Ways of mankind II; The repentant horse thief

Fellow members of the bowstring society you see before you a man who has done certain deeds. Once there was a party of three Comanches rode up to me while I was travelling across the prairie with another Cheyenne. I had no weapon but my whip when I rode up to the Comanches and struck one of them with my whip and another with my hand. Such is the kind of man I am. And therefore when I make a complaint I hope it will not pass unnoticed. Red Robe has again borrowed two of my horses and ridden off with them. And I say to the bowstring soldiers Red Robe has done this thing once too often. The repentant horse thief a program in the serious ways of mankind presented under the supervision of Walter Goldschmidt anthropologist of the University of California Los Angeles by the National Association of educational broadcasters a series designed to show how human beings live together in different times and places. The repentant horse the is one of a series of six programmes prepared to show you how the universal problems of law and justice are met

by different peoples throughout the world. In this case the Cheyenne Indians of the North American plains in the period after the whites had come but before their culture was destroyed the repentant horse the. You seem you know an old Indian nearly blind. Eye who was once a shy young warrior. Perhaps if I had been braver as a young man I would never come to this. I would have died in battle. Perhaps the wars were still going on I might have died like the great warrior assault. He too was a Cheyenne and he too became blind. At the great wagon box fight with the United States Army. He called the young men and said he was tired of seeing his past grow dim before his eyes. Where were the soldiers. And they took him by the hand and turned his face towards the enemy's guns. Smiling he walked toward them. Until a bullet struck him. Such might have been my

fate once but the 0 0 days are gone. The Indians no longer chase the buffalo across the plains. The glory of the Cheyenne has departed. We were a great people then. Even I knew that. And when I was a young man you have no idea how I behave. I was a terrible fellow you never saw such a rascal. Finally I got into really bad trouble and I should never have got out of it again if it had not been for a high back Wolf that was always the way with the old Cheyenne. A man gets into trouble very well one of the chiefs always steps forward to help him get over it and be a good man again. But when I was a young fellow I never realized that. Instead I used to hang around the camp and get into all sorts of trouble. One afternoon I was sitting on a little hill watching the people come into camp. I backed Wolfer was still the young man had just been made

a chief and he was sitting beside me. Down in the valley we could see Buffalo whomp and his wife struggling away with a pack horse. Hold up Master. If I did you would know who is me. You take you back into camp with you. Oh I was watching and I thought if someone shouted suddenly maybe that pack horse would start shining and Buffalo aiport fall down in the mud. I thought that would be very funny. That was the kind of young fellow I was in those days and what I was thinking that something came over me and I stood up and shouted. Made of oh up never mind to me. I went right in the mud to that horse has bolted completely something that was why you were there. Red Robe. Why did you shout at me I didn't do anything wrong. Don't blame me. Yes you did you make no mistake. You can't blame me just because you have a bad horse. We have good horses. Just because you can't manage them.

Listen to them. My back will go through helping his wife or pretending that it was my fault the horse bolted and spoiled all their meat. I think it was your fault. What makes you say that. I just shouted Hello. Who would have thought that would make trouble. There's a red robe wherever you go there's trouble. Whatever you're doing there's trouble it's quite right. No one can say it was really your fault. But there are so many things that aren't really your fault. You better watch your step. Read. One of these days you're going to get into real trouble. Yeah I didn't mean any attention to that kind of talk. I backed war for just been made a chief he'd been selected one of the Council of 44 and he was getting to be a big man in the bowstring soldier society. So he was doing his duty speaking to me importantly like that. Besides he smiled too when the horse ran off and buffalo went

flat on his face in the mud. But that was the way I was all the time. I was always trying something that wasn't making horses run away it was stealing beat don't you come back with that mate you still have that right off my drawing rack you fetch it back or I'll tell a soldier societies about you and they'll beat the stuffing out of you you scoundrel you go on like this and you're going to be untrue. Sometimes I used to take people's horses for joy rides and when I was through I'd never bring the horse back. I just used to turn it loose on the prairie and let it find its own way back if it ever did. Red Robe my Pinto mare just wandered back into camp. She's lame and are off her foot and she's all covered with burs untangles. It's going to take a week to get her all straightened out again. And it's your fault you took her off. My wife saw you out on the prairie practicing law suing. You listen to me red robe. You borrow any more horses without asking and you're going to be and bad trouble.

