4. Thunder Helper

4. THUNDER HELPER (43)

A boy went along on a hunting party with three of his uncles. While they were away from camp he took charge of it, prepared sofki for them and did any other work that was necessary. The camp

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was on a small stream and one day he beard a kind of roaring in this stream. He went in the direction of the sound and saw something standing up over the water, part way up which another creature had wrapped itself. The latter was white about the neck. The thing it was wrapped about was quivering and making a thundering noise. This was Thunder and the creature coiled about it was a Tie-snake or Strong-snake (Ståhwånaia). Each of the contestants asked the boy to help him, saying, "My friend, help me."

The boy did not know at first which being to assist, but finally he aimed an arrow at the white neck and pierced it, whereupon the snake loosened its coils and fell into the water dead. Then Thunder said, "You are just a boy, but you shall always be my friend."

Then the boy went back to camp, and presently his uncles returned from hunting. Thunder had told him that when they all went home from their camp he must walk behind his uncles, and he did so. He added, "When you get home, ask your oldest uncle to give you a medical course (a fast for four days), and if he refuses ask the others in turn." So the boy asked the oldest uncle, but he said, "You are too young." He asked the next younger and he refused. The youngest, however, said he supposed he had better do so, and he did. In those days the Indians were always going on war expeditions and when the fast was over the boy said to his uncle, "Let us travel," meaning "Let us go to war." When they got close to the enemy's town the boy told his uncle to remain where he was for a while. Then he went off into the woods a short distance and made a circle and came back in the form of a rainbow. His uncle followed him and the boy went along making it thunder and lighten until by his powers his uncle saw him destroy the entire town. After that they returned home.