American Indian Trickster Tales (Myths and Legends) by Erdoes Richard

Author:Erdoes, Richard [Erdoes, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 1999-03-01T00:00:00+00:00

Veeho went back to his own lodge, where his wife and children were waiting. Veeho told them: “I went to a rich man’s lodge. It is large, full of good things to eat and furnished with fine buffalo robes. I have frightened this man away. He won’t come back. Come and let us live in his lodge and enjoy what he has left behind.” Veeho and his family then went to the rich man’s lodge and settled down there.

Soon after, Veeho said to his wife: “The man who owned all this has a large possible bag. I think that in this bag is what made him rich. I very much want to have this bag. I will track him down and take this bag away from him. There is enough food for you here to last until I come back.” Veeho followed the man’s footprints. He followed them for four days and nights. He caught up with the rich man. When Veeho saw him from afar, he quickly transformed himself once more into Goose. He overtook his prey, crying loudly: “Honk, honk!”

The man was very scared. Trembling and with chattering teeth, he begged Veeho: “Please, uncle, have pity. Don’t kill me!”

Veeho asked: “What will you give me if I let you live?”

“Whatever you wish,” answered the man.

“Give me the possible bag you are carrying with you,” Veeho demanded.

“All right, all right, take it, but open it only four times. If you open it more often, bad things will happen.” Veeho took the possible bag and let the man go.

Veeho hurried home to his wife and children. He showed them the possible bag, crying: “This is what I wanted!” He could not wait to untie the bag. As soon as he did, a fat buffalo cow jumped out. “This is what made that man so rich,” cried Veeho. “Now we shall lack nothing. Now we shall have a feast every day. This is the way to live!” He quickly tied the bag shut. He fastened it to a lodgepole. It was hanging there. Veeho killed the cow. They butchered it. They had a big feast stuffing themselves with fat hump meat, delicious tongues, livers, and sweet kidneys. The meat lasted for many days.

When it was finally gone, Veeho said: “My wife and children, it is time to open that wonderful bag again.” He did and another young, fat buffalo cow jumped out. Again they feasted. Whenever they ran out of food, Veeho untied the possible bag. He was about to open it for the fifth time when his wife warned him: “That man told you not to open this bag more than four times. He told you that bad things would happen if you did.”

Veeho laughed. “That fellow was angry with me for taking the bag away from him. He does not want us to be rich forever. That’s why he said this. This bag is bottomless. It will bring forth a young, fat cow every time I open it.”

Veeho untied the possible bag for the fifth time.

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