Oh I was a mean boy when I was a lad. And although I was pretty bad all right and disrespectful to people and up to all kinds of tricks. I had my reputation got to be even worse. Anything that went wrong in camp got to be blamed on me. So I guess people were really fed up when I found a couple of nice horses belonging to buffalo hump and borrowed them for a little hunting trip without saying too much about it to Buffalo hope you understand. I guess the first he knew about it was when his wife asked him about the horses. She was a terrible woman that wife of his. Always checking up on him. Later he got so fed up with every Thruway in advance that made us all cry she went off and hanged herself but in those days she was right after him. I've been looking for you. I thought you said you were going to tap two horses for me. How many times do I have to tell you a thing before I get it done. You know as well as I do that to take my

sister over and pick berries and I've told you about those horses once I've told you a thousand times and I just got the tire right all right. I brought the horses over for you. They're tied up behind the TV. You should use your eyes like that I said behind the teepee. Oh no they're not. You may have thought you put them there but you didn't. Well you may pretend you know I did put them there. Look right over. You're gone and I know it. If they were ever over there. Come and look the trails fresh. They were here all right. Someone's taken them to do a foolish thing like that. Who do you think Red Robe of course right. I have not forgotten the time he shouted at the Packhorse unsplit all Army. He said it was and I didn't but I know better and I know he's gone too far this time. If he can't learn to behave like a man somebody's got to teach him. I'm going to call the bowstring soldiers together right away. Well all this was going on I was happily writing a word to you over the prairie that didn't seem to be anyone after me and it looked as if I was in the clear.

But back at camp the bowstring soldiers were all assembled. That was one of the great Cheyenne military societies that used to keep order during the hunting and during wars and occasionally other times when something had to be done. There didn't seem to be anyone else around properly qualified to do it. I suppose it was the usual kind of meeting inside a teepee. The pipe was passed around and then buffalo hump stood up and emphasized his position as an important warrior by calling off one of his strokes of courage that all members of the bowstring society. You see before you a man who has done certain deeds. Once there was a party of three Comanches rode up to me while I was traveling across the prairie with another Cheyenne. I had no weapon but my whip. When I rode up to the Comanches and struck one of them with my whip and another with my hand. Such is the kind of man I am. And therefore when I make a complaint I hope it will not pass unnoticed. Really the matter is simple. Red Robe is again better to have my horses and ridden off

with them. Where is the gun. I do not know. But it rained yesterday and the trail is easy to follow. I say to the bowstring soldiers that Red Robe has done this thing once too often. What do you say tango here. First let me recall an exploit to remind you of the man who was speaking to you. We were attacked by a large party of Kyla's and there was much killing on both sides. At last six Cairo was made dead. It was I who touched them first. All six of them. It was also I who took four of their scalps. THESE ARE THEY ON MY WALL about it. So I hope that my opinion will not pass unnoticed. Oh I agree that Red Robe has gone too far. You must be taught a lesson. One of our members has been injured by him and not for the first time even and not for the first time either. Therefore I say the posting society should make ready take food and saddle horses and chase after red robe. When we catch up with them we get Buffalo humps horses back and we punish him as we see fit.

There is something I should like to say. Do you agree to this high back. Let me first come to the stroke of my own. When the great battle took place at Beaver Creek. I made a vow not to retreat. Once the battle started. This I did and lived through the fight. More than that. It was I who scored the first exploit of that day by writing in among the enemy and striking three of them with my whip. My weapons I had left behind. So you see the sort of person it is who wishes to bring up this point to you. I think many of the bowstring society that there has been too much of this borrowing without asking the owner's permission and red robe is not the only offender. Well what do we do about it. It is very difficult for the Chiefs to do anything. It is difficult even for the

Council of Chiefs of 44 but it is easy for the SOJA societies. After all is it not our responsibility to keep discipline and good order. In many other fields. Then let us make this rule. And it is a new rule one that the Shi'a and have never had before. There shall be no more borrowing of horses without asking. In fact if anybody borrows anything that belongs to another man without asking. We will go out and get it back for him. And what is more if the taker tries to keep it. We will all give him a good whipping. This will be the new rule. Now all this was very unusual among the Shi'a and it was not often indeed it was very rare that anybody should sit down and carefully draw up a

new rule saying what was to be done. Knowing it to be quite new and saying so. Much I expect all my bad behavior had made the bowstring tired of horse borrowing. But they felt something really had to be done. Now I of course did not know this. I did expect Buffalo hope might be out after me. I certainly did not expect a whole party of bowstring soldiers. So when I first saw them coming it was before day after I had left. I still felt pretty good because I thought it was a party of Cheyenne buffalo hunters that I knew were out on the prairie somewhere and they started kicking their horses and firing their guns in the air. Then I knew I was in the arena specially when I stop off the front and heard what they were shouting at me.

