Atondido Stories
The Giant with the Grey Feathers
Once long ago, when the Blackfeet Indians dwelt on the Canadi-
an plains, there was a great famine in all the land. For many
months no buffaloes were killed, and there was no meat to be
had at any price. One by one the old people dropped off because
of a lack of food, and the young children died early because
there was no nourishment, and there was great sorrow every-
where. Only the strong women and the stronger warriors re-
mained alive, but even they gradually grew weaker because of
the pinch of the hunger sent into the land by famine. At last the
Chief of the tribe prayed that the Great Chieftain of the Indians
might come into his territory to tell the people what to do to save
themselves.
The Great Chief was at that time far away in the south coun-
try where the warm winds were blowing and the flowers were
blooming. But one night he heard the Chief's prayer borne to
him on the winds, and he hastened northward, for he knew that
his people on the plains were somehow in dire distress. Soon he
arrived at the village of the hungry tribe. "Who has called me
here?" he asked. "It was I," answered the Chief. "My people are
all starving because there are no buffaloes in the country, and if
you had not come we should soon have all perished." Then the
Great Chief looked upon his people and he noticed that the old
folks and the little children had disappeared; only a few children
were left and they had pinched cheeks and sunken eyes. And he
took pity on them and said, "There is a great thief not far distant.
He is probably a wicked giant, and he has driven all the buffa-
loes away. But I will find him and soon you shall have food."
And the people were all comforted, for they knew that the Great
Chief would keep his word.
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