As the Teepee Turns
by Hugh Welch
Two boys who grew up together and fell in love with a girl from another enemy tribe.
Eagle Shoe and Shadow Boy grew up together in the same lodge and shared adventures together into Manhood. While out hunting, a long way from home they encountered another youth about their age who was hurt from a buffalo goring his horse and injuring him. Although he was an enemy (Cree), there was no honor in counting coup or killing him so they agreed to take him back to his band, which was camped somewhere around the Cypress Hills.(Blackfoot Hunting Grounds).
Upon entering the enemy camp with their companion, who was a son of an important warrior in the band, they were given good treatment and invited to many lodges to feast and tell stories. In one lodge there was a young lady of great beauty, who caught the eye of both boys. She seemed interested also.
After visiting for many days and being well treated, the boys were requested to return to their own band with a message that the Crees wanted a peace treaty and sent gifts back with the boys.
Upon returning to their own band they relayed the message to the band council with the gifts sent. The band council agreed to talk to the Cree's and sent the boys back with gifts to show their good intent. At the Cree camp they were well received as friends and invited to stay for as long as they wante;, but one had to return to the Blackfoot to make a time for the peace treaty meeting and to let them know that the boys were alright and had been well-treated by the Crees. Since both wanted to stay to be around the girl (Shadow in the Night), they shot arrows to see who would return. Shadow Boy lost and returned to the Blackfoot with the messages and gifts.
Shadow Boy told his father about the Cree girl and his liking for her and also that Eagle Shoe liked her too. His father told him this story:
While returning home from stealing horses from the Crows they ran onto a band of Crees (their enemies) and the great warrior Shadow was their leader. Shadow was defending this little clump of brush where his wife was giving birth to a son. Shadow was killed and the woman died in childbirth, but the baby lived. He brought the baby home to be raised as his own and felt Shadow in the Night might be a relative. It wouldn't be possible for them to marry. He (Shadow Boy) wasn't Blackfoot but Cree. His father thought the band they visited might be the same band Shadow (his father) was from and thus were his relatives. Upon returning to the Cree band it was revealed that he did have relatives there and Shadow in the Night was his older sister. By Eagle Shoe and Shadow in the Night being married the two enemy bands made peace.
Many names have been misinterpreted such as The Cree Chief "Stone Child" came out "Rocky Boy" and a whole Reservation was named after him in this name!
Free Forum Hosting
Important Announcement
First 
