Siekmeier
Fools Crow notes i i
notes on Fools Crow by James Welch (Penguin, 1986)
Part I
Ch 1
on page 3
Moon of the falling leaves (November)
Cold Maker
the Backbone of the World
Pikunis, Kainahs, Siksikas—three tribes of the Blackfeet
blackhorn
animal helper
on page 4
Above Ones
head-and-tail-robes
Parted Hairs
Cutthroats
Entrails People
Seven Persons
on page 5
Chief Mountain
Cold Maker
Star-that-stands-still
Always Winter Land
ears-far-apart
Intro to White Man’s Dog. The weather is chilling. Background info on the people and
White Man’s Dog, a rather unsuccessful 18 year-old. Mention of whites, guns, honor and
respect. Kills-close-to-the-lake, his father’s youngest wife, a temptation.
Ch. 2 (6)
Braggadocio Fast Horse, while insulting WMD, brings news of a planned horse raid to be
led by Yellow Kidney. WMD has not succeed with animal helper and feels unlucky.
on page 8—Night Red Light = moon
Sun Chief
many-faces man
Rides-at-the-door observes his sons WMD and Running Fisher, younger but more
advanced.
on page 10
Napi—old man
Rides- doesn't know about his wife Kills- being interested in WMD as on p. 10 and p. 4.
Ch. 3 (11)
Includes background info; Yellow Kidney’s raiders: Fast Horse, WMD, Eagle Ribs, the
best wrestler in the camp
on page 11
parfleche
Yellow Kidney has concerns about WMD’s bad luck and Fast Horse’s pridefulness.
on page 12
prairie runners = antelope
disease mentioned
wags-his-tail = deer
Good sign of fox—gives cunning; “It was said … fox … in dreams … strong leaders."
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on page 13
Fast Horse’s dream: Cold Maker for a successful hunt by Pikunis
commanded FH to remove a rock from an ice spring on the side of Woman Don’t Walk
Butte. Mention made of Malcolm Clark, aka Four Bears, a white trader, treaty and gifts.
Owl Child and his raiders, WMD’s dreams of white-faced women to whom he was
attracted but felt was trouble.
on page 18
Medicine Stab
Ch. 4 (19)
includes background info
on page 20
heavy-singer-for-the-sick (cf. 50)
Yellow Kidney, 38, feels his (old) age, and observes FH and WMD exploring face of
Woman Don’t Walk Butte. He notices their physical characteristics and likens WMD to
a wolverine. YK has doubts about FH and his dream but is reassured about WMD. YK
sends Eagle Ribs ahead to find Bull Shield’s Crow camp. WMD prepares his medicine
from the pouch and instructions he got from Mik-api.
on page 26
pemmican
on page 27
WMD and FH prepare their outfit
on page 28
plans for the raid
on page 29
Rattler
long-ago people
WMD leads the horses off successfully. A nightrider follows the herd unknowingly and
WMD kills him. YK, FH, ER await near the camp.
Ch. 5 (34)
on page 34
At Woman Don’t Walk Butte, the horses graze peacefully. Eagle Ribs
relates a troubling dream as they await YK and FH.
on page 36
Talks Different (with Rattler, nephews of YK)
on page 36-37 coyote = little bigmouth
on page 38
Many Bracelets People
FH arrives at the War Lodge and talks about his encounter with Cold Maker, who is
offended that he hasn’t kept his vow. The raiders return home for celebration, sans YK.
Heavy Shield Woman begins mourning but after three days prepares a celebratory meal
and announces that YK has appeared in a dream and is alive. Later, she requests of Three
Bears to be Medicine woman at Sun Dance Ceremony.
on page 34
All Friends society
Rides-at-the-door's apprehension vis a vis YK p. 40 and p. 45
on page 45
Double Runner is YK’s best friend.
Ch. 6 (46)
WMD hunting blackhorns with dad and brother
long legs = elk
on page 47
He leaves kills at lodge of Heavy Shield Woman; mention of the numerous
uses and value of blackhorn parts
on page 48
WMD has one brief encounter with Red Paint, Heavy Shield Woman’s
daughter. FH morose.
on page 49
helping-to-eat moon is nearly past and FH hasn’t made good on vow.
