16

Long before the cranes returned north, there were signs among the
plants and animals that the summer was on its way. That time was called
the spring, Wedu. A late fall or spring was a sign the cranes had found
good feeding grounds and stayed around them longer. An early winter or
summer was a sign the cranes had winged their way south or north too
soon. When the cranes flew over an encampment, they always circled
several times and with their loud calls, seem to proclaim their arrival and
departure. With the cranes help, the Assiniboine had four seasons: Winter
— Waniydin, Summer — Mno Gedu, Fall — Pda Yedu, and spring —
Wedu.


10

WT TI = Z> Doo
LP WI

_—

They were gaining fast on the lynx when he gave the bag to the red
fox who was waiting for him.


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



A long time ago, the Assiniboine people lived in a part of the country
that was almost always covered by snow. There were no horses and only
dogs were used to carry things. A small war party returned after being
gone a long time, and went to the Chief’s lodge. They told the Chief to call
the Council together because they had an important message. The Chief
fed the war party and sent his camp crier to call all Council members to

his lodge.


De

_Me Y IR a

a rie Foam ree ——

PPPOE

5

17


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


14

After many winter and summer years had passed, the headmen of
the Assiniboine decided to have the cranes carry the summer back and
forth. The cranes were always the first migratory fowl to go south. They
migrated in easy stages, stopping for long periods at good feeding
grounds. If that method was used for carrying summer, the winter would
gradually make its appearance. This method would be better than when
the summer was taken south by the men. The fall season, Pda Yedu, made
its appearance gradually.


The young warriors, who knew the way, were to guide the summer
back to the encampment. After many days of marching, they arrived near
the camp and took council. The spokesman said, “The lynx will go into the
lodge and bring out the bag containing the summer, because no one can
hear him walk. He will give it to the red fox, who will be waiting for him
along the way. From there, the antelope will carry it to the coyote. The
coyote will take it to the wolf, who is long winded, and he will bring it to us
by the big river. We will be waiting on the opposite bank for him. From
there, we will take it to our people. So, the lynx was left at the lodge.

The red fox was told to take his position. All the animals were
stationed a certain distance apart, according to the ability of the runner. If
an animal was short-winded, it was not required to make a long run. The
bag was to be carried at the fastest speed. Toward morning, before the
light showed and everyone in the camp was asleep, the lynx softly walked
to the yellow lodge and looked in. The four old men guarding the summer,
were all asleep. The bag, containing the summer, was hanging on the
tripod in the back part of the lodge. The summer was in the form of spring
water and moved about in a bag made from the stomach of a buffalo. Now
and then the bag overflowed and water trickled along the ground, under
the tripod. In its wake, green grass and many different kinds of plants and
flowers grew.




The spokesman from the war party said, “We have been away from
our people for many moons. We have set foot on land that belongs to
others, a land without snow. This land is in the direction where the sun
rests at midday. In the middle of a large encampment, there is a lodge
painted yellow. Within the lodge, the summer is kept in a bag hung ona
tripod. Four old men guard it day and night. One sits in back, directly
under the tripod. Another lies across the entrance, and two others sit on
each side by the fireplace.”


15


During the Council the Chief said, “My people and my animal
brothers. Far in the direction of midday there is the summer. I call you
here to make plans to bring it to our people. The ones who will go will
never come back alive, but they will do a great service to our people and to
their kind. Their children will enjoy the breath of summer forever.” It was
decided to send the lynx, the red fox, the antelope, the coyote, and the wolf.


How the Summer
Season Came

The Indian Reading Series



Cautiously, on quiet feet, the lynx entered, stepping over the en-
trance. With a quick jerk, he snapped the cord that held the bag. Seizing it
tightly in his teeth, he plunged through the door and sped away. Almost at
the same instant, the four old men awakened and gave the alarm. “The
summer has been stolen!” The cry went from lodge to lodge. In a short
time, a group of horsemen on fast horses were after the lynx.


ages Soret =

ra


The Chief and his headmen sat in the
Council until one of them said, “Let us call ina
representative from each of the fast run-
ning animals. We will ask them to help us
bring this wonderful thing to our country.” The
camp crier went forth and called upon those
medicine men who had fast running animals
and invited them to the lodge.





This work has not as yet been published and is afforded all
protections under the U.S. Copyright Law (PLL. 94-553) effective
January 1, 1978.

Copyright in the published edition will be held by and in the name of the
Assiniboine and Gros Ventre Tribes of the Fort Belknap Reservation.

No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transcribed, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written
permission of the author agency identified below.

The project presented or reported herein was performed
pursuant to a grant from the National Institute of Education,
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. However, the
opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the
position or policy of the National Institute of Education,

and no official endorsement by the National Institute of
Education should be inferred.

Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
710 S.W. Second Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97204


The horsemen then killed the
lynx and started after the fox who,
after a time, gave the bag to the
antelope.

MWYI~
ZZ \

11


As the wolf crossed the river, the ice began to
move and break up. By the time the horsemen reached
the river, it was flowing ice. This halted the horsemen
from the south. In sign language, they said to the
Assiniboine, “Let us bargain with each other for the
possession of summer.” After a time, it was decided
that each would keep summer for six moons. After six
moons, it was to be taken back to the river and deliv-
ered to the waiting party. The arrangement was kept,
allowing summer half of the year in each country. The
bargain gave two seasons, the winter and the summer.



THE INDIAN READING SERIES
Stories and Legends of the Northwest

How the Summer Season Came
Series IV

By Members of the Assiniboine Elders Board
of the Fort Belknap Reservation

Leo Wing, Chairman

Preston Stiffarm, Coordinator
George Shields, Sr.

Jim Walking Chief

Juanita Tucker

Estelle Black Bird

Jenny C. Gray

Researched by Kenneth E. Ryan
Illustrated by George Shields, Jr.

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



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




Ti"

jot

The antelope took the bag to the coyote who brought it to the wolf.
Wolf, the long winded one, was to deliver it to the waiting party. Each time
the bag was passed from a winded runner to the next, the animals were
killed by the pursuers.

12