Reading Notes: Sioux, Part B
Bibliography
"Iktomi's Blanket" from Old Indian Legends by Zitkala-Sa, Read it here
Zikala-Sa's stories about Iktomi's blanket are quick, enjoyable reads. There's definitely a common theme among them. Although Iktomi is a trickster, and often takes advantage of others to get what he wants, he never wins in the end because the universe always balances his actions out. For example, in the previous story, he tricked some ducks into staying put while he slaughtered them, but he never got to enjoy their meat because he became stuck in a tree and a pack of wolves ate the ducks.
"Iktomi's Blanket" is very similar, and picks up where the story about the ducks leaves off. Iktomi is hungry, and his spirit is quite dampened after watching the wolves eat the tasty duck he had been roasting. So, he seeks out the Great-Grandfather, which is a huge rock on a hill which has stood forever and through which the Great Spirit listens to prayers.
Iktomi prays to the Great-Grandfather, saying he is starving and begs for food. While he is praying, the sky lights up with a warm red light, and Iktomi takes this as a sign that his prayer has been heard. As a thank offering to the Great Spirit/Great-Grandfather, Iktomi takes his blanket and wraps it around the stone's shoulders.
After this, pleased with the results of his prayer, Iktomi sets off towards the red light in the sky. As he walks, he finds a freshly-killed deer lying in the path. Knowing this is the Great Spirit's response to his prayer, Iktomi is delighted and begins preparing the deer to cook and eat.
As Iktomi is working to prepare the deer, however, the sun sets and it gets very cold. Iktomi thinks about his blanket, resting on the Great-Grandfather stone's shoulders. He reasons that since the Great-Grandfather is just a stone, he doesn't feel cold and doesn't really need the blanket, so it would be put to much better use on his own shoulders.
So, Iktomi leaves in the middle of preparing the deer and heads back towards the great stone to retrieve his blanket. When he arrives, he forcefully tugs the blanket off the stone, and wraps it around his own shoulders. As Iktomi walks back to where the deer lies, however, his blanket is not as warm as it used to be.
And when Iktomi arrives back at the deer, it's nowhere to be found! The cuts of meat Iktomi had prepared have disappeared, as well as the rest of the deer. The only thing left is the sharpened sticks Iktomi had prepared for the fire, and the white, dry bones of the deer.
Now Iktomi is cold and without food, but instead of realizing his mistake of taking back the thank-offering, his only regret is not finishing preparing the deer before leaving to take back his blanket.
"Iktomi's Blanket" from Old Indian Legends by Zitkala-Sa, Read it here
Zikala-Sa's stories about Iktomi's blanket are quick, enjoyable reads. There's definitely a common theme among them. Although Iktomi is a trickster, and often takes advantage of others to get what he wants, he never wins in the end because the universe always balances his actions out. For example, in the previous story, he tricked some ducks into staying put while he slaughtered them, but he never got to enjoy their meat because he became stuck in a tree and a pack of wolves ate the ducks.
"Iktomi's Blanket" is very similar, and picks up where the story about the ducks leaves off. Iktomi is hungry, and his spirit is quite dampened after watching the wolves eat the tasty duck he had been roasting. So, he seeks out the Great-Grandfather, which is a huge rock on a hill which has stood forever and through which the Great Spirit listens to prayers.
Iktomi prays to the Great-Grandfather, saying he is starving and begs for food. While he is praying, the sky lights up with a warm red light, and Iktomi takes this as a sign that his prayer has been heard. As a thank offering to the Great Spirit/Great-Grandfather, Iktomi takes his blanket and wraps it around the stone's shoulders.
After this, pleased with the results of his prayer, Iktomi sets off towards the red light in the sky. As he walks, he finds a freshly-killed deer lying in the path. Knowing this is the Great Spirit's response to his prayer, Iktomi is delighted and begins preparing the deer to cook and eat.
As Iktomi is working to prepare the deer, however, the sun sets and it gets very cold. Iktomi thinks about his blanket, resting on the Great-Grandfather stone's shoulders. He reasons that since the Great-Grandfather is just a stone, he doesn't feel cold and doesn't really need the blanket, so it would be put to much better use on his own shoulders.
So, Iktomi leaves in the middle of preparing the deer and heads back towards the great stone to retrieve his blanket. When he arrives, he forcefully tugs the blanket off the stone, and wraps it around his own shoulders. As Iktomi walks back to where the deer lies, however, his blanket is not as warm as it used to be.
And when Iktomi arrives back at the deer, it's nowhere to be found! The cuts of meat Iktomi had prepared have disappeared, as well as the rest of the deer. The only thing left is the sharpened sticks Iktomi had prepared for the fire, and the white, dry bones of the deer.
Now Iktomi is cold and without food, but instead of realizing his mistake of taking back the thank-offering, his only regret is not finishing preparing the deer before leaving to take back his blanket.
A few lucky ducks escaped Iktomi. Maybe they saw the red light, too.
(Image source: Johannes Plenio from Pexels)
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