WMD reminds FH of his obligation to fulfill his vows.
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on page 50
WMD recognizes FH’s mood has to do with Yellow Kidney.
heavy-singers-for-the-sick Mik-api WMD attends to him and then Mik-api asks him to
begin apprenticeship.
on page 51
WMD’s luck has changed and he has more respect from his community.
on page 52
Mik-api’s dream of Raven for WMD
sticky-mouth; wood-biter
on page 53
Many Chiefs band
Profile of Red Paint; capote rider (?WMD, who Red Paint has eyes on)
on page 54
real-bears; bigmouths; Skunk Bear; Chief Mountain
WMD follows Raven
on page 55
hardly-there trail; Heavy Shield Mountain; Jealous Woman Lake; Old Dog
Mountain; Rising Wolf; Feather Woman mountains; quaking-leaf trees; Old Man, Napi,
creator; WMD continues to follow Raven.
on page 56
Raven speaks
swift silver people; nothing-man; Skunk Bear = wolverine
on page 58
close-to-ground house
dream of the Skunk Bear’s magic
Ch. 7 (59)
Owl Child arrives. Previously, he killed Bear Head over a Cutthroat (Assiniboine) scalp.
Owl Child is from Many Chiefs band (led by Mountain Chief), and is the leader of the
youthful rebels who oppose Napikwans but further embolden seizers. Fast Horse seems
too sympathetic to Owl Child while Three Bears rebukes him.
on page 61
elk-dogs a long-ago term for horses
on page 62
WMD recalls the horse raid, current relations with Fast Horse, Yellow
Kidney’s fate, and the Crow youth he killed.
on page 63
Mik-api’s ritual over WMD upon hearing hearing tell of dream of whitefaced girls to drive out the bad spirit.
medicine parfleche
on page 64
WMD is attracted to Red Paint and Mik-api confirms her eligibility.
on page 65
Mik-api, 74, recounts some of his life including first appearance of whites
and then answers WMD about how he became a many-faces man: He treated Head
Carrier, wounded by the Snakes.
Ch. 8 (70)
on page 77
on page 78
on page 78
on page 79
big-leaf log
spear-leaf trees
Wipes-his-eyes, head of the Doves society
Spotted Horse people = Cheyenne
on page 80
on page
bear grass; crow root; wags-his-tail; prairie runner
82 moon of the yellow grass
Fast Horse, contemplating the Beaver Medicine, regards it as impotent, as the Pikunis are
in face of Napikwans. He reveres Owl Child and his opposition to the Napikwans. Then
Yellow Kidney returns. Fast Horse leaves. Then we hear the sad tale of Yellow Kidney.
WMD impetuously interrupts a couple of times. Then Yellow Kidney mentions the
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boasting amidst the Crow camp and laying with girl infected with white scabs. Three
Bears debriefs with Rides-at-the-door and suggest that WMD ride from the Lone Eaters
to the other bands and tell them of the vow by Heavy Shield woman to be Medicine
Woman at the Sun Dance.
Ch. 9 (84)
WMD preparing to depart on his errand. He and his father talk about the dream of white
girls. His father reassures him in distinction to the condemnation of Fast Horse. Ridesat-the-door is 47 winters.
on page 86
Fast Horse’s dad = Boss Ribs
on page 86 a beautiful, emotive, compassionate paragraph. The exciting tension between
Kills-close-to-the-lake and WMD. Hard Topknots band mentioned.
on page 87
Striped Face, Rides- 2nd wife, younger sister of Double Strike Woman
on page 87
Crow Foot’s daughter Little Bird mentioned as marriage material. WMD
has interest mostly in Red Paint.
on page 89
Fast Horse has banished himself. Rides-at-the-door makes prediction
about him and dealings with Napikwans.
on page 91
Running Fisher and Striped Face recognize the dance of WMD and Killsclose-to-the-lake. WMD’s visits: Black Doors, Small Robes, Crow Foot’s people.
on page 92
Constellations. The band now dependent upon Napikwans = Grease
Melters; Mad Plume tells why Black Patched Moccasins distrust themselves: due to
experience of Little Dog, their chief killed by his own people for complicity with whites
(93).
