--- title: XVII. How the Indians Came to Know Medicine Plants — Wigwam stories told by North American Indians · full text with trees description: XVII. How the Indians Came to Know Medicine Plants, «Wigwam stories told by North American Indians» by Mary Catherine Judd: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: (Tuscarora) --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg73136/42/) [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/) / [Wigwam stories told by North American…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg73136/) / XVII. How the Indians Came to Know Med… # XVII. How the Indians Came to Know Medicine Plants XVII. How the Indians Came to Know Medicine Plants of «Wigwam stories told by North American Indians» by Mary Catherine Judd: the whole text, 36 sentences and 494 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. (Tuscarora)[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") Chief Mt.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Pleasant, of the band that has the Bear totem, tells this story:[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") Many winters ago a poor, sickly old man came to an Indian village.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") In front of each wigwam was placed a skin on a pole to show what totem belonged to the family.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Over some wigwams hung a beaver skin; that was the totem or sign of the tribe of Beaver Indians.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") Over other wigwams hung deerskins; that was the totem of the Deer tribe.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man stopped at each wigwam and asked for food and a place to sleep during that night.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") He looked so sick that the families who had the Wolf, the Turtle, and the Heron totems all refused him a chance to enter their wigwams.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") He went the whole length of the village, and at last he saw a wigwam with a bearskin hanging over it.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") A kind old squaw came out of this wigwam and brought food to him, and spread out skins for his bed.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man felt very sick.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") He told her what plants to gather in the woods to make him well.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") The squaw gathered these plants and did as he told her with them; the sores on his feet were healed and he was better very soon.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") She promised not to forget the secret of the healing plants.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") In a few days he was taken with a fever; again he told the old squaw what plants and leaves to go out and gather for him.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") She did so, and it was not long before he was well.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") She promised again not to forget what she had learned.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Many times he fell sick; each time it was with a new sickness.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") Each time he told the squaw what to find that would heal him.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") The squaw learned more than all her nation knew of medicine.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") One morning the old man told her that he had come to her village just to teach the people the secrets which she now knew.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") No one had welcomed him but the Bear band.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man said: “I am going away from this people now.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") I came to do them good.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") No one but you would show kindness to the stranger.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") When you see the sun again, you will find a young hemlock tree growing by the door of your wigwam.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") It will grow taller than any tree that you or your tribe have seen.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") “This will show that the Bear tribe is the greatest.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") All the tribes shall come to the Bear tribe for help in sickness.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") You will show them the plants, roots, and leaves that can heal their sick people.”[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") When the old man was done talking he went out of sight.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") No one has ever seen him since that morning.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") The Bears have become strong, and their warriors are very brave.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") Their medicine men can do more than the medicine men of other tribes.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Arranged from Powell’s Report.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [XVI. Legend of Niagara Falls](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg73136/41/) - next →: [XVIII. Mondahmin, Who Gave the Corn](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg73136/43/) - ↑ back to [Wigwam stories told by North American Indians](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg73136/)