Native American Legends
The bad weapons
A Blackfoot Legend
Once Old Man was fording a river, when the current carried him
down stream, and he lost his weapons. He was very hungry, so he
took the first wood he could find, and made a bow and arrows, and
a handle for his knife and spear. When he had finished them, he
started up a mountain. Pretty soon he saw a bear digging roots,
and he thought he would have some fun, so he hid behind a log and
called out, "No-tail animal, what are you doing?" The
bear looked up, but, seeing no one, kept on digging.
Then Old Man called out again, "Hi, you dirt-eater!"
and then he dodged back out of sight. Then the bear sat up again,
and this time he saw Old Man and ran after him.
Old Man began shooting arrows at him, but the points only stuck
in the skin, for the shafts were rotten and snapped off. Then he
threw his spear, but that too was rotten, and broke. He tried to
stab the bear, but his knife handle was also rotten and broke, so
he turned and ran; and the bear pursued him. As he ran, he looked
about for some weapon, but there was none, not even a rock. He called
out to the animals to help him, but none came. His breath was almost
gone, and the bear was very close to him, when he saw a bull's horn
lying on the ground. He picked it up, placed it on his head, and,
turning around, bellowed so loudly that the bear was scared and
ran away.
Native American Legends
Back to Top
Other Native American Legends
|
Native American Legends A-B