Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-09-06
The eLAcKFEETs' STORY OF TAG
GREAT WHITE HORSE.

'FtnE strategy by which Thf.
tieetest OF All Steeds Was Secured
For Ms own Tribe by the smarse-,
Thief Among the Crows.
All Indians who use horses are very
fond OF horse racing and not only race
Their own horses against one another
but they race their own against those
or other tribes and used TO do this even
IN the wild era OF the buffalo and of
constant warfare. Even at that time
friendly tribes and bands Joined In the
two grand buffalo hunts OF each year
and after the hunting was over pitted
the fastest horses OF the various bands
one against the other. At one time not
so very long ago the Blackfeet had the
very fastest horse that any one knew
OF. the fastest horse OF which any one
could tell or which any one had seen.
lie was source OF wealth TO the tribe.
Tor Indians are very fond OF betting
and this animal always won every
ming that was bet against him. You
can Imagine how proud the Blackfeet
were OF this creature. You can also
imagine how envious were the Stonevs.
the Crows. the Sioux, the Creeks and
All the other Indians OF the plains.
stealing Is considered fair between
tribes, and II It can be successfully
done those savage people think IL very
honorable, even glorious. The Black
Feet. therefore. kept the wonderful
race horse In n tent az night. They did
not dare leave him out with their other
horses. They bought n string of bells
at the Hudson Bay eompany's nearest
fort. put the bells around the horses
neck. tied him 20 tcpee pole inside n
big tepee and set four men 10 slcep I'm
the tent with him. This was the rulc
every night. and on no night did the
men forget TO close the door OF the
tepee and "clnch" It tight with thongs
OF huckskin. Whoever could steal that
big white beauty OF a horse had 10 be a
very clever thief. they thought: but. I'm
truth. they never dreamed that he
could be stolen.
The smartest thief among the Crow
Indians told his chief and the head
men that he was going TO try 10 get
that horse away from the Blackfeet.
One evening he Crawied through the
grass TO the tail bluT along the Bow
river north or cur Icaho. I thlnk. was
the locality. where the Blackfeet had
their camp. He saw the noble hors.
led into certain tent. arl he saw the
four watchers - in and close the door.
Night fell. and he creat down the
slanting blum into the camp The only
thing he had 10 fear was the barking
OF some dog. If dog saw or heard
him and barkcl. that would set all the
other dogs barking. ANA he would he
Obliged 20 run for his lie. Stealthily.
as only AN Indian can move on his soft
ly moccasincd feet. this arch thief OF
the thieving Crow Nation crept into the
Blac6fcet camp. lie had 10 step over
several sleeping dogs. and be did not
awaken one He came 20 the tent OF
the white horse. He looked Il all over.
lie went 60 another tcpcc and took n
travels from it's side and carried il and
set IL up against the horses tent.
4 travels is the wheclless wagon the
Indians use In the summer. IL is made
OF two long poles with the upper ends
near together; the lower ends spread
- i-'.t -ttAfA va tt- NLiNM iAAf kAWAAANs GU
see 10y this description that n travels
is stood on end IL can bc made TO serve
rs sort OF ladder. Thus the arch thief
Of the Crows used the one he put up
against the horse tent On Il he climb
cd 10 the top OF the tepee. and from
there he got a view OF the interior.
looking down between the tent poles
that form the sides Of the chimney
hole. lie saw the horse dimly. and
even more dlmly he SAW the four men
beside the horse. all asleep. He climb
ell upon the tent poles; he poised his
body very nicely I'm the chimney open
Ing; he dropped fairly and squarely
upon the white horses back.
The instant he felt himself on the
back Of the beast his knife which was
IN his hand. swept through the cord
that tethercd the horse. His heels shot
In against the horses sides. the bells
rang out sharp ANA clear, and the horse
Snorted with surprise. But the pres
sure OF the thlef's heels urged the ami
NAL forward. and as he took one step
the man reached out and slit cash
straight up and down through the fas-
tened door. which was only buckskin.
The four Indians leaped TO their feet.
but the horse and his captor were now
out in the open ground and like the
wind shot away from the camp. The
watchers ran ana yelled, the dogs
banked, the whole tribe rushed out OF
the tents, and every man sprang to
horse. But what was the use? There
was no horse that could catch the ami
NAL. and so they all turned sadly home
again after a mad ride of a mile or
two. The thief rode In triumph home
TO the tents Of the Crows. and from
that day his tribe owned the great
white horse, and his fame and their
riches increaSed.-From Julian Ralph's
stories Told by Indians" in st. Nicho-
las.