Ch. 10 (98)
Trading at Riplingers'; WMD returns from travel; WMD makes the report to council;
Heavy Shield Woman approved as Sacred Vow Woman.
on page 103 Heavy Shield Woman and Red Paint express and convey appreciation.
on page 104 Mik-api suggests WMD take a wife—WMD indicates Red Paint.
on page 105 Small Brittle Fats; Hard Topknots
Family discussion over WMD’s proposal of marriage to Red Paint.
on page 107 Wedding ceremony and exchange of gifts; Kills-close-to-the-lake nearly
poses as wife.
on page 108 moon of flowers; Home Days
the preparations for Sun Dance
on page 109 All Crazy Dogs police society; Never Laughs = least of bands
on page 110 Braves society; Above Ones; Below Ones
The Sacred Vow Woman ritual
on page 111 mythical story of creation; Poia, Scar Face (cf. 262, 350)
on page 113 center pole of Medicine Lodge erected
on page 115 yellow breast; long-tails
WMD’s ordeal to fulfill his vow from horse-taking raid
on page 117 dream with white stone presented to WMD by Skunk Bear
on page 120 Mountain Chief’s benediction
Owl Child, Black Weasel, Bear Chief appear and Fast Horse too
on page 122 Mountain Chief addresses relations with Napikwans
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on page 123 Sun Dance ceremony concludes and trek toward Sweet Grass Hills; Killsclose-to-the-lake and WMD arrive at creek bank simultaneously and talk. Kills has
sacrificed a finger during ceremony (self-punishment) regarding her dream about WMD.
She repeats features of his dream. “The creature that lives by himself in the Backbone”
(Skunk Bear-wolverine) ravished her and left her a white stone in place of her finger
which she delivered to WMD while he was unconscious after torture. WMD confused
but accepting that “…Wolverine has cleansed both him and Kills-close-to-the-lake”
(125).
A good beginning point to pair WMD’s dream and this encounter.
What is the psychological dynamic operating here?
Part II
Ch. 11 (129)
Preparations for the raid on the Crows
Red Paint (prego) has discussion with mom about Yellow Kidney
Red Paint + WMD
War party assembles
eclipse of sun
Ch. 12 (145)
During the raid, Bull Shield kills Fox Eyes and White Man’s Dog kills Bull Shield.
Ch. 13 (150)
White Man’s Dog is renamed Fools Crow.
Fools Crow and Red Paint plan to go to the Backbone.
FC feels badly about drinking and naming ceremony exaggerations.
A column of seizers with Scout Joe Kipp arrives; Captain Snelling and John Gates are
investigating the murder by Owl Child of Malcolm Clark aka Four Bears, a trader with a
reputation as two-faces. The discussion is strained since the Pikunis resent the whites'
approach.
Ch. 14 (159)
Up in the mtns. FC kills a white big head, sleeps.
A raven awakens him as a Real-bear drags off kill.
Raven then visits the Napikwan and gives him desire for a young Pikuni woman.
In the ensuing encounter, FC is shot but kills the white.
Ch. 15 (172)
The counsel following the killing of the big Napikwan. FC smoking red-marked pipe to
affirm truthfulness of his story.
Ch. 16 (179)
While out hunting, FC finds Fast Horse riding home suffering a gun shot wound. Fast
Horse is nursed back to health by Mik-api and has a conversation with his father Boss
Ribs.
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Ch. 17 (191)
Fast Horse leaves the camp. FC sits with Boss Ribs around the Beaver Medicine bundle.
Boss Ribs tells him the story of the Beaver Medicine. They talk about Fast Horse and
Boss Ribs asks FC to get him back.
Ch. 18 (207)
Fast Horse with Owl Child's gang preparing a revenge raid. FC pursues Fast Horse via
Mountain Chief's (Many Chiefs) band.
Ch. 19 (218)
The wives of Rides-at-the-door: Double Strike Woman, Striped Face, Kills-close-to-thelake—with Running Fisher.
Ch. 20 (227)
Fools Crow pursues Fast Horse and comes upon the ranch that's been raided. Yellow
Kidney, meanwhile, with his sons Good Young Man, 13, and One Spot, 11, prepares to
abandon home for the camp of the Spotted Horse People. FC comes upon Fast Horse and
Owl Child's gang; Fast Horse goes his own way.
