American Indian Trickster Tales (Myths and Legends) (25 page)

Iktinike was furious. He would have liked to punish Rabbit, but Rabbit was too fast. He could not be caught. So all Iktinike could do was call Rabbit some very bad names. So Iktinike was walking toward home. He came to a place where some boys were playing stickball. Iktinike called out to them:
“Hokshila,
what’s new?”

“Nothing much, uncle,” one boy answered. “Only that Rabbit came by here, telling everybody that he mounted you.”

“Oh, he shamed me,” thought Iktinike. “He’s bad-mouthing me already!”

Iktinike went on. He came to a place where boys were gambling with plum pits. “Young brothers,” Iktinike inquired, “what’s new?”

“Nothing much. Rabbit came through here and told everybody how he got on top of you.”

“Oh, no! That no-good, lying, long-eared
hlete
is only spreading false rumors!”

Iktinike went on. He came to a place where boys were shooting with toy bows and arrows. “Hey, you kids, what’s new?” Iktinike wanted to know.

“Only that Rabbit came through here, telling everybody that he used you in the
winkte
way.”

“Oh, that split-nosed, stinking liar!” cried Iktinike. “Don’t believe him!”

Iktinike hurried on. Suddenly he had to relieve himself. He squatted down, but instead of
chesli,
little baby rabbits popped out of his
onze.
“Oh, no! This is really too much!” cried Iktinike. “What next?”

Finally he arrived at his home. His wife greeted him lovingly. She was in an amorous mood. “Let’s
tawiton,”
she said.

“Not tonight,” Iktinike declined. “I’ve got a headache.”

{
Northern Cheyenne
}

Veeho encountered a man who had strange powers. He could command stones to turn over and the stones did this without being touched, even if the man ordered them to do this from a distance. Veeho watched this man using his powers.

“Uncle,” said Veeho, “what you are doing is wonderful. You surely are the greatest medicine man I ever met. I wish I could command stones to turn over. Then people would admire me; then women would come to share my blanket. Then I would be no longer poor, because people would give me many gifts to see me doing this. Uncle, have pity on me, give me a little of your stone power.”

“I pity you,” said the man. “I will give you that power, but before I do, you must promise to do this in a certain way.”

“I promise, I promise,” said Veeho.

“You must command the stones to turn over only four times. If you do it more often, you will be in big trouble.”

“I promise, I promise,” cried Veeho, “only four times. Only four times!” Then the man gave him a little of his power. Veeho hurried back to his village. He ‘called loudly to all who could hear him: “People, behold me! People, behold my powers!”

Then the people who happened to be there watched Veeho commanding stones to turn over. Then the people said to each other: “We have misjudged Veeho. We thought he was just a fool, but now we see that he is a great man.” Then everybody began to respect Veeho.

Some days later Veeho cried again: “People, behold me! People, gather round and behold my powers!” This time the whole village came to watch Veeho commanding stones to turn over.

Then everybody was astounded. People stood in awe of Veeho. “Surely,” they said, “Veeho is a great medicine man.” They came to Veeho to be doctored, to be cured of their illnesses. They made Veeho gifts of horses even though he did not cure their sickness. They believed in him because he could make stones obey him.

Some time after this, Veeho again went into the middle of the camp circle, crying: “People, come and behold me! Behold my great powers!” And again, before the eyes of all the people, Veeho made stones turn over at his command, without Veeho ever touching them. Then people began to call Veeho “Chief.” Veeho had been a poor hunter. Now he had to hunt no longer. Every day people brought him meat, more than he could eat—back fat, buffalo-hump meat, buffalo tongues, meat from different animals. People were saying: “Veeho is not only powerful, he is rich. He is sure to marry a great chief’s daughter.”

Some time passed. Then Veeho again called upon everybody to assemble, crying: “People, behold my powers! Behold Veeho, the great, the powerful!” And he again had stones turn over at his command. Then a great chief gave his daughter to Veeho in marriage. Then there was a big feast. Then the beautiful chief’s daughter entered Veeho’s tipi. Then he slept with her. Veeho said to himself: “I am truly a great man.”

