ered with more honor by the white man, perhaps, than by his own
people.

LITTLE CROW

Chief Little Crow was the eldest son of Cetanwakuwa (Charging Hawk).
It was on account of his father's name, mistranslated Crow, that he was
called by the whites "Little Crow." His real name was Taoyateduta, His
Red People.

As far back as Minnesota history goes, a band of the Sioux called
Kaposia (Light Weight, because they were said to travel light) inhabited
the Mille Lacs region. Later they dwelt about St. Croix Falls, and still
later near St. Paul. In 1840, Cetanwakuwa was still living in what
is now West St. Paul, but he was soon after killed by the accidental
discharge of his gun.

It was during a period of demoralization for the Kaposias that Little
Crow became the leader of his people. His father, a well-known chief,
had three wives, all from different bands of the Sioux. He was the only
son of the first wife, a Leaf Dweller. There were two sons of the second
and two of the third wife, and the second set of brothers conspired
to kill their half-brother in order to keep the chieftainship in the
family.

Two kegs of whisky were bought, and all the men of the tribe invited
to a feast. It was planned to pick some sort of quarrel when all were
drunk, and in the confusion Little Crow was to be murdered. The plot
went smoothly until the last instant, when a young brave saved the
intended victim by knocking the gun aside with his hatchet, so that the
shot went wild. However, it broke his right arm, which remained crooked
all his life. The friends of the young chieftain hastily withdrew,
avoiding a general fight; and later the council of the Kaposias
condemned the two brothers, both of whom were executed, leaving him in
undisputed possession.

Such was the opening of a stormy career. Little Crow's mother had been
a chief's daughter, celebrated for her beauty and spirit, and it is said
that she used to plunge him into the lake through a hole in the ice,
rubbing him afterward with snow, to strengthen his nerves, and that she
would remain with him alone in the deep woods for days at a time, so
that he might know that solitude is good, and not fear to be alone with
nature.

"My son," she would say, "if you are to be a leader of men, you must
listen in silence to the mystery, the spirit."

At a very early age she made a feast for her boy and announced that he
would fast two days. This is what might be called a formal pres