--- title: Shield Quiver’s Wife — The Punishment of the Stingy, and Other Indian S… · full text with trees description: Shield Quiver’s Wife, «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: There were two young men growing up in the Blackfoot camp. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/16/) [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/) / Shield Quiver’s Wife # Shield Quiver’s Wife Shield Quiver’s Wife of «The Punishment of the Stingy, and Other Indian Stories» by George Bird Grinnell: the whole text, 115 sentences and 1847 words. 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There were two young men growing up in the Blackfoot camp.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") They were both good warriors and were making great names for themselves.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") One was lucky in taking horses.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") His name was Shield Quiver.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") The other was fortunate in killing enemies when he went to war.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") He was called Bearhead.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") When either of the two went to war, he always had a big party to follow him.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") Bearhead was jealous of Shield Quiver, because he always brought in horses.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") One time the Blackfeet were camped at the Bear Paw Mountains, when Shield Quiver made up his mind that he would go off on the war-path.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") When he said that he was going, a large party intended to go with him.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Before he started the chief of the camp sent for him to come to his lodge, saying that he wished to speak with him.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") When Shield Quiver had come to the lodge the chief said: “Here, my young man, now that you are going to war, take my daughter with you, for you are the man that ought to have her.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") But you will have to be on your guard against Bearhead.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") He wants my daughter, and for a long time has been trying to get her, but I cannot let him have her.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") He has a bad disposition.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") He has had many wives, but, after living with them for a short time, he has got angry with them and killed them.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") I am afraid that if I give him my daughter he might kill her.”[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Shield Quiver thought for a little while, and then said: “Very well; I will go to war, and I will take your daughter with me, but if I go with a woman I cannot let men go with me.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") I shall have to go alone.”[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") The chief said: “I cannot say anything about that.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") You will do what you think best.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") I cannot advise you.”[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") So Shield Quiver took the chief’s daughter for his wife.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") He said to his followers: “Now I am going to war, but you men cannot come with me.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") I shall be gone two moons, and then I will come back.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") I am going alone.”[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") He started with his young wife, and they went towards the Snake Country.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") They travelled for a good many days, until they came to a range of mountains and crossed it.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Then they went on towards the head waters of a stream that they could see a long way off.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") When they reached this stream they found that the Snakes had been camped there, and had moved away that day.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") The fires were still burning in the camp.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") When Shield Quiver found that the Snakes had only just moved from there, he said to his wife: “Here, let us get back in the brush.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") These people are not far from here.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") They may see us.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") We must hide ourselves.”[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") They went back into the brush and hid.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") While they were waiting in the brush a dark cloud came up in the west, and it looked as if they were going to have a storm.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") Shield Quiver said to his wife: “While we have to wait, I will fix up a little shelter of brush here, so that we may keep dry; but to-night we will go to the camp and take horses.”[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") “Very well,” said his wife, “while you are fixing the place, I will go around the point and into the old camp and will see if I can find anything there that has been left behind.”[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") For often something may be forgotten and left in the camp.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") That day the Snakes had left this camp, and had moved over to another creek.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") The head chief of the Snakes had but one son, a fine-looking young man—the handsomest in all the Snake camp.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") That morning, before they moved, he had painted himself and had dressed himself finely, and after he had finished he handed his mother his sack of paints to pack.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") While his mother was packing, she put down the paints in a little patch of brush, near the lodge, and then went away and forgot them.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") When the young man came into camp that evening he said to his mother, “Mother, where are my paints?”[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Then his mother remembered that she had left them in the camp they had just come from.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") She said, “Oh, my son, I forgot the sack, and left it in a little patch of brush just back of where the lodge stood.”[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") The young man caught up a horse and went back to get it that same evening.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") When he rode into the old camp, and came to where the lodge had been, he saw there on her knees a woman with an elk robe over her head, and in her hands his paints, which she was looking at.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") When he rode up to her, and when she looked up at him, he saw that she was very pretty, and he liked her as soon as he looked at her; and she, when she saw him, so handsome and finely dressed and painted, liked him.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") He made signs to her, saying, “Who are you, and what tribe do you belong to?”[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") She signed back to him that she was a Blackfoot.