Time passed. Veeho once more called the people together to watch stones obeying him. Again he cried out: “People, behold me!” Veeho had forgotten that he was supposed to do his wonderful feat with stones only four times. He had forgotten the warning that he would be in trouble if he commanded stones to turn over a fifth time. There was a big Rock standing a little way beyond the camp. Veeho led the people to it. “Behold me doing something people will talk about forever!” He commanded: “You, big Rock, turn over!”

The Rock did not turn over. It began rolling toward Veeho, threatening to flatten him. Veeho got scared. He started to run. The Rock rolled after him. Veeho ran faster and faster, but the Rock kept after him. Veeho could not gain on the Rock. He could not outrun it. The Rock dogged Veeho’s heels. It was already treading on them. Veeho ran until he could run no more. Then the big Rock rolled halfway over him, resting on Veeho’s chest. Veeho could hardly breathe. The Rock was about to crush him to death. Out of the corner of his eye, Veeho noticed Buffalo standing nearby. “Brother.” He moaned and groaned. “Brother, help me. Get this Rock off my chest!”

“I cannot do it,” said Buffalo. “That Rock is too big and powerful.” Veeho craned and twisted his neck, seeing Bear walking on the left. “Brother,” he cried. “Brother, help me. Get this Rock off my chest!”

“I cannot do it,” said Bear. “This Rock is too big and powerful.” Veeho twisted his head toward the right, and saw Moose standing there. “Brother,” he croaked. “Brother, get this Rock off my chest!”

“I cannot do it,” said Moose. “This Rock is too big and powerful.”

Veeho was looking up. He saw Eagle soaring above him. Veeho mustered what little strength he had left and cried aloud: “Brother Eagle, this Rock has been saying bad things about you. He said that you are ugly, that your beak is crooked, that you have a voice that makes people cover their ears. This Rock said that you stink of rotten fish and spoiled meat. I told this Rock that he was wrong, that you are beautiful, that your beak has just the right shape, that your voice is lovely, and that you smell good. I told this Rock that he was a liar.”

Hearing this, Eagle flew into a terrible rage. He dove straight down upon the Rock and, with his beak, broke the Rock into tiny splinters, thereby freeing Veeho from its crushing weight.

But Veeho was in a bad shape. He was bruised all over. Some of his ribs had been broken. His appearance was pitiful. Painfully he dragged himself back to his lodge. His wife looked at him. She said: “I should not have married you. I shall be looking for another husband. You are not a great man. You are nothing but a fool.”

{
Northern Cheyenne
}

 

Veeho was walking about. He had heard about a rich man who never lacked food, though he did not seem to hunt much. Veeho said to himself: “That man is worth visiting.” Veeho went there. The rich man’s lodge was surrounded by racks on which much meat was drying. Many buffalo robes were hanging from the branches of nearby trees. “Yes, indeed, this is a good man to know,” thought Veeho. He entered the man’s lodge. The owner was at home. He seemed to live alone.

“Elder brother,” said Veeho, “I am glad to meet you. I heard many good things about you. May I stay a while?”

“Yes, you may,” the man agreed. “Make yourself comfortable. Help yourself to some of my buffalo-hump meat. There is more than enough for the both of us.”

Veeho gorged himself. He looked around. Hanging from a lodgepole in the back he saw a large possible bag. He wondered what could be in it. The more he looked, the more curious he became. He could not get the possible bag out of his mind.

The man told him: “You can stay the night if you wish.”

“Yes, thank you, elder brother,” said Veeho, “it is too late for me to go on.”

It grew dark. The rich man laid down on a buffalo robe. Veeho waited until his host was sound asleep, then he took down the possible bag, slung it over his shoulder, and crept silently out of the lodge. As soon as he was outside, Veeho began to run. He was afraid that the man would wake up and discover that his possible bag was missing. Veeho ran as fast as he could. He did not want the man to catch him. He came to a big lake. In order to go on, he had to run around the lake. This seemed to take forever. Veeho thought: “This lakeshore has no end.” Veeho ran and ran until he could run no more. Then he laid down and fell asleep.