"Tonight the wind is blowing," said War Eagle. "Grandmother, put more firewood into the fire and warm our lodge well so I can tell the children the story of Old Man's Courting.
Grandmother put the logs into the crackling fire and the sparks gaily brightened the lodge and filled it will warmth and good cheer. War Eagle laid his pipe away and began the story as he leaned back on his beautiful quill back-rest.
"It was a stormy day much like today," he began. "Out on the prairie the snow piled in big drifts. Deep in the forests the snow swirled around the trees, covering rabbit tracks and etching the pine trees and bushes with a thick heavy white coating.
"The wolf sat in his lodge, watching and listening closely for sounds or movement beyond that of the storm. Nothing, not birds or land animals, could travel. The Deer people and the Elk people trampled the snow down in great patches and waited for the Chinook winds to blow their warmth.
"At last it was ended; the North Wind was still. Hardly a sound could be heard in the air. Even the Echo people slept soundly and nothing wakened them. The Owl hooted quietly when the night fell. His voice was alone. The snow was deep. The dark sky began to clear and the starlight twinkled down on the plains and forests below. The Shadow people slowly crept across the snow and made fun of those they stood beside.
"The Blackfoot people believe that the Shadow people and the Echo people are related since they both like to mock and have ways that are the same. They both mimic those around them.
"Although the awful storm had just passed, there was already one man traveling. It was Old Man, and he was wallowing through the deep snow like the Bear would wallow if he was out, but he wasn't. The Bear had more sense as the snow was much too deep. The Bear was sleeping, as he always does when the snows are deep. It was Old Man that taught the Bear to sleep, but he was not wise enough to do that himself. It is strange that those who tell others what to do usually don't do them themselves or follow their own teachings.
"So, Old Man was traveling during the storm. He was tired and hungry when he reached the forest. He had been out on the plains and had found nothing to eat and the night was coming when he entered the forest. None of the forest people were stirring, and at last the night came on. The Moon climbed into the sky to watch the World until the Sun came with the Day. Finally, Old Man found a big spruce-tree whose branches reached nearly to the ground. They did reach the snow that was piled about them. He pushed the branches aside and looked in. The ground was bare and dry about the tree. No snow had entered there. 'Ho!' he cried, 'I'll camp here. I'll spend the night right here, I guess.'
"A snow-shoe-rabbit ran out as Old Man entered, and he cried: 'Wait. Wait my brother. I am lonesome. I want to talk to you.'
"'I'm afraid of you,' said the rabbit, as he ran away through the snow.
"'I made you,' said Old Man.
"'I know you did, but you made more enemies for me than for anyone else; so I have to be careful. I'll find another place to sleep.' And he ran away.
"'Everybody is afraid of me, and if it were not for me there wouldn't be anybody,' said Old Man as he leaned against the tree. Through the overhanging branches he could see the Shadow people standing in the snow everywhere. They scarcely moved, but waited for the Breeze to stir the trees or move the branches overhead; then they danced as long as the Breeze sang. An Owl hooted away in the snowy forest, 'Whoooo whooooo who!'
"'Hey you, Owl Person! Come here. I want to talk to somebody!' cried Old Man. But the Owl didn't come. He didn't even answer, if he heard the call. But he kept at his hooting all night long.
"It was warm under the Spruce tree and Old Man's eyelids drooped shut, opened, and drooped shut tight for the night – and he was asleep. Ho! He was snoring badly.
"Something stirred on the other side of the spruce-tree. It was not loud, but there was a noise behind Old Man on the other side of the tree. 'Who is that!' asked Old Man.
"'Myself and my daughter,' said a voice behind the tree.
"'Who are you?'
"The voice didn't answer.
"'Do you live here?' asked Old Man.
"'Yes,' said the voice.
"'She's pretty – very pretty," said the Old Man.
"'Who's pretty?' said the voice.
"'Why, your daughter, of course,' said the Old Man. 'I'm a great hunter too. I know many things.'
"The voice said nothing.
"'I say I am a great hunter and I have no women,' said Old man. But the voice did not reply.
"'Say, can't you hear me? I say I have no women and I am looking for one. I am a great hunter and will be good for any woman I get.'
"All was still; no person answered.
"'Give me your daughter,' begged Old Man. 'I'll be good to her and take care of her.'
"'You'll have to talk to my daughter,' said the voice.
"'Will you not talk to me, woman?' asked Old Man. 'Please talk to me, for I am in love with you, and I want you.'
"'Yes I will go with you, if you will be kind to me,' said the young woman.
"'Well, I'll be good to you, of course. Come and sit beside me.'
"She came and sat beside him. He tried to put his arm around her.
"'Don't do that,' she cried. 'You mustn't do that.'
"'Why not?'
"'Because I am hardly a Person yet?'
"'Can't I tell a Person when I see her? Can't I tell a pretty woman with my own eyes?'
"'Oh you think you can,' said the young woman, 'but I am not quite a Person. You cannot court me any more until twelve days have passed – then I'll be a Person.'
"'Do you think I'm going to sit here and wait for twelve days? How can I wait twelve days?'
"No voice answered him.
"'Well, how can I?' he repeated.
"No answer.
"He grabbed at the woman...
"Whirrrrr... A blue grouse flew from the branches beneath the spruce tree with a great noise. Old man had grabbed in his sleep and had fallen on his face. But when he sat up again he felt something soft in his hand.
"It was full of the tail feathers."
Linderman, Frank B. (1996) Indian Old Man Stories (1880) USA / First Bison Books Printers.