Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

February 7, 2004 - Issue 106

North Wind and Star Boy

Lakota Legend

In the very old days, at the beginning of things, Star Boy went about the world as a champion, defending all feeble folk against the attacks of their enemies.

The champion was so strong that he could not bend his bow of wood without breaking it, so, he armed himself with a bone bow, a bone knife and a stone war club

One day, he came to the village of the Frogs, who poured out of their lodges to meet him and give him food, but no water. "He who goes to the water," they said, "never returns. A great warrior lies there who has swallowed many of us alive, and now we are dying of thirst!"

Star Boy was so thirsty that after he had eaten, he went down to the water and was instantly swallowed by the Walleye. But, with his knife he slashed Walleye in the gills and escaped; and then he warned the big fish, saying:

Be careful how you carelessly destroy the people because some day, they will be used to destroy you!"

Then he went on his way, as far as another village of Little People, who complained that they had no fire wood.

"We dare not go to the wood any more," they said, "for there lives a fierce warrior who swoops down on us from above and devours us!"

Star Boy quickly went to the wood, where he was attacked by Hinhan, the Owl. He easily conquered the Owl with his stone war club. "Because of your cruelty," he said to the Owl, "the sun shall blind you, so, after this, you can only hunt in the dark when the Mouse people are taking to their holes and hiding from you."

Now Star Boy travelled northward, until he reached the very northernmost country, and in that faraway land, he found a people in great distress. This was because they feared Wazeya, the North Wind, who drove away the buffalo herds so that they had no meat. "And, when he points his finger at one of us," they said, "that man dies!"

"Come, let us hunt the buffalo!" said Star Boy to them; and although they were starving, they were afraid and unwilling to go. However, he made some of the men go with him, and on the great open plain they met with North Wind, who challenged the champion to a battle.

The two rushed upon each other with a great fury, and in the first rush, Star Boy broke the bow of North Wind; but, in the second, Star Boy was overthrown and lay as dead.

However, after a time he got up and they met for the third round, when lo! neither one could beat the other, so in the very middle of the battle, they had to sit on a snowbank and rest.

Star Boy sat on his calf-skin and fanned himself with an eagle wing, and the snow immediately began to melt. This caused the North Wind to retreat.

But, before he went away, he made a treaty of peace with Star Boy, promising to come to earth for only half a year and to give timely warning of his coming, so that the people could prepare for him and lay up food.

By this means, the winter and summer were established.

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