Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-07-09
HoW BE FOUND THE BUFFAL0ES.


4 Legend Told by The Indians Of The
Plains.
1t happened once. q long time ago.
that the people were hungry. The lit
tie ones first felt it and then the old
people, but by and by even the strong
ones suffered. The plains, however,
were barren, as far as the eye could see-
The buffalo had disappeared, and the
deer, the elk and the badgers were not
to be found.
At last the people raised a great cry
and said:
"Old Man, Old Man, help US! we
hunger. but cannot eat. The buf1aio
are gone and the deer. and uselessiy
we kindle our morning fire. Help US
help us! Even our knives rust in their
cases."
The Old Man heard their cries ana
was sorry for them He said nothing,
but rose and left the camp, taking Win
him a young man, the son OF CHIEF.
All day they journeyed, and all night
and many days more. And all the food
they had was a few berries that they
gathered and roots that they dug from
the ground.
By and by they reached high BLUM,
and looking over it they beheld Tar
away a cabin, and the smoke curled up
from the chimney.
WHO is it that Lives here, away from
all other people? He must be strange
man to live all alone"
So spoke the young man, but the Old
Man answered:
'.He is not alone He lives with his
wife and his son in that lodge. 1t is ne
that is making the people suffer. He
has hidden away all the beasts of the
plain"
The young man marveled at this, but
he said not word, and the two contin-
ued their journey towards the cabin.
How different was this country from
that which they had left. The vege-
tation had not withered, but was green
and beautiful. Berries grew abund-
antly, and large trees made them glad
with the music of their thousands OF
rustling leaves.
The two travellers descended the bluff,
forded the ripping stream at its base
and crossed the fields on the farther
side until, towards evening, they drew
near to the wigwam of the strange man.
The Old Man stopped then, and sud-
denly changed himself into the form
of little dog. When the boy saw this
he changed himself into a stick, about
three feet long, carved and painted,
and pointed at one end, such as the
Indian women used for digging roots.
Just then the little boy ran out Of
the house, and seeing the dog he petted
it and carried it home with him.
''See, father, the good little dog
found!'
Throw it out of the house; that is
no dog!"
The child sadly obeyed, but all night
he thought of the little dog and longed
to have it for his pet.
In the morning he went out again,
and finding the stick, he took it and
also the little dog again, and running
to his mother said:
"See the nice stick I found, and the
little dog!"
Throw them both out of the house."
the father said. "That is no dog, nor is
that stick"
The woman, however, said:
Il want this stick, and let the child
keep the dog!"
So it was settled. But the man said:
''If trouble comes upon us, remem-
Der that 1 warned you to give up the
dog and the stick"
He then sent them out to gather ber-
ries, and while they were gone, he
killed buffalo-cow, and after throwing
the stream behind the hill, he brought
the meat into the lodge, cut it in pieces,
and covered it.
Then he sat down and smoked his
long pipe until the setting of the sun
told him the day was done
To the woman and child, the day had
passed quickly, and they returned at
evening time with many berries. The
man then uncovered the meat and gave
the woman a piece to cook. When all
was ready they ate.
Three times the boy fed the little dog,
and when he wished to give it more the
father cried:
do not feed it again! That is no
dog"
The child looked hurt, but obeyed;
and soon the lodge was still, for all
slept.
Up rose, then, Old Man and the
young man in their own forms, and
ate of the meat.
Eyes" said the boy, 'Fthis must be
he that has hidden away the buffalo.
But how shall we find it,"