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she asked him, “Who and what are you?”[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") He answered, “A Snake.”[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") He asked her by signs, “Where is the party that you are with?”[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") She said, “There are only two of us.”[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") He said, “Come, get on my horse behind me here, and let us go to my camp.”[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") She answered: “No, there are some things that I have here that I want to get.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") Then I will go with you.”[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she thought a little and said: “The only other person here is my husband.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") Why do you not kill him?[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") I will help you.”[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") The Snake said: “It is good.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") I will do it.”[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl said to him: “I will go to him, and do you creep through the brush, and as soon as I see you I will throw my robe around him and hold him, and you can kill him with your lance.”[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") She went back to the camping-place, and when she got there her husband was stooping down hobbling the horses.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") The Snake was right behind her, creeping through the brush.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") She walked up to her husband and threw herself down over him, and kissed him while he was hobbling the horses.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") He looked up at her and laughed.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") He thought she was only playing with him.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") In a minute he heard the footsteps of some one coming, running, and he said, “Look out! here comes somebody,” and he tried to throw her off, but he could not.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") He raised himself up while she clung to him, and the Snake made a pass at him with the lance, but he was afraid of killing the woman, and he missed the man, and Shield Quiver caught hold of the lance.[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") He kept calling to his wife: “Let go of me.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") This man is trying to kill me.[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") He will kill us both.[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") Let us try to save ourselves.”[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") Shield Quiver and the Snake wrestled and tugged backward and forward to see who should get the lance.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") They were both strong men, and at length the shaft broke, and Shield Quiver held the piece on which was the head.[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he jumped back and shook off his wife, and rushed at the Snake and thrust the lance into his breast, and so killed him with his own lance.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he turned to his wife and said: “Now, woman, I have killed this man that you have tried to help, and I would like to have you tell me what is the reason that you acted as you did, and tried to help him to kill me.”[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the woman explained her reasons, and said: “When I left you I went into the camp and found this sack of paint, and while I was looking at it he came up and asked me to go to his camp with him, and I liked him, and thought that I would go with him.[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") So we laid a plan to kill you before we went to camp.”[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") Shield Quiver said to her: “Now, woman, listen.[83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") Bearhead wanted you.[84](84/ "tree and pragmatics") He has had a good many women, and he has killed all that he had.[85](85/ "tree and pragmatics") Through pity I took you.[86](86/ "tree and pragmatics") I never expected to take a wife.[87](87/ "tree and pragmatics") I will not do anything to you for what you have done to me, but will take good care of you and will give you back to your father.”[88](88/ "tree and pragmatics") He scalped the Snake and took everything that he had.[89](89/ "tree and pragmatics") The woman was crying hard.[90](90/ "tree and pragmatics") He asked her what she was crying about, and she answered: “I am crying for my lover, who is dead.”[91](91/ "tree and pragmatics") He said: “Saddle up your horse.[92](92/ "tree and pragmatics") We will go home.”[93](93/ "tree and pragmatics") They started, and after many days’ travel reached the Blackfoot camp.[94](94/ "tree and pragmatics") It was in the night.[95](95/ "tree and pragmatics") The next morning Shield Quiver said to his wife: “Put on your best clothing.[96](96/ "tree and pragmatics") I told you I was going to give you back to your father, and I am going to take you there this morning.[97](97/ "tree and pragmatics") So get ready to go.”[98](98/ "tree and pragmatics") The woman put on her best clothes, and painted herself up nicely, and they started off to the old chief’s lodge.[99](99/ "tree and pragmatics") The old chief was glad to see his son-in-law and his daughter back again.[100](100/ "tree and pragmatics") No one knew that Shield Quiver had killed a Snake.[101](101/ "tree and pragmatics") He had not spoken of it to any one.[102](102/ "tree and pragmatics") After they had sat down the young man reached down into his belt and drew out the scalp and said: “Here, old man, here is all I have done on this journey.[103](103/ "tree and pragmatics") I have taken no horses, but I have killed a Snake.[104](104/ "tree and pragmatics") I have killed your daughter’s lover.[105](105/ "tree and pragmatics") It is only by the help and the power of the Sun that you see me here to-day.[106](106/ "tree and pragmatics") Your daughter tried to kill me on this trip, while I was fighting with this Snake Indian.[107](107/ "tree and pragmatics") I am afraid to live with her, and have brought her back to you again.[108](108/ "tree and pragmatics") This is the best I can do, to give you this scalp and your daughter back again.”[109](109/ "tree and pragmatics") When Shield Quiver had said this he got up and walked out of the lodge, and went back to his own home.[110](110/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man said nothing.[111](111/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl had two brothers, and both were sitting in the lodge while Shield Quiver was speaking; and when they had heard the story told, and had thought about it, they got up, and each took hold of one of the girl’s arms, and they led her out of the lodge.[112](112/ "tree and pragmatics") Then they said to her: “You cannot live here with us.[113](113/ "tree and pragmatics") You had better go and join your dead Snake lover.”[114](114/ "tree and pragmatics") So they killed her there.[115](115/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [Nothing Child](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/15/) - next →: [The Beaver Stick](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/17/) - ↑ back to [The Punishment of the Stingy, and Other Indian Stories](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66596/)