It's got a pretty decent sound a lot more sinister and all kind of term really struck me. Like you still like myself like you tear off as close to his moccasins try to give him a good beating through your teacher but for other people it still makes me ache to think of it. And I was badly shaken with being pulled off the horse by the lasso. And while I lay on the ground have stun bleeding at the nose and ears those bowstring soldiers went to work. Everything they destroyed my saddle my gun my knife Oh my blankets. Then they ripped off all my clothes and tossed them into shreds my moccasins too. Then they beat me until their arms were tired. Then they took my food and rode away and left me alone on the Prairie. I was sore and naked and I had nothing. I was destitute. I was too weak and too hurt

to move. Well that day I just lay and moan. But I had to rouse myself and the next day I managed to start dragging myself along. It was that camp of buffalo hunters I was thinking about. I might have a chance of finding them. I travelled all day but the day after that I was quite sure I was going to die that was going to be the end of red robe. I was sorry I had done all the things I had so that people had to punish me. I had no food only water for I found a creek that I camped by. My feet were bleeding and I could walk no further. So late that afternoon I crawled slowly on my hands in the midst of the edge of a high hill to find a place to die. I put myself in the proper frame of mind. And waited in morning. Far off to the sounds I could see across the rolling plains. To the west. My view

was blocked my pipe and tobacco had been smashed and taken away so I couldn't smoke. I sat there on the edge of the hills thinking a great many very serious things. While I watched the blood drip from my swollen feet while I stared into the South as a hunter came up the hill from behind me. When he saw me he stopped and watched me for a long time. After three days and two nights in my condition I didn't understand at first that there was anybody there nor could I understand that he was speaking to me from his horse red. Oh. Who is it. It is I. It is hi back while I was naked and hurt and hungry and when I realized there was someone there speaking I fell over in a fright. Hi back Wolf dismounted from his horse and came over and helped me up.

He wept when he saw me because I'd looked so bad. Yeah Red Robe. Take my blanket wrap it round it will help keep you warm. I'll help you to my horse. It's not part of my camp we can get something to eat. Come along. That's right. Lean on me. So how I got on my back was horse and we got to his camp. Was on the creek below hidden just around the bend where I had not seen it. There was nobody there but his wife found him. Yes he was sitting on that block over there waiting to die. Will he live. Certainly he will but we must take care of him. You bring in fresh clothes as assured in the living lanes over there. I'll get him something to eat. Perhaps you'd better start with some soup. Have you eaten anything since they beat you. Nothing. No and you must have some soup first until your stomach is used to eating again. Then we can give you some

pemmican on less high backed Wolf has managed to get some fresh meat by then. But in the meantime just you arrest both high backed Wolf and his wife were very kind to me and help me. It took me back to camp with them. So it was they got to the camp back Wolf called together all the chiefs who were in the camp at that moment. There are about half a dozen of them. One of them I think was a soldier chief as well as a peace chief. They all came and I backed Wolf lit the pipe and talked to them first coming off a stroke of courage as was our custom yellow chief. You know me. I am the man who in the sewer attacked us in camp first touched one of the enemy. Taking him with my bare hands and throwing him to the ground so that his neck broke. Not only that. But I was the first to touch his dead body and also the man who scalped him.

So you know the kind of person I am you know I have found red robe wandering on the Prairie. Something has happened to him. Later perhaps we should see what. But this is the first time since I have become a shy in chief that I have met such a poor man. No horse no saddle no gun no clothes no food nothing. Now I am going to outlive him and until he is all fixed up I ask no questions. Then we shall learn if he can tell us how all this happened. I don't ask you to give anything unless you wish to do so. I will give my gun and ammunition. I will give him a horse and some meat. Wait till later. First we should eat. Then we can smoke. I know red robe. He's a great smoker and would rather smoke than eat meat. Let me for the smoke to the five directions and pray.

I bank will solemnly smoke to the five directions north south east west. And up. All the other people and most of them were bowstring soldiers who had helped to beat me. All the others gave me things. I felt very upset and ashamed for I knew I had done wrong and deserved my punishment. And now here were all the people who had punished me especially high backed Wolf being kind to me and generous and trying to see that I got a good start. That was the moment when I made up my mind I'd give up being such a bad fellow and try and live like a decent showing and instead. No no I have prayed to the five directions to my own the Great Spirit. This is my first good act as a chief. Help this man to tell the truth. Red Robe.

