The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-09-07
MYTHS
KEEPERS OF THE WINDS.
(Alyopu,,iu


wis said to the chiefs of his people,
"You have named me Kabeyun, the
West Wind, and have given to me
all the four winds of the heavens.
l will appoint my three sons to be
keepers of the north wind, the east
wind, and the south wind"
So to Kabibonokka he gave the
north wind, to Wabun he gave the
east wind, and to Shawondasee he
gave the south wind.
Wabun was a hunter. He liked
to rise early and to leap upon the
mountains in pursuit of the wild
deer. He liked to shoot with his
bow and arrows. He was glad that
the east wind had been given to him,
for he liked to watch the heavens In
the early morning when the sun shot
it's first rays across the mountain
tops where he hunted. He said to
Mudjekeewis, Il am most grateful,
my father, that the east wind has
been given into my keeping. When
hunt in the early morning I will
shoot away the clouds Of darkness
with my silver arrows; l will chase
away the shadows"
So Wabun cared for the east wind,
and each morning he painted the
sky with wonderful colors. He sent
his silver arrows down to the earth
to waken the people, and to light
up the lakes and meadows.
At last Wabun grew lonely in his
home in the eastern sky, and he be-
gar to watch day by day for beau
tif,ll maiden who walked upon the
prairie gathering grasses for her
baskets. And Wabun wooed her with
his soft breezes, and with sweet
flowers, and with the songs of birds.
And when he had won her heart he
changed her into a beautiful star,
which he set in his home in the
heavens.
Kabibonokka, the second son, was
very different from Wabun. He was
cold and cruel, and he was glad that
the north wind had been given to
him. When he sent his winds across
the earth the leaves upon the trees
turned to crimson and gold, and
were very lovely, but they whirled
and twisted in the wind and said
| to each other, "Our days will soon
be at an end. We shall soon turn
dry and brown and fall to the earth.
Kabibonokka laughs when we put
on our beautiful. colors."
Then Kabibonokka sent icy blasts,
and the waters of the lakes froze,
and the SHOWS fell, and the winds
came through the door of the tepee
and life became hard for the people
And Kabibonokka laughed, and his
laugh was like the whistling OF the
wind through the bare tree tops
The fish were deep beneath the fro
zen waters; the snow covered the
tracks of the animals Of the forest
Food was scarce, and hard to obtain
Only the bravest of the Indians
could fish and hunt when the north
wind blew it's coolest. Shingebis
was one of these, and he never lack.
ed for fish or fuel.
81 will get the best of Shingebis,
said Kabibonokka, and so one morn.
ing he went to Shingebis' tepee. And
Shingebis asked him to eat with him
and he gave him a meal of fish. Ane
Kabibonokka ate greedily. But thu
warmth of Shingebis' tepee was to-
great for him, and he had to g
away. AS he left he tried to pu
out the tepee fire, but Shingebi
blew upon it and it burned NOR
brightly, so that Kabibonokka ha'
to hasten. In revenge he froze tn
waters more deeply, but Shingebi
| II, NJ Wy
too cold for him to find fish for nj
dinner.
But the Indians did not love Ka
bibonokka, for he was cold an
cruel.
Shawondasee was not like eithe
Of his brothers. He was fat an
lazy. He loved to lie upon gree
banks under shady trees. He love
the sweet flowers, and the warmtl
of the South Land. He was far to
lazy to send strong winds such a
came from the North Land. Hi
breezes were soft and travelled slow
ly, and they were sweet with tn
perfume of southern groves an
meadows.
Shawondasee, like his brothe
Wabun, saw a beautiful maiden tina
he loved. Do you remember tn
story? Her hair was Of golden ye
low, and she nodded and swayed
the breeze. Her home was in tn
meadows, and Shawondasee locke
for her day by day, and waite
sweet odors and fair flowers to hel
and he won her love, even as W.
bun won the love of the prairi
maiden. But he was too sluggis
to go himself to win her, and t
bring her to his home in the Sout
Land. Instead he said to himse
each morning, To-day will 60 an
seek the golden-haired maiden, an
bring her to my home," but each da
he was too indolent.
The days went by, and at last tn
golden hair of the maiden turne
silvery white, and when Shawonds
see saw this he heaved great sigl
so great a sigh that it reached eve
to the maiden, and 10, all the silve
white of her hair was scattered owe
the meadow!
So Shawondasee still lives alon