All the little ruffian bears hooted and shouted “ha-ha!” to see the beggar fall upon his face. There was one, however, who did not even smile. He was the youngest cub. His fur coat was not as black and glossy as those his elders wore. The hair was dry and dingy. It looked much more like kinky wool. He was the ugly cub. Poor little baby bear! he had always been laughed at by his older brothers. He could not help being himself. He could not change the differences between himself and his brothers. Thus again, though the rest laughed aloud at the badger’s fall, he did not see the joke. His face was long and earnest. In his heart he was sad to see the badgers crying and starving. In his breast spread a burning desire to share his food with them.
“I shall not ask my father for meat to give away. He would say ‘No!’ Then my brothers would laugh at me,” said the ugly baby bear to himself.
In an instant, as if his good intention had passed from him, he was singing happily and skipping around his father at work. Singing in his small high voice and dragging his feet in long strides after him, as if a prankish spirit oozed out from his heels, he strayed off through the tall grass. He was ambling toward the small round hut. When directly in front of the entranceway, he made a quick side kick with his left hind leg. Lo! there fell into the badger’s hut a piece of fresh meat. It was tough meat, full of sinews, yet it was the only piece he could take without his father’s notice.
Thus having given meat to the hungry badgers, the ugly baby bear ran quickly away to his father again.
On the following day the father badger came back once more. He stood watching the big bear cutting thin slices of meat.
“Give—” he began, when the bear turning upon him with a growl, thrust him cruelly aside. The badger fell on his hands. He fell where the grass was wet with the blood of the newly carved buffalo. His keen starving eyes caught sight of a little red clot lying bright upon the green. Looking fearfully toward the bear and seeing his head was turned away, he snatched up the small thick blood. Underneath his girdled blanket he hid it in his hand.
On his return to his family, he said within himself: “I’ll pray the Great Spirit to bless it.” Thus he built a small round lodge. Sprinkling water upon the heated heap of sacred stones within, he made ready to purge his body. “The buffalo blood, too, must be purified before I ask a blessing upon it,” thought the badger. He carried it into the sacred vapor lodge. After placing it near the sacred stones, he sat down beside it. After a long silence, he muttered: “Great Spirit, bless this little buffalo blood.” Then he arose, and with a quiet dignity stepped out of the lodge. Close behind him someone followed. The badger turned to look over his shoulder and to his great joy he beheld a Dakota brave in handsome buckskins. In his hand he carried a magic arrow. Across his back dangled a long fringed quiver. In answer to the badger’s prayer, the avenger had sprung from out the red globules.
“My son!” exclaimed the badger with extended right hand.
“How, father,” replied the brave; “I am your avenger!”
Immediately the badger told the sad story of his hungry little ones and the stingy bear.
Listening closely the young man stood looking steadily upon the ground.
At length the father badger moved away.
“Where?” queried the avenger.
“My son, we have no food. I am going again to beg for meat,” answered the badger.
“Then I go with you,” replied the young brave. This made the old badger happy. He was proud of his son. He was delighted to be called “father” by the first human creature.
The bear saw the badger coming in the distance. He narrowed his eyes at the tall stranger walking beside him. He spied the arrow. At once he guessed it was the avenger of whom he had heard long, long ago. As they approached, the bear stood erect with a hand on his thigh. He smiled upon them.
“How, badger, my friend! Here is my knife. Cut your favorite pieces from the deer,” said he, holding out a long thin blade.
“How!” said the badger eagerly. He wondered what had inspired the big bear to such a generous deed. The young avenger waited till the badger took the long knife in his hand.
Gazing full into the black bear’s face, he said: “I come to do justice. You have returned only a knife to my poor father. Now return to him his dwelling.” His voice was deep and powerful. In his black eyes burned a steady fire.
The long strong teeth of the bear rattled against each other, and his shaggy body shook with fear. “Ahōw!” cried he, as if he had been shot. Running into the dwelling he gasped, breathless and trembling, “Come out, all of you! This is the badger’s dwelling. We must flee to the forest for fear of the avenger who carries the magic arrow.”
Out they hurried, all the bears, and disappeared into the woods.
Singing and laughing, the badgers returned to their own dwelling.
Then the avenger left them.
“I go,” said he in parting, “over the earth.”
It was a clear summer day. The blue, blue sky dropped low over the edge of the green level land. A large yellow sun hung directly overhead.
The singing of birds filled the summer space between earth and sky with sweet music. Again and again sang a yellow-breasted birdie—“Koda Ni Dakota!” He insisted upon it. “Koda Ni Dakota!” which was “Friend,
