Lassaw’s finger was bleeding. His bandage was soaked. Because
his finger hurt very much, he pressed his hand to his side.

Suddenly, Lassaw saw a buffalo! The buffalo was drinking
water. Lassaw knew there was no water nearby. The buffalo continued
to drink and when it was finished, it looked at Lassaw.

The buffalo spoke to Lassaw in the Kootenai language. It told
Lassaw, “I know you are hurt. I came to help you. Whatever you ask
for, I will give you.”

16





CLEO KENMILLE
3G .P.0; 1982—593-665

20


Owl’s Eyes






After two days and nights Lassaw cut off the tip of his finger. He
tore his shirt and used it to make a bandage.

Lassaw prayed. He told the Great Spirit his finger hurt very
much. Lassaw said, “Help me. Give me something so I can become a
great medicine man.”

14



Nearby, Mr. Snake was quietly crawling through the grass. He
heard Mouse crying. “Oh Owl, won’t you come down and play with
me?” Mouse cried.

Quickly, Mr. Snake slithered over to Mouse. When Mouse
turned around and saw Mr. Snake, he screamed!



This is a story of how Owl got his big eyes.
Long long ago, Owl had small eyes. Owl would spend most of his
time sitting high in the trees.





15



One night Owl was sitting
high in his tree. Mouse called to
Owl, “Owl, please come down and
play with me.” Ow! never heard
his tiny friend because he was
sound asleep.



Booklets available in the Level IV sequence are listed below. Numbers refer to the Planned Sequence of use
in the Teacher’s Manual. Materials developed by these tribes and others in the Northwest are included in
the Levels I, II and III sequences.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Warm Springs Animal Stories
The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation of Oregon

Snail Women at Sq*a’le

The Suquamish Tribe of the Port Madison
Reservation

Blue Jay — Star Child/Basket Woman
Muckleshoot Tribe

Assiniboine Woman Making Grease
Assiniboine Tribe of the Fort Peck Reservation
Coyote

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation of Oregon

6. How the Summer Season Came

7.

Assiniboine Tribe of the Fort Belknap
Reservation
Little Weasel’s Dream

Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

8. Fort Hall Stories

9.

10.

ll.

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall
Reservation

The Bear Tepee

Northern Cheyenne Tribe

Sioux Stories and Legends

Sioux Tribe of the Fort Peck Reservation
Kootenai Stories

Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

12.

13.

14,

15.

16.

Chief Mountain’s Medicine
Gros Ventre Tribe from the Fort Belknap
Reservation

Coyote the Trickster
Burns Paiute Reservation

Running Free
Shoalwater Bay

Salish Coyote Stories
Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

Coyote and the Cowboys
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall
Reservation

17. Napi’s Journey

18.

19.

Blackfeet Tribe

Warm Springs Stories

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation of Oregon

Tepee Making

Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

20. Baskets and Canoes

21.

Skokomish Tribe

Warrior People
Blackfeet Tribe


Kootenai
Stories

The Indian Reading Series

Level IV Book 11


Mouse screamed so loud he woke
up Owl. When Ow] looked down for his
little friend, it was too late. He saw Mr.
Snake gobble Mouse up!





Owl had a friend whose name was Mouse. Owl and Mouse
always played together.



18

The buffalo disappeared. Lassaw had seen the spirit of the
buffalo. He knew the buffalo’s spirit would always help him.

Lassaw became a great buffalo hunter. He lived a long anda
happy life.



Developed by the Pacific Northwest Indian Reading and J anguage Development Program
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 300 Southwest Sixth Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204

Copyri ht © 1981 by the Kootenai Cultural Committee, designated as the representatives
of The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation
All rights reserved.

‘The work upon which this publication is based was performed pursuant to Contract
No. 400-80-0105 with the Educational Equity Group/Multicultural/Bilingual Division
of the National Institute of Education. It does not, however, necessarily reflect the
views of that agency.

Printed and bound in the United States of America


Seeking A Spirit

11


Long ago, there lived a young Kootenai boy whose name
was Lassaw.

One day Lassaw left home and went to the top of a mountain.
Lassaw wanted to seek a spirit. While Lassaw stayed on the moun-
tain, he could not have any food or water.

13



THE INDIAN READING SERIES
Stories and Legends of the Northwest

Owl’s Eyes

Seeking a Spirit
Level IV Book 11

Developed by the Kootenai Cultural Committee of the
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes

Cleo Kenmille, Coordinator
Glen James

Madeline Couture

Sarah Bufton

Sophie Matt

Sarah Eneas

Patricia Hewankorn

Joseph Antiste, Consultant
Agnes Kenmille, Consultant
Debbie Joseph, I//ustrator
Howard Kallowat, Jr., Illustrator

Illustrated by Verna James

Joseph Coburn, Director
Pacific Northwest Indian Program
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory



i) THE INDIAN READING SERIES:
% Stories and Legends of the Northwest



THE INDIAN READING SERIES: Stories and Legends of the
Northwest is a collection of authentic material cooperatively devel-
oped by Indian people from twelve reservations. Development ac-
tivities are guided by a Policy Board which represents the Indian
community of the Pacific Northwest. The Pacific Northwest Indian
Reading and Language Development Program Policy Board mem-
bers are:

* Warren Clements — Warm Springs
Chairman

+ Clement Azure — Devils Lake Sioux

+ Walter Moffett — Nez Perce

+ Emmett Oliver — Quinault

+ Bob Parsley — Chippewa

+ Lloyd Smith — Warm Springs

+ Max Snow

+ Jeanne Thomas — Yakima


There wasn’t a thing Owl could do. His tiny friend was gone.
Owl was so surprised he opened his eyes wider and wider. This is
how Owl got his big eyes.