that it spoiled a man. to be married.

This would make Ochilla. quite sober, because he had two squaws and the Wolf had none, though the two men were of the same age. For, although the Wolf was oho of the bravest warriors in the nation and had killed many men; though ho had hung five days in the sun dance, never flinching; though hu had made more single handed raids and run off more horses than any other man in the tribe, and was a successful hunter—his friends had begun to make sport of him and the women looked at him askance, for among the Sioux it is a disgrace for a man to be unmarried, especially if it be from his own choice. Black Wolf had plenty of horses and weapons and saddles and robes, and could have married many girls if he would, for he was tall and strong and handsome. But he would not,"and Ochilla sometimes became very cross at him.

One evening in the hot weather Ochilla went down to the rock, but Black Wolf did not come, lie did not come the next night, nor the next, and the fourth night Ochilla did not go there, because he knew that the Wolf would not come for many nights. His heart was glad, because he knew why his friend did not sit on the rock any more. He knew that every evening the Wolf, with two or three other young men, sat in the lodge of old Si-chi-ton-ka, whose daughter Ano-et-ka was the prettiest girl iv the tribe. And a few days later, Ochilla's youngest squaw told him that tii-ehi-ton-ka's family had had a talk, and could not decide between the Wolf and his rival Sa-han-to, and that both men would now lie outside Si-chi-ton-ka's lodge and take their chances.

Ochilla's heart sank. Sa-hau-te had one wife already, but lie was .said to be good to her, and the Wolf, being untried, he feared for him. Besides Sa-han-te was as handsome as the Wolf, almost as rich and hud a silver tongue. Into a girl's ear he could whisper sweet things of which Black Wolf knew nothing and cared less. It would bo a hard struggle, and Ochilla knew it. So when Black Wolf came past his lodge a few evenings later, and motioned to him to come to the rock, he was not surprised, only sorry.

Long time they sat on the rock before either spoko a word. Then Ochilla— "Well?"

"Son of Long Arrow it is not well. He of the silver tongue wins. I am no lovemaker. 1 have given up, and will go away to the Blackfeet. This is no place for me."

Ochilla looked at him sternly. "Soft head! Coyote! The girl is playing with you. She sits with Su-han-tc, but not under his blanket. She is making you play the fool. Go back and be a man."

Black Wolf sat a few minutes longer in silence, then rose and went back to camp. Ochilla looked after him and smiled.

The Wolf walked straight through the camp to the willows by the creek. He might be too late for this evening. If so, he could talk to old Si-chi-ton-ka and trade horses or saddles <is an excuse for coming.

From tho clump of willows on his left a tall figure rose suddenly. It was Sa-han-te, and tho rivals stood with folded arms, glaring at each other in silence.

Presently a form emerged from the lodge, aud Ano-et-ka ran up the path.

Sa-han-te stepped forward with a contemptuous glance at his rival and seized the girl in his arms.

Did the heavens fall? Did the Wolf dream? For Ano-et-ka struggled in Sa-han-te's arms and called to him. With one bon nd he was at her side. Sa-han-te, with a curse, stalked away.

Ochilla, coining down to the creek to soak some arrows, met Sa-han-te going back to the camp, and later saw two persons sitting under one blanket down by the willows and he almost leaped for joy. •

When people are first married all goes well. Both the newly wedded ones are anxious to please, aud so they are happy. After a time, when it is an old story —this being married—it is different. Black Wolf never went to tbe rock now and even staid at home from the hunt, so he could lie in the lodge aud smoke and watch Ano-efc-ka's nimble fingers as they deftly flew back and forth over her beadv.ork. He liked to help her .sometimes, too, when he thought nobody saw him. But they did see him, and soon it came to be told that Black Wolf was becoming an old woman and worked like a squaw, aud they made fun of him—behind his back at first, then openly to his face, at least the squaws did. There was something in the Wolf's eagle eye and close mouth which prevented any of the men but the chiefs and old warriors and his friend Ochilla from deriding him. But Black Wolf did not seen; to mind. He staid in his lodge as much as he could, awl only went to the big fall hunt because ha feared to incur the sneers of bis fellow warriors. Among the Sioux he who gives -way to this soft kind of love is said to be weak in the head. So after awhile the old men and chiefs talked about putting the Wolf opt of the council, in which he had been the most prominent of the younger men. Ano-et-ka heard of this, and was ashamed. She was not afraid of the Wolf, for he had been too good to her, and she was spoiled. When, therefore, the Wolf lay watching her the next day she looked up and scowled, and called him a coyote duddv. and an old,.woman. and_a

toad, ana askea mm iruc tnougiu-lie woxua ever be a man. Then Black Wolf, grieved, rose and walked sadly down to the rock, where he staid till the owls and bats came around. His heart was very sore, for he was sure now that his wife did not love him.

Ochilla, about dusk, went over to Black Wolf's lodge aud being curtly informed by Ano-et-ka that she knew nothing of her lord's whereabouts he hurried down to the river and found his friend.

