St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-08-14
SAC AND FOX FOLKLORE.
Stories Told by Old Pemisee, OF the
Sac Nation.

Pemisee, an old Sac Indian, who died
several years ago at the Sac and Fox
agency, was great story teller, says an.
exchange. He was thoroughly familiar,
with the traditions and folklore of his
tribe. This is his story of why the wood.
ducks eyes are red, as related BIZ Frank
0hlsmith, of Guthrie: N
All the ducks in the country cd thered
for great feast. A long lodge was.
built on the shore of beautiful river.
The tenderest, juiciest grasses and the
richest nuts were spread in heaps in
the lodge, and the feast began. The
ducks were dressed in their most brill
liant feathers, and danced and sang by
night and day. The devil, while pass
ing by, was attracted by the noise Of
the festivities He approached the.
lodge and asked for a pow-Wow, and the
chief men of the duck tribe assembled
to talk with him. The latter had evil
in his heart, and forthwith began devis-,
ing a scheme whereby he could entrap a
bagful of nice fat ducks for his supper.
The devil told the chief men of the
duck tribe that if everybody would obey
his instructions he would teach them
new song and new dance. 1t was
agreed that all the ducks should assem-
BILE in the lodge in long lines, each duck
to sing at the top of his voice and to
keep his eyes closed as tightly as pos
sible until the devil said they could be
opened. The foolish ducks did as they
were told, and the devil began skipping
around and singing to quiet any suspi-
cion.
Beginning at the first line, he grabbed
each duck in succession, and with a sud-
den twist broke its neck. The wood
duck was the wariest of all the duck
tribe. He grew inpatient at the delay,
and impatience quickly gave way to
suspicion. Cautiously opening his eyes
he was almost blinded by the terrible
sight of blood. He gave squawk of
terror which alarmed his companions,
and all fed from the lodge.
From that day the eyes of the wood
duck have been red from the sight of
blood.
Sac and Fox legend of the creation
of man is that all were made from fish
which the Creator took from the great
sea. The Indian came from the fsh's
head, the two eyes being respectively the
Sac and the Fox tribes. They were given
bows and arrows, tobacco, corn and
pumpkins, and told to roam the earth;
the men to be hunters and the women
to raise the tobacco, corn and pump
kins. The body of the fish was used in
making the body of the white man,
Of grain. All Of the fish, except the
tail and the intestines, had now been
used. From these came the negro, who
was told that he should be the servant
of other races.
Pemissee related a story of the land
ing of Columbus. The Sac and Fox
Indians lived at that time on the sea-
shore. Their medicine men had predict
ed the coming of the pale-faced men,
and the Indians had watched for rsthem
for many moons, sending runners at
intervals to the seashore. When Column
bus came, he was invited to land, and
erect trading post, which he did. The
pale faces afterward robbed the Indians
of all their possessions. There is a aus-
pfcion that Pemissee got this stbry
from history of the United States
Before the Sac and Fox Indians had
degeherated to their present weak
ness, they scrupuIously observed their
tribal customs, one of the prettiest being
the manner of a young mans wooing
his sweetheart. Taking his rude flute
at evening the lover hid himself in the
tall grasses near the lodge of the maid
en- and blew the plaintive airs of his
Indian songs. He was careful not to re-
veal his identity, and came evening
after evening until hope had grown to
certainty that his flute song had
reached the heart of the one he loved.
Upon a dark night, when slumber had
closed the eyelids of the lodge dwellers,
the lover drew his blanket closely over
his head and stole to the side of the
sleeping girl. Beneath his blanket he
held a brand of fire, whose light glowed
agains ibis dusky face. Gently arous-
ing his sweetheart he opened his blan-
ket SO that none except she could see
his face. If she blew upon the fire.
brand, as If to extingaiish 1t, the lover
rejoiced, for he had won her heart. If
she paid no attention to him 1t meant
that she disliked him and the lover,
to hide his identity and humiliation
from Others, closed his blanket over his
head again and crept away. The sue
cessful suitor, however, passed the re-
mainder of the night in the lodge, sit
ting beside his sweetheart, with his
blanket over both their heads.St.
Louis Republic.