Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-08-31

fours about the camp of my people
and take with me Red Bird. For many
nights l would not make the VOW, and
each day I dragged myself to the water
and drank and did not die There came
a night when the ghosts were thick
and my heart was weak and sad, and
I made the promise and vowed that
Red Bird and myself would be as dogs
among my people, prowling through the
camp as dogs during one sun. Then
/ the ghosts gave me strength and I
mounted my horse and travelled for
many days on the trail of my people
/ before I reached our village on the
/ Yellowstone.
Thought Him a Ghost
They ran from me when l rode,
starved and near dying, into the viii
lage. They thought it was the ghost
of Crow King; but Red Bird came to
me and took me to her lodge Of mourn
ing and nursed me. And told her the
vow I had made. But she, mourning,
cried that had lost my senses. So 1t
was that lay for many nights and saw
the ghosts, and they jeered at me for
not keeping my VOW, and demanded
that I do so or die and be with them.
These things I told Red Bird and she,
fearing 1 might die. consented to go
with me and keep my promise.
So Grow King and Red Bird one
morning joined the dogs going about
the camp on all tours and gnaWing at
the scraps that had been thrown from
the lodges The people followed them
about, jeering at them. Red Bird hid
her face but kept her promise all
through the day.
The sun went down in the west and
Crow King and~ Red Bird returned to
their tepee and became man and wom-
an again, but never from that day
forth were they as man and wife. Red
Birds shame killed her love for Crow
King, but she remained uncomplaln-
ingly in his tepee for two years.
Crow King grew we'll and strong /
again, but he was burdened with a /
great grief and was sorry he had not |
died before he made his VOW to the /
ghosts. No finger of scorn was pointed /
at him; mol He was an able warrior |
and was quick to resent a jibe. His ex-
ploits in the field soon washed away |
the sharp memory Of his humility in I
keeping his VOW
But not so with Red Bird The
women and children made mock of her.
And Crow King was not always at
hand to protect her. After two unpleas-
ant years with Crow King young war
rior of another band visited Crow
Kings camp. He saw Red Bird and
desired her. Red Bird, while Crow King
was in council, left with the visitor to
live among strange people to forget
her shame. She and Crow King had
no children, and the loveleSs tie was
easily broken.
Lets Red Bird Go
Crow King did not pursue Red Bird,
nor did he show anger. Two winters
later his people were camped near the
new home of Red Bird, and Crow
King sought her out, with her new huS-
band. He gave the new husband two OF
his best horses and said he hoped Red
Bird was happy; he would help her
husband to riches. for he had put
great shame upon her and she was
right in leaving his tepee.
Now Crow King was an intelligent
Indian and no doubt, there had come
to his mind a hazy belief that his
fevers and deiirium were Natures eff
forts to burn away the infection of his
wound, and that he probably would
have recovered anyway. in the natural
course of events, from his arrow
wound. He never again had anything
to do with the medicine men until
his brother. High Bear, fell i'll. Crow
King dearly loved his brother, and
Crow King was the richest man OF his
tribe. In despair he told the medicine
men to cure High Bear and ne would
pay the bill. The medicine men, singly
and in groups manipulated their
charms and incanted their rituals by
the hour. They invented new forms OF
treatment, or maltreatment, Of the pa