Black Wolf opened his heart to the other and told him all his troubles, Ochilla asking questions and giving advice as though to a son. He had doubts as to the fair Ano-ct-ka's fealty to her husband—he had heard her, at several dances, loudly praise Sa-han-te, but this was nothing, for every Sioux woman may praise whom she will in the dance. Thera were other things also which gave him suspicion, but he deemed it iinwise to tell his friend of them at present. He hoped the Wolf would now become more like other men and subjugate Ano-et-ka as lie, Ochilla, had subjugated two wives. So, when Black Wolf, almost weeping, had finished speaking he only asked quietly, "Why has not my brother given the woman the quirt?"

Black Wolf's blood seemed to rush to his heart. "What! Strike Ano-et-ka? Whip her —my wife?" he exclaimed.

"Why not? Women are strange creatures, and must be ruled. That is my way, and look at my women."

The Wolf did not answer. He knew Ochilla's wives—thin, tired, bent creatures, worn with work and child bearing. Ho turned away and went back to the camp.

Thenceforth the Wolf was more like his old sck, except that he hunted and raced horses as much as the other men and spent little time in dreaming. To Ano-et-ka he ■was kind, but nothing more. He paid no more attention to her than to the slave women who did their cooking.

Their child, a boy, was born, but he merely smiled when it was shown him and said no word to her. Hβ had begun to have the same uneasy feelings that other men do when their wives are made love to. For among the Sioux a man may make love to any married woman, and to him her lawful husband can mete no punishment, even if he choose to kill the woman. Sa-han-te, Ano-et-ka's former lover, now owner of two wives, did not attempt to conceal his efforts to induce Ano-et-ka to become his third. Indeed, it was, when the time for the next fall hunt came around, common talk in the village.

The day before the hunters were to start, Sa-hau-te somehow dropped his knife and hurt his foot very badly. It was a curious wound, which looked as if it had been purposely made, but, as Sa-han-to said it was done by accident, there was nothing for others to say, though all knew he would now be obliged to remain at home with the women and old men. Though Black Wolf had baen grieving over that warrior's attention to his wife, he still hud faith in her, and believed her virtuous and trustworthy. And so the brave band went after the buffalo and did not return for many days, for they met the Pawnees and had several battles in the hills, whore, their foes outnumbering them, hemmed the Sioux in and kept them away from the buffalo herds. Then, one bright morning they rode proudly into camp, whither a courier had preceded them. All the people came out to receive the hunters, and the old medicine man came up to Black Wolf and took his hand, for the courier had told him of the Wolf's prowess, and he was glad, for the young man had taken more scalps than any of his companions, at much greater risk.

Black Wolf looked around, hoping in the throng of women to see the glad face of his wife, but she was not there. The people near him seemed to fear to speak to him. His heart standing still, he turned and rode down to his lodge. All was silent. He dismounted and looked about him. No one had followed him, and he lifted the flap of the tepee and looked in. All was disorder and desolation. He understood. His own sister hud left her husband's lodge in the same way, while he was absent one fall, and the man who got her had to pay twelve ponies.

Some one came up behind him. Black Wolf turned and saw it was his old father. They embraced, and the old man, weeping, told his son the story.

Ano-et-ka, he said, had gone to live with Sa-han-te the very day after her husband left. She took the child also. The old men had held council and decided that Sa-haii-te must leave the village, to await the decision of the absent head chief. So he had taken his women and children and horses aud'|teitehed his lodge up the creek, past the hera ground, where he now was.

"And," said old Ta-ha-chin, "if you do not cause the chief to make this robber pay dearly, you are not my son."

Bkick "Wolf did not answer, but leaped on his horse and dashed up the creek. He passed a woman, toiling under a heavy load of wood; it was Sa-han-te's oldest wife, and she, seeing who the rider was, fell by the trail and began to wail piteously. Sa-han-te, whose hair Ano-et-ka was dressing before the lodge, leaped to his feet and grasped his bow, but let it fall when Black Wolf raised his hand in token of friendship.

The deserted husband sprang from his horse and looked at Sa-han-te searchingly. The other returned the gaze without flinch-

"Call the woman," said Black Wolf. Ano-et-ka, who had fled into the lodge and was cowering under a pile of skins, came out trembling, her baby in her arms.

The Wolf reached out and took the little one find stroking its head asked Sa-han-te, "Do you love her—the woman?" The other nodded. "Do you lovo him?" The woman, weeping, answered '.'Yes." "Will you be good to her and the child if 1 leave them to you, Silver Tongue?"

Sa-han-te's voice was clear as he answered simply, "I will."

Down in the village the assembled men and women were amazed when Black Wolf, with Sa-hau-te and the faithless Ano-et-ka rodte in, but the Wolf did not notice their surprise. He saw nothing. Before the head chief's lodge he halted and, before all the tribe, joined the hands of the guilty ones. Then he turned and rode toward the river.

dchilia a little later heard the voice of a warrior chanting his death song over in the direction of the big rock. He ran down there with the speed of the wiud, but he was too late, and from the great whirlpool nothing evei* comes up.—Translated