Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-12-06
DAKOTA FOLK LORE
DR. Charles E. Eastman Springfield Republican

1
katah.
Then Mineota and Makatah desired
to marry and raise up warriors, but
| there were no warriors to marry
| them.
One clear summer night the two
maidens lay down as usual upon their
beds of soft pine boughs, and as they
gazed up into heaven through the
smokehole of their rude teepee. they
began to talk.
Sister, in my dreams | saw a
handsome young man. He came to
me from the sky" said Makatah.
There was one who came to me
also and he was great brave" re
piled the other.
do you suppose the sky men we
dreamed of are the stars that we see
in the sky?" asked the younger sister
Il am inclined to believe it, an.
swered Mineota musingly. And II il
be So sister," she added, Il wish that
the large bright star there were my
husband"
And l wish that the little one be-
side it which barely wrinkles were my
husband" joined In Makatah.
So they unused, watchong and long,
ing, gazing up into the heavens and
flirting with the two stars that ap-
peared through the smokehole Of the
teepee, until the night watcher, Heaa
kaga, said Hoo, hoo!" Then they
fell into sound sleep, and their spir-
it's were charmed into the sky by the
spirits of the Star men.
III.
Mineota awoke first Behold, she
was sitting beside a whitehaired,
wrinkled old Star man as his wife.
Makatah awoke and she, too, found
herself beside her husband, hand
some young man. The bright even
ing star was an old warrior, who
shone brilliantly with the honorable
record of long life. The little
twinkling, blinking star was fine
looking youth, who had as yet no shin.
ing reputation.
Mineota and Makatah were very
happy with their husbands, and the
Star men were kind to their earthly
wives. Like all Indian women, they
picked berries and dug teepsinna. The
old Star man said to his wife as she
was going out to dig teepsinna:
You must not hit the sky ground
too hard" The little twinking Star
also said to his wife, You must not
hit the ground too hard"
Mineota and Makatah both replied
that they would not, and they fully
intended to obey. But when they
found the teepsinna plenty they were
anxious to dig many more before go
ing home, and in her haste Makatah
struck the ground with great force
In an instant the floor of the sky gave
way and Makatah fell through
Down to earth she came! It was &
sad mishap, for once she had fallen
she could not be taken up to the sky
again. Mineota stood over the hole
and swept long. The twinkling Star
was now widower! The Moon even
mourned with her son, the handsome
young Star man, and covered her face
for while. (This was an eclipse OF
the moon.) Twinkling Star painted
his face black and the Dakotas say he
has not been seen since.
Two very old people found poor Me
katah lying alone on the bare ground.
He, he, he!" exclaimed the old half
blind man. "Henoo, henoo, tako jah."
-(Alas, alas, my granddaughter -
mourned the old woman, as the two
stood gazing piteously at her support
ed by her STATS.
They built lodge Of pine boughs
with ferns for her bed, and laid her
within. The old man gave medicine
to Makatah, for she was very Ill
Let me alone, grandmother" she
pleaded. Perhaps my Star husband
will come after me again, for can
not live without him.,
An, all, granddaughter, fallen stars
never return to heaven again. Yet
lover can venture anything for the
sake of the loved one. hope he
will come" said the old woman, whose
name was Meadow Lark Let me
and my old man sing for you. al
though we are now old and hoarse."
She closed the rude door OF the
lodge, and all was quiet. Then the
old folks took up their position lit
tie way apart, and both began to
sing.
''Tooie-lo, le-lol" the old man
struck the note and the old woman
kept him company, giving the lovers
call and the maiden's answer, until
the sunset passed beyond the hills.
When the darkness came Makatsh
watched eagerly for her husband to
appear. All the other stars came
forth In due time, but he had put on
black paint, as the Dakotas do when
In mourning, and SO was invisible.
She waited long for him, but he could
not come 10 her until she slept, and
thus set her spirit free from her hu.
man body. She shut her eyes and