Ch. 21 (238)
Yellow Kidney recalls a story from his father about Seco-mo-muckon who lost the fire,
betrayed Awunna, his mentor, and was killed by a bolt of lightening. A white father and
son are slowed by the snow and hope to reach the War Lodge which Yellow Kidney is
occupying. Yellow Kidney begins feeling better and plans to make his outing a horse
stealing foray instead of going to die at the camp of the Spotted Horse People. The father
kills Yellow Kidney.
Ch. 22 (247)
Mik-api at the lodge of Red Paint and Fools Crow. He recalls his wife and observes that
Red Paint is prego. Yellow Kidney has been gone 16 sleeps. FC mentions Fast Horse to
Mik-api and the problems of the Pikunis which troubles Red Paint. Joe Kipp delivers the
call for a meeting which Three Bears and Rides-at-the-door discuss at length.
Ch. 23 (257)
One Spot out playing with others is attacked by a (bigmouth) wolf, likely rabid. FC
returns from a hunt with Good Young Man. He comforts One Spot over his injuries. In
the absence of Mik-api, FC functions as medicine man for One Spot who seems to be
taken by rabies.
Ch. 24 (268)
A meeting with General Sully, Marshal Wheeler, and a red-headed sergeant who
interprets, three ultimatums: 1. Catch Owl Child and gang; 2. Return white horses and
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mules; 3. No killing. Page 274 and 306, Long Teeth = artists Bodmer, Catlin, or Father
deSmet.
Part IV
Ch. 25 (289)
Owl Child, Fast Horses, and gang raid a Canada-bound whiskey wagon. They realize
they have struck too close to the Pikunis' camps for the whites to ignore it.
Ch. 26 (300)
The news of the white scabs disease among other Pikunis' societies brought by Pretty-ontop and a white man named Sturgis formerly married to Blue Grass Woman who died of
the smallpox. The dilemma of what to do with other possible disease carriers among
their own people plus Napikwans.
Ch. 27 (310)
After their raid, Fast Horse comes to the War Lodge beneath Bad Horse Butte and finds
his nemesis, Yellow Kidney, dead. See Ch. 21, 244-46.
Ch. 28 (312)
FC unable to sleep due to the recent gathering of societies at a big lodge. The tribes'
problems seem to be compounding. A resolution seems to be developing among the
leaders of each society to resist the Napikwans.
Ch. 29 (315)
After a night of troubled thoughts, FC leaves Red Paint with a calling from Nitsokan,
dream helper. Fog hides FC. He journeys three days and nights, remaining faithful to his
call. FC names his horse “Heavy-charging-in-the-brush.” He arrives at a cabin but
though there are signs of occupation and a woman present, he has little awareness of her.
Then he follows a canyon to its terminus, follows a wolverine through an opening, and
reaches a warm, pleasant valley.
Ch. 30 (329)
Poetic justice with the return via travois of Yellow Kidney, observed by Fast Horse, who
has left Owl Child and gang.
Ch. 31 (332)
Return to FC seeking understanding from the woman in the beautiful quiet mountain
bowl. Myth of chapter 10 revisited.
Ch. 32 (339)
Rides-at-the-door deals mercifully with Kills-close to-the-lake and Running Fisher.
Meanwhile their prosecutor Striped Face is pregnant.
Ch. 33 (349)
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FC completes his experience with Feather Woman and has a view of the bleak future of
his people.
Part V
Ch. 34 (365)
The plague of the white scabs disease.
Ch. 35 (371)
The ravages of the disease. 37 dead. Three Bears has died, Good Young Man dies. One
Spot survives—a second time. Hunting party departs camp. They come to the camp of
the Hard Top Knots. Crow Foot can barely bear to tell of the devastation of the white
scabs disease. Early the next morning they find the remnant of the Sun Dance
encampment whose camp has been massacred and burned. The seizers have ambushed
them sans warriors (ala Sand Creek). Heavy Runner who had signed a treaty is among
the victims. Bear Head Jr. tells of his experience. The situation appears most bleak.
Ch. 36 (387)
The moon of the first thunder ceremony: ritual preparing for a new season. Butterfly has
been born. Some hope revives.
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