Native American Legends
Old Man induces Men and Women to mate
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
"Men and women formerly did not live together as they do now,
they were in separate bands like animals. Old Man was the means
of bringing them together.
The women were then camped on Crow Lodge River beside a piskun
(a ridge for buffalo jumps) and secured their game by driving them
over a high cliff. They were skilled in the art of tanning, and
knew how to make good clothes and lodges from skins.
The men, on the other hand, killed their game with bows and arrows.
They did not know how to tan skins , or sew. Their lodges were made
of green hides and their clothes of rough skins, roughly fastened
together.
When Old Man came to the women's camp, he met the Chief Women and
told her about the condition of the men. She asked him to bring
the men to their camp, that they might each choose a mate.
Old Man led the men to a hill outside the women's camp, where they
all stood in line. The Chief Women, who had first choice, came out
very shabbily dressed. She walked along the line of men and selected
Old Man for her mate. But he did not recognize her in her poor clothes
and refused to go with her.
The Chief Women was very angry. She returned to camp and instructed
the other women to pass by Old Man in their choosing. She dressed
in her best clothes and returned again to the men. This time Old
Man liked her appearance so much, that he kept getting in her way,
seeking to be chosen. But she selected another mate.
When the other women selected their mates, Old Man was left out.
The Chief Women then changed him into a pine tree.
There were formerly three pine trees beside the Women's Piskun.
There is now a fourth, which we call Old Man."
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