Smoke the pipe there. I'll pass it back. Now you have seen me smoke the pipe. You have touched it with your lips. Why were you beaten. If you tell us the truth my own will help you. I was beaten because I deserved to be. I took buffalo hump horses without asking his permission and you came after me. I took them back and beat me. You were quite right to do this. I have been acting very badly. I have been acting like a scoundrel. I fully deserved everything I got. And now I feel very humble and ashamed. This man has told the truth. Now listen to me red robe.

You are quite old enough now to know what is right. You would be too wall. Now leave office. If it had not been that I had ridden up into the hills after you you would have sat there and died. No one would ever have known what had become of you. You know how we Cheyennes try to live you do the same. You know how we hunt how we go to war. When we take horses we take them from enemies not from other Cheyennes. You should join one of the military societies. You can learn good behavior from the soldiers. But I ask you. To do only one thing. Try and be decent. From now on. Stop stealing. Stop making fun of people.

Stop using bad language in the camp. Try and lead a good life. You're perfectly right. I'll try. I know. I feel very ashamed. Well I'm glad to hear that. Now I'm going to help you out. That is what I'm here for because I'm a chief of the people. You're wearing clothes here. Outside the three houses. They're yours. You may take your choice. Is anybody else anything to give. Yes. I have a six shooter for you. And here's a mountain lion skin. I used to wear it in all the professions. Now I give it to you. Thank you Buffalo. Here are beads extra moccasins and beaver skins to braid in your hair. Also there was a horse of mine outside that you can have. Thank you. I should also tell you red robe. That we're not asking you to leave the camp. You can stay here as long as you like. You're

perfectly welcome. I myself am pledged to be all good behavior. I never forgot that and it changed my whole life. I became a good warrior and went to center Moni was going on and people getting up and coming off their strokes of courage. I was able to count as many as any other man. But I don't know what would have happened of high back will from the other chiefs had not been so kind. I suppose I would have died on the Prairie. But even if I had lived I'd have been pretty sour. As it was they all work together and all tried to help me. And between us we managed to get me into some sort of fair shape but that was always how it was with the Cheyennes in the old days. When a man did wrong the Chiefs were always eager to help him. Punishment wasn't just for revenge or to hurt the man. It was to try and make him better after it

was over everybody would be kind and give presents so that the man was helped as much as possible. Even so mind you people still remembered me as being pretty wild. You should bear that in mind. No matter what you do if you start with a bad reputation that stays with you a long time. You forget what you hope people remember. No matter how much they try to help. No matter how much the right man is ready to step forward at the right moment. Much better if you just obey the rules of the cab and then you'll always do all right. Law and the orderly means of correcting wrongs are universal but they have a special importance among the Indians of the North American Plains. These Indians were hunters and warriors. Men engaged in warfare and people hunting the dangerous and skittish Buffalo must have strict rules and firm discipline

among the Shi'a and these rules were enforced by the military societies above these there was a council of forty for a body of men selected for their wisdom courage kindness generosity and even temper. Each served for ten years and appointed his successor. It was a true governing body sanctioned by religious belief and ritual but responsible for maintaining law and order. The story of red robe which by the way was built on a case collected by a professor consultant for the series has two particularly important features. First. The attitude toward a person who has misbehaved. The word criminal doesn't seem to fit the Cheyenne feeling about it. Punishment was severe but it was not hostile. The explicit aim of Shi'a in law was reform not revenge. It was designed

to rehabilitate the wrongdoer and return him to the company of useful citizenship. The second point is that the Cheyenne were here consciously formulating law. In modern states such as our own Congresses and parliaments are always creating new laws. But in societies without writing it is rare to see a new law come into being. Of course new rules do come into being but usually first by some action then by the coming president and only later consciously formed into legal principles. But this science saw the need of a rule about horse borrowing very formulated in words and acted upon it. The story of the repentant horse thief. So is this how rules are formulated to preserve essential order and harmony in the community. To protect the whole against improper actions of a single member. The particular

genius of cyan law was that it did this as a constructive action that strengthen the society by rehabilitating its lawbreakers. Dr Walter Goldsmith of the department of anthropology and sociology of the University of California Los Angeles has concluded the repentant horsethief a program in the series ways of mankind. The repentant horse thief one of six programmes prepared to show you how the universal problems of law and justice are met by different peoples throughout the world. It was written by a lister Sinclair and produced by Andrew Allen in the studios of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Toronto. Dr. E. Adams unhopeful professor of anthropology at the University of Utah. Is special consultant for the series on Law and Justice. These programs are

presented by the National Association of educational broadcasters and are made possible under a grant from the fund for adult education. An independent organization stablished by the Ford Foundation. This program was distributed by the national educational radio network.