Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-25

These were the words he sang:
''Istokmus wacpo, tuwayatunwanpi kim
eyes closed you must dance. He who dares
| to open his eyes, forever red eyes shall
have"
Up rose the circle of seated ducks and.
holding their wings close against their
sides. began to dance to the rhythm of Tx
tomi's song and drum
With eyes closed they did dancei 1ktomi
ceased to beat his drum He began to sing
louder and faster. He seemed to be NOV
ing about In the center of the ring. No
duck dared blink a wink. Each one shut
his eyes very tight and danced even harder.
Up and down! Shifting to the right of
them they hoped round and round in that
blind dance. It was difficult dance for
the curious folk.
At length one OF the dancers could close
his eyes no longer! 1t was Skiska, who
peeped the least tiny blink at Iktomi within
the center of the circle. "Oh! Obi"
| squawked he in awful terror! Run! fly!
| Iktomi rs twisting your heads and breaking
your necksi Run out and fly! hyr' he
cried. Hereupon the ducks opened their
| eyes. There beside Iktomfs bundle OF songs
| lay half their c-owd-lat on their backs.
Out they flew through the opening Skiska
! had made as he rushed forth with his
| alarm.
| But as they scared high into the blue sky
| they cried to one another: oh! your eyes
are red-red! And yours are red-red!' For
the warning words Of the magic minor
| strain had proven true "Ah-haH' laughed
] 1ktomi. untying the four corners OF his
| blanket. ~ shall sit no more hungry within
my dwelling" Homeward he trudged along
| with nice. fat ducks In his blanket. He left
| the little straw hut for the rains and winds
TO pull down.
Having reached his own teepee on the
high level lands. Iktomi kindled a large fire
out of doors He planted sharp pointed
| sticks around the leapng flames. On each
| stake he fastened a duck to roast. A few
| he buried under the ashes to bake. Disap-
| pearng within his teepee. he came out
q m wi nTfnA hlp lNalI
| were his dishes. Placing under each
roasting duck. he muttered The sweet fat
| ooZing out Will taste well with hard-cooked
| breasts"
| Heaping more willows upon the fire, TX
| toni sat down on the ground with crossed
| shlns. long chin between his knees
| pointed toward the red flames. while his
eyes were on the browning ducks.
Just above his ankles he clasped and I'M
! clasped his long, bony fingers. Now and
| then he shifted impatiently the savory odor.
The brisk wind which stirred the fire also
| played with a squeaky old tree beside TX
tomiS WigWam.
| From side to side the tree was swaying
and crying in an old mans voice, Help!
| III break! I'll fall!' Iktomi shrugged his
/ great shoulders, but did not once take his
| eyes from the ducks. The dripping Of am
Der Oil into pearly Dishes drop by drop,
pleased his hungry eyes. Still the old tree
! man called for help. He! What sound Is
played with a squeaky old tree beside TX
| toni, holding hand on his ear.
| He rose and looked around. The squeak
| ing came from the tree Then he began
| climbing the tree to find the disa agreeable
| sound. He placed his foot right on a
| cracked limb without seeing it. Just then
| a Whit of wind came rushing by and
pressed together the broken edges There
| In a strong wooden hand Iktomis foot was
| caught
''Oh! my foot is crushedr he howIed like
a coward. In vain he pulled and pulled to
| free himself.
| spied, through his tears. a pack of gray
wolves roaming over the level lands WAY
Ing his hands toward them, he called in his
loudest voice, He! Gray wolves! Don't
you come here! I'm caught fast in the tree
SO that my duck feast Is getting cold.
Don't you come to eat up my meal
The leader of the pack upon hearing
Iktomfs words turned to his comrades and
said:
"Ah! hear the foolish fellow! He says
ne has duck feast to be eaten! Let US
hurry there for our share!' Away bound
ed the wolves toward Iktomrs lodge
From the tree Iktomi watched the hungry
wolves eat up his nicely Drowned fat ducks
His foot panied him more and more He
heard them crack the small round bones
with their strong long teeth and eat out
the oily marrow. Now severe pains shot
up from his foot through his whole body
Hin hin-hin!' sobbed Iktomf Real tears
washed brown streaks across his red-paint-
ed cheeks. Smacking their lips the wolves
began to leave the place. when Iktomi cried
out like pouting child. "At least you have
left my baking under the ashes."
"Ho! po! shouted the mischievous
wolves; The says more ducks are to be
found under the ashes! Come! Let US
have our fill this oncer'
Running back to the dead fire. they
paved out the ducks with such rude haste
that cloud Of ashes rose like gray smoke
over them.
"Hin-hin-hin!" moaned Iktomf, when the
wolves had scampered of. All too late, the
sturdy breeze returned, and, passing by
pulled apart the broken edges of the tree
1ktomi was released. But alas! he had no
duck feast.