phant!

The foremost of them all enters her white buffalo-skin teepee:
Tossing her babe at the warrior's feet, she stands before him, defiant;
But he straightway levels his spear at her bosom.

Quickly she springs aside, and as quickly deals a deadly blow with
her ax:

Falls at her feet the mighty warrior!

"Closely following on comes another,
unknowing what fate has met his fellow!

He too enters her teepee, and upon his feather-decked head her ax falls
--Only his death-groan replies!

"Another of heroic size and great prowess,
as witnessed by his war-bonnet of eagle-feathers,

Rushes on, yelling and whooping--for they believe
that victory is with them!

The third great warrior who has dared to enter Eyatonkawee's
teepee uninvited, he has already dispatched her husband!

He it is whose terrible war-cry has scattered her sisters
among the trees of the forest!

"On he comes with confidence and a brave heart,
seeking one more bloody deed-
One more feather to win for his head!
Behold, he lifts above her woman's head his battle-ax!
No hope, no chance for her life!...
Ah! he strikes beyond her--only the handle of the ax falls
heavily upon her tired shoulder!

Her ready knife finds his wicked heart,--
Down he falls at her feet!

"Now the din of war grows fainter and further.
The Sioux recover heart, and drive the enemy headlong from their lodges:
Your sister stands victorious over three!
"She takes her baby boy, and makes him count with his tiny
hands the first 'coup' on each dead hero;

Hence he wears the 'first feathers' while yet in his oaken cradle.

"The bravest of the whole Sioux nation have given the war-whoop
in your sister's honor, and have said:

'Tis Eyatonkawee who is not satisfied with downing
the mighty oaks with her ax--
She took the mighty Sacs and Foxes for trees,
and she felled them with a will!'"

In such fashion the old woman was wont to chant her story, and not a
warrior there could tell one to surpass it! The custom was strong, and
there was not one to prevent her when she struck open with a single blow
of her ax the keg of whisky, and the precious liquor trickled upon the
ground.

"So trickles under the ax of Eyatonkawee the blood of an enemy to the
Sioux!"

VI. BLUE SKY

Many years ago a large body of the Sioux were encamped at midsummer
in the valley