Pretty-Voice

Family: Arikara · Role: oldest unmarried brother · First appears: Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 1

In Tale 25, Pretty-Voice rescued his eldest brother’s wife and three other women from the Bear, defeating him and bringing the women back to the village. Later, his three brothers joined a council that agreed to attack and kill him, but the men abandoned the plan when they found nothing could harm him.

After Pretty-Voice drove back two Sioux attacks, the Sioux came on a friendly visit, and he took a Sioux girl as his wife. When she set out to return to her country, a fierce battle began; arrows and bullets pierced Pretty-Voice, and he fell. His mother came to collect his flesh as he had instructed, but his brothers opposed her plan, and his body was burned.

Relationship record

Life events

• The Elk revealed that the Bear had captured the eldest brother's wife and promised to help.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 1)
  • With: the eldest brother (Tale 25) the wife of the eldest brother (Tale 25)
  • “I will help you. First, I will say that your brother’s wife is alive, but captured by a Bear who has already captured three other women.”
• Pretty-Voice rescued his brother's wife from the Bear's den.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 1)
  • With: the wife of the eldest brother (Tale 25)
  • “Pretty-Voice was surprised to see his brother’s wife and three young women who had been missed for a long time.”
• Pretty-Voice defeated the Bear, who released the women.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 1)
  • With: the wife of the eldest brother (Tale 25)
  • “My friend,” said the Bear, “you are true to your faith, and I will admit that you have overcome me and I will say that the women are yours and I beg to be free; but I know that I am going to die.”
• Pretty-Voice returned to the village with the rescued women, who were taken to their homes.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 1)
  • With: the wife of the eldest brother (Tale 25)
  • “When he arrived at the village the news of his capture of the women spread. There was great rejoicing and the young women were taken to their homes.”
• The men, including Pretty-Voice’s three brothers, agreed to attack and kill him.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 2)
  • “The Indians held a large council, and in this council they, including his three brothers, planned and agreed to make an attack and kill him.”
• The men abandoned their attack after finding that nothing could harm Pretty-Voice.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 2)
  • “At last the men gave up, seeing that nothing could harm the young man.”
• Pretty-Voice drove back two Sioux attacks, after which the Sioux gave up fighting and visited peacefully.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 2)
  • “They gave up trying to fight, but came there on a friendly visit.”
• Pretty-Voice took the Sioux girl as his wife.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 2)
  • With: the Sioux girl (Tale 25)
  • “He kept her for his wife.”
• The Sioux girl set out to desert Pretty-Voice and return to her country.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 2)
  • With: the Sioux girl (Tale 25)
  • “When Pretty-Voice had gone off somewhere she started out toward her country.”
• Pretty-Voice was killed after the Sioux used the secret method to pierce his body with arrows and bullets.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 2)
  • “The bullets and arrows had so loaded him that he fell.”
• Pretty-Voice’s brothers prevented his mother from following his instructions, and his body was burned.(Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 2)
  • With: Pretty-Voice's mother (Tale 25)
  • “As the brothers disapproved of her plan she gave in, and instead of burying his body they made a big fire and destroyed the body entirely.”

Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 1

• siblings with the eldest brother (Tale 25) (The eldest brother and Pretty-Voice are among the four brothers.) “There were once four strong young brothers. Only the oldest one was married.”
• siblings with the third brother (Tale 25) (Both are among the four brothers.) “There were once four strong young brothers. Only the oldest one was married.”
• siblings with the fourth brother (Tale 25) (Both are among the four brothers.) “There were once four strong young brothers. Only the oldