Myths and Legends of the Great Plains

<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg&nbsp;153]</SPAN></span></p> <h2>WHY THE WOLVES HELP IN WAR</h2> <p class="subtitle">Dakota</p> <p><span class="dropcap">O</span>nce upon a time an Indian found a wolf den, and began digging into it to get the cubs.</p> <p>Wolf Mother appeared, barking. She said, &ldquo;Pity my children,&rdquo; but he paid no attention to her. So she ran for her husband.</p> <p>Wolf Father soon appeared. He barked. Still the man dug into the den. Then Wolf Father sang a beautiful song. He sang, &ldquo;O man, pity my children, and I will teach you one of my arts.&rdquo; He ended with a howl which caused a fog. When the Wolf Father howled again, the fog disappeared.</p> <p>The man thought, &ldquo;These animals have mysterious gifts.&rdquo; So he tore up his red blanket into small pieces. He tied a piece around the neck of each of the wolf cubs, as a necklace. Then he painted them with red paint and put them back into the den.</p> <p>Wolf Father was very grateful. He said, &ldquo;When you go to war hereafter, I will go with you. I will bring about whatever you wish.&rdquo; Then the man went away.</p> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg&nbsp;154]</SPAN></span> After a while the man went on the warpath. Just as he came in sight of the village of the enemy, a large wolf met him.</p> <p>Wolf said, &ldquo;By and by I will sing. Then you shall steal their horses when they least suspect danger.&rdquo;</p> <p>So the man stopped on a hill close to the village. And the wolf sang. After that he howled, making a high wind arise. The horses fled to the forest, but many stopped on the hillside. When the wolf howled again, the wind died down and a mist arose. So the man on the warpath took as many horses as he pleased.</p> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />