WeRead Powered by ReaderPub
Prairie Smoke, a Collection of Lore of the Prairies cover

Prairie Smoke, a Collection of Lore of the Prairies

Chapter 58: INDEX
Open in WeRead

About This Book

A compact anthology of prairie lore combining maps and ethnographic sketches with collected myths, songs, place-based legends, and natural-history reflections from the plains. The compiler assembles accounts of tribal distributions and alliances alongside origin tales tied to hills, springs, and plants, hymns of gratitude for staple crops, and brief vignettes about native flora, fauna, and seasonal life. Written for a local readership, the volume mixes descriptive landscape passages and reverent dedications to early inhabitants with short traditional narratives that link communal memory to particular landmarks. The overall tone is documentary and celebratory, underscoring respect for the land and the continuity of oral tradition.

INDEX

  Page
Dedication 5
Introduction 7
LAND AND PEOPLE
Nature and Health 9
Spirit of Life 10
Attitude Towards Native Life 10
Indians’ Appreciation and Love of Their Homeland 12
Song to the Trees and Streams 12
Thrilling Escape of a Besieged War Party 12
A Mandan Monument 14
The Legend of Standing Rock 15
The Holy Hill Pahuk 17
The Lodge of the Black-tail Deer which Talked with Its Captor 23
The Wonderful Basket 24
Cause of the Breaking up of Ice in the Missouri River 26
The Waterspring of the Holy Man 27
The Sacred Symbol of the Circle 31
The Sacred Number Four 31
The Pristine Prairie 32
Aboriginal American Agriculture 35
Description of an Earth-lodge 37
Hymn to the Sun 38
Description of a Tipi 39
An Omaha Ghost Story 40
An Omaha Hero Song 41
STORIES OF THE PLANT PEOPLE
Sacred Trees 43
The Song of the Pasque Flower 46
The Prairie Rose 48
The Song of the Wild Rose 49
Use of the Ground Bean 50
Tipsin: An Important Native Food Plant 52
How the People Obtained the Precious Gift of Corn 53
A Group of Pawnee Hymns to Corn 56
The Forgotten Ear of Corn 58
How the Usefulness of Wild Rice Was Discovered 58
A Story of the Sunflower 59
Dakota Folklore of the Spiderwort 60
STORIES OF THE FOUR-FOOTED PEOPLE
The Faithful Dog 61
How Coyote Chief Was Punished 63
The Skunk and the Bear 65
The Song of the Old Wolf 65
STORIES OF THE PEOPLE OF THE AIR
Folk Sayings About the Meadowlark 67
How the Meadowlark Won the Race 68
Folklore of the Horned Lark 72
How It Came About that Geese Migrate 72
The Captive Bird 73
The Chickadee 74
The Song of the Wren 75
The War Eagle and the Jack-rabbit 76
MAPS
Map to Show Distribution of Tribes 4
Map to Show Aboriginal Agriculture 34
Map of Geographical Distribution of Pasque Flower 46

Bismarck Tribune Print

Transcriber's Note

Omitted periods and mismatched quotation marks have been repaired. All other punctuation usage is as in the original. Hyphenation has been made consistent. Inconsistent capitalisation, e.g. Hintunka and hintunka, is preserved as printed. Archaic and variable spelling is preserved as printed.

The Dedication on page 6 includes the phrase, "... and who held it a form of sacrilege to violate or in any way endanger the overthrow of that delicate balance of nature; ..." The word 'endanger' does not seem appropriate in the context, and may be an error for 'engender.' However, as it is impossible to be sure, it is preserved as printed.

The following typographic errors have been repaired:

Page 11—considerble amended to considerable—"The careful study of plants and animals was a considerable part ..."

Page 40—semed amended to seemed—"Then, after a time, she seemed to see not only the moccasins ..."

Page 40—leggins amended to leggings—"... but the leggings above them as far as the knees, ..."

Page 41—one amended to on—"... he was unable to sit quietly in the village while the fighting was going on."

Page 45—an amended to in—"... with great profusion of bloom, in earnest of returning life."

Page 75—mesenger amended to messenger—"... and formulated a reply for the messenger to take back ..."

Page 79—Thrillnig amended to Thrilling—"Thrilling Escape of a Besieged War Party ..."