--- title: The Grizzly Bear’s Medicine — The Punishment of the Stingy, and Other Indian S… · full text with trees description: The Grizzly Bear’s Medicine, «The Punishment of the Stingy, and Other Indian Stories» by George Bird Grinnell: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: A long time ago there lived in a camp of Pawnees a certain poor boy. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/10/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The Punishment of the Stingy, and Othe…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/) / The Grizzly Bear’s Medicine # The Grizzly Bear’s Medicine The Grizzly Bear’s Medicine of «The Punishment of the Stingy, and Other Indian Stories» by George Bird Grinnell: the whole text, 339 sentences and 6041 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/10/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/10/page/3/) A long time ago there lived in a camp of Pawnees a certain poor boy.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") His father had only one pony.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Once he had been a leading man in the tribe, but now he seemed to be unlucky.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") When he went on the war-path he brought back nothing, and when he fought he did nothing, and the people did not now look up to him.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") There was a chief’s son who loved the poor boy, and these two went together all the time.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") They were like brothers; they used to hunt together and go courting together, and when they were travelling, the poor boy often rode one of the ponies of the chief’s son, and the latter used to go to the poor boy’s lodge and sleep there with him.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") Once the camp went off to hunt buffalo, and the poor boy and the chief’s son rode together all the time.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") After the people had made camp at a certain place, the chiefs decided to stop here for four days, because the buffalo were close by, and they could kill plenty and dry the meat here.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") North of the camp was a hill on which grew many cedar-trees, and during the day the poor boy had overheard people saying that many Indians had been killed on that hill, among those trees.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") They said that no one ought to go there, for it was a dangerous place.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") That night the chief’s son went over to his friend’s lodge to sleep there, but before they went to bed he left the lodge for a time, and while he was gone the poor boy, as he sat there waiting, began to think about himself and how unhappy he was.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") He remembered how poor he and his father were, and how everybody looked down on them and despised them, and it did not seem to him that things would ever be any better for them than they were now.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") For a long time he sat there thinking about all these things, and the more he thought of them the worse they seemed, and at last he felt that he was no longer glad to live, and he made up his mind to go up into those cedars.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") He went out of the lodge and started to go up towards the trees.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") It was bright moonlight, so that he could see well.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Just before he reached the edge of the timber he crossed a ravine, and saw there many skeletons of people who had been killed.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") The ground was white with these bones.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") He went on into the cedars, and came to a ravine leading up the hill and followed it.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") As he went on he saw before him a trail and followed it, and when he came to the head of the ravine there was a big hole in the bank, and the trail led to it.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") He stopped for a moment when he came to this hole, but then he went in, and when he had entered he saw there, sitting by the fire, a big she-bear and some little cubs.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") As the boy stood there looking at her, the she-bear said to him: “I am sorry that you have come here.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") My husband is the one who kills persons and brings them here for the children and me to eat.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") You had better go back to your people quickly, or he will eat you up.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") He has gone hunting, but he will soon be back again.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") If he finds you here he will kill you.”[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") The poor boy said: “Well, I came here on purpose to be killed, and I give myself up to you.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") I shall be glad to be eaten by you.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") I am here ready to be killed.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") I am yours.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Take me.”[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") The she-bear said: “Oh, I wish I could do something to save you, but I cannot.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") He is one of those bad bears—a grizzly—medicine.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") I can do nothing for you, but I will try.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") As soon as you hear any noise outside—any one coming—pick up that cub, the littlest one, and hold it in your arms.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") When he comes in he will tell you to put it down, but do not do so.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Hold it tight; he loves that one best of all.”[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") All at once the boy heard outside the cave the noise of a bear snorting and grunting.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") The she-bear said, “Pick up the cub, quick; he is coming.”[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy caught up the little bear, and held it tight to his breast.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") All at once the noise came to the mouth of the den and stopped.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") It was the Bear.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy could hear him talking.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") He said: “Here! somebody has been about my house.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") I smell human beings.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") Yes, he even came in.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Where is he?[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") Let me see him, so that I may jump upon him and kill him.”[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") When he came in he saw the boy, and seemed very angry.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") He stood up on his hind feet and threw up his hands, and then came down again and struck his paws on the ground, and then rose up and snorted “whoof,” and blew out red dust from his nostrils, and then came down and jumped about, and sometimes sprang towards the boy, as though he were going to seize him.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") He was very terrible, and the boy was very much afraid.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") The Bear called out to the boy in a loud voice: “How dare you take up my child and hold it?[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") Let it go, or I will tear you to pieces and eat you.”[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") But the boy still held the cub.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") No matter what the Bear said or what he did, the boy held fast to the cub.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") When the Bear saw that the boy would not let the cub go, he became quiet, and no longer seemed angry.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") He said: “Boy, you are my son.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") Put down your brother, for now he is your brother.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") He shall go with you, he shall be your companion, and shall be with you always as your guide and helper.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") He has told me your story, and how you are poor, unhappy, and now he has kept you from being eaten up.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") I have taken pity on you, and we will send you back to your people, where you may do some good among them.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") My son, I am at the head of all these animal lodges, down at Pahŭk′ and at Pahūr′ and everywhere else.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") I am at the head; there is no animal living that is stronger than I; none that I cannot kill.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") If a man shoots at me, I make the arrow to fall from my skin without hurting me.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") Look up around my lodge.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") See these arrows, these guns, these leggings, these beads, and the medicine that men have brought, thinking to kill me; but I have killed them, and have taken these things, and keep them here.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") “I knew that your people were coming to this place to hunt.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") I drove the buffalo over, so that the people should stop here and hunt and kill meat, in order that you might come to my lodge.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") I know all your feelings.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") I know that you are sorry for your poor father, my brother, and I wished you to come here, so that I might make you my son and give my power to you, so that you may become a great man among your people.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") I know that they are now killing buffalo, and that they will be camped here for four days.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") “Now, my son, set your brother free.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") All the power that I have I give to you.[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") I shall kill my son, your little brother there, and give you his skin to keep and to carry away with you, so that he may be your companion and may be with you always.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") Your brother, your friend at the camp, is looking for you, mourning for you, for he thinks you dead, but to-morrow night you shall see him, and shall tell him to rejoice for you and not to mourn.[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") You shall tell him where you have been.”[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") The little bear that he was holding said to the boy: “It is all right now, brother; put me down.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") My father means what he says.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") I am glad that I am going to be with you, my brother.”[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy put him down.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the Bear said to his wife: “Get up.[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") Take that gun.”[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") The she-bear took the gun, and they walked around the fireplace in a circle, and sang, and the boy looked on.[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") The Bear took the gun and told the boy to look at them, and to watch carefully everything that they did.[83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") After a little he stopped, and shot his wife, and she fell down dead.[84](84/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he put down the gun, and went to the she-bear and put his mouth on the wound, and breathed on it and snorted “whoof,” and sucked in his breath and took the bullet out, and went around the lodge, singing and making motions, and then he took hold of the she-bear and lifted her to her feet, and supported her, and pushed her around, and helped her, and at last she walked, and was well.[85](85/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he called the boy to him and said, “Now I will do the same thing to you.”[86](86/ "tree and pragmatics") And he did the same thing to the boy, and brought him to life in the same way.[87](87/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he said, “That is one power I give you to-night.”[88](88/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he gave the gun to the boy and went to the other side of the lodge, and sat up, and said, “Now I will open my mouth, and you shoot me right in the mouth.”[89](89/ "tree and pragmatics") He opened his mouth, and the boy shot him, and he fell over.[90](90/ "tree and pragmatics") After a moment he got up on his feet and slapped his paws on his chest several times, and the bullet came out of his mouth, and he walked around the fireplace two or three times, and made motions and grunted, and then he was well.[91](91/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he took the boy in his arms, and hugged him and kissed him and breathed on him, and said: “Now I give you my power.[92](92/ "tree and pragmatics") Go over there and I will shoot you as you shot me.[93](93/ "tree and pragmatics") Do just as I did.”[94](94/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy went over there, and the Bear shot him, and the boy did just as the Bear had done, and made himself well.[95](95/ "tree and pragmatics") The Bear then put an arrow in the gun and shot it at the boy, and when the smoke cleared away the boy found the arrow fast in his throat, the feather end sticking out.[96](96/ "tree and pragmatics") The Bear took it out and made him well, and gave him also this power.[97](97/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the Bear told him to load the gun with a ball and to shoot it at him, and he did so, and shot the Bear, but the lead was made flat and dropped to the ground.[98](98/ "tree and pragmatics") The bullet did not go into the Bear.[99](99/ "tree and pragmatics") The Bear now told the boy to take the bow and arrow and to shoot at him with all his strength.[100](100/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy did this, but the arrow did not go through the Bear, but the spike rolled up and the shaft was split.[101](101/ "tree and pragmatics") The Bear said: “Now you see, my son, that the gun and the bow, the bullet and the arrow, cannot harm me.[102](102/ "tree and pragmatics") You shall have the same power.[103](103/ "tree and pragmatics") When you go into battle you shall not carry a gun nor arrows, for they are not mine, but you shall take this paint, and put it all over your body, then put this feather on your head, and take this club, which is part of my jawbone.[104](104/ "tree and pragmatics") All these things have my power and medicine.[105](105/ "tree and pragmatics") When you are carrying these things your enemy cannot hurt you, even if you run right on to him; but with one stroke of this club you shall kill your enemy.”[106](106/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/10/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/10/page/3/) - ← previous: [The Star Boy](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/9/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/10/page/2/) - ↑ back to [The Punishment of the Stingy, and Other Indian Stories](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/)