New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-15
6be Great Sacben,' Story
BY Fannie e. ostrander.

- ;,.ia white brothers and sisters, you
reicone." says the Great Sachem. as
= -,o:jors You to seat by the camp fire
= draws his blanket around him with
-...sfv dignity The Great Sachem is a
-.,,5e-frl Indian. as well as a mighty
.fo++ain He is learned in the traditions
- his race its folklore and its history. its
,-rovleage Of the great outdoors and al
.to mysteries of Nature. Many are the
tories he can tell Of what the winds say.
- rhe great trees. and the whispering
r-ssses. Of how the wild live things talk 10
.hose who can understand. and the mes
esvas sent By the Great Spirit. These
.-or;es are ike fairy tales. while the songs
tbst he sings are as wonderful as the
stories.
Many moons ago." he says. the Great
sachem was a small papoose- His mother
s--snped him 10 the cradle board that he
might grow strSight and strong. and carried
hin on her back or hung his cradle to the
t-anch Of a tree. where the winds could
nix 10 him or sing him 10 sleep in the
sumner breeze. II he cried she held his
nose until he stopped. for she knew that an
Indian baby should not cry. He must learn
q be silent and strong
hen re grew DlSSeT ne races. Toue
the indian ponies. shot at targets with his
little bow and arrows. wrestled with his
COMPANIONS. listened 10 the tales around
TIE camp fire and learned the language Of
The WILD things and the secrets Of the
forest and the plains. OF the sky and the
rocks ard the waters. The Great Spirit
whispered &c MS heart and told him to be
brave and not afraid Of pain or hardship;
10 b Ike the bear, which is the totem Of
t:s tribe for the bear is fearless and
mighty and hard TO kill
when he was old enough ne went
through many tortures 10 prove his cour-
aze. for that was the custom of his people.
and a cowardly Indian was called a 'squaw
nan So he laughed at pain and hunger
and WEAKNESS; he rejoiced in suffering.
Ard a. last they made him brave
Then was he happy No enemy escaped
rim but twice thrice. he carried e little
white child safely in his arms because lie
remembered q favor The heart OF the red
nan is fierce. but the Great Spirit makes
f soft for q friend. his eye is keen like
that OF the hawk. but II Is also quick TO
see z kindness His ear catches the light
est foetstep Of a foe. he knows If even the
grass whispers too much in the night wind.
but his brothers cry also wakens him in
the dark though il is faint as the sigh of
the summer breeze IL the tree tops.
At last he became a mighty chieftain.
He were q necklace Of bears claws, and a
var bonnet decorated with the fur and the
claws Of the bear. The figure OF the bear
vas painted upon his blanket and his
lo5ge. and mounted upon a totem pole A.
the entrance OF the lodge: for. as I have
said. the bear is the totem OF his family:
and everywhere he went he carried this
totem with him and always set it up at
the entrance Of his wigwan1. for he knew
that the bear watched over him and gave
hin victory in battle and success in the
hunt
7 viii tell you how the bear became the
totem Of my family. Many, many moons
ago. before even the Oldest men of my
tribe can remember. one CT our wise men
blackened his face and tasted, for he
wished the Great Spirit TO direct him.
After long fasting he had a dream. In
his dream. as he lay in the forest. he heard
song, and before the song was ended a
nan stood before him clothed in the skin
c. q tear This was the spirit sent TO
Teach him great mysteries.
Is Ire wise man learned Of the spirit the
song that he had heard and many ether
'soags. and we sing them TO this day in my
lib. he learned also how TO gain great
mower and do many wonders, and how TO
rad the secrets of all things that live
luljcn the earth-the secrets OF bird and
aHirlals and everything on the land or in
tie water or IL the air-the secrets OF the
rocks and the trees and the plants.
You shall be a great people, said the
grsr=- YIN, shall cO0ouer YOUR enemies
and rule over The animals about you and