Plains Indian Studies - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

An Historical Character Mythologized:
The Scalped Man in Arikara and Pawnee Folkore
ABSTRACT
In Plains warfare individuals occasionally survived
scalping. Called "scalped men" by the Arikara
and Pawnee, they were considered to be no
longer human and were forced to live a solitary
existence outside the pale of human society. The
scalped man as a character has uniquely permeated
Arikara and Pawnee folklore. He occurs
variously as an historical personage, as a legendary
figure who is a benefactor or bestower of
supernatural power, and as a legendary character
in a mythological context. Further, he appears as
a comic and a bogeyman. In these different roles
he illustrates how an historical individual was
evolving into a mythological figure.
The Arikara story "The Origin of Summer in
the North" presents an interesting problem for
the folklorist. That the reader may appreciate
this problem, a translation of the myth as told by
Not Afraid Of The Enemy (Pa:tuh Kananumino) is
given here in its entirety.
Long, long ago when we people were not yet living on
this earth, when the ways were holy on this earth, there was
no summer here in this country. It was truly cold—always
winter. Oh, it's not known how long the time lasted when it
never got warm, when it would just always be winter.
Now a raven came along. It's not known whence he came.
Then came a coyote, and then a scalped man. Now there
were the three of them, and they said. "Oh, everything is so
difficult for us when it is winter all the time, never getting
Douglas R. Parks, Indian Languages Program, Mary College, Bismark.
North Dakota 58501.
Douglas R. Parks
47
warm, just winter, winter. It would certainly be nice if it
were warm and green grass were to come up for these buffalo
and the other creatures roaming around here to eat. Instead,
it is just winter, and it makes things difficult."
While these three were talking about the situation, Raven
said, "Say, there is one living who controls things where it is
summer. (It is the sun.) If we were to steal his child and
bring him here, the sun will come looking for his boy. He
will follow us.''
One of the others asked how they would do that, and
Raven said, "We will go south to where he lives. Now, truly
I know where he lives. I know where the sun's lodge is."
Then they went in a war party, going after summer so
that it would be warm some of the time where we live here.
Raven led them to the place, wherever it was. Then he
announced, "Here is the place; this dwelling belongs to the
sun, and this is where his son lives. Now, Scalped Man is
going to be the one to enter it. While the boy's father sleeps,
he will bring the boy here. The boy is a ring (or hoop) and
is hanging up in there. You, Scalped Man, will take the ring,
and when you exit they are going to chase you. Oh, they
watch over him. They watch over him; so after you enter
and then come out, I'll be right there. You will put the ring
around my neck, and I'll come flying north for as long as
my strength lasts. Now this one here, Coyote: When I arrive
where it's winter, Coyote will be the one to take the ring.
He'll carry it for as long as his strength lasts. The heat is
going to follow us, so that summer will come when they
chase us."
Now that is what they did. Scalped Man entered the
lodge. Since he could see well at night, he found it after
looking all around. He took the ring and went out. He gave
it to Raven, putting it around his neck. Raven then flew up
and ran away with the boy as the tribe of people—whoever
they were—were yelling back there.
This is what they used to tell: They began chasing after
Raven, but Scalped Man was holding the crowd back so
that the pursuers would not shoot Raven. He was holding
them back as Raven came north.
Finally Raven said, "My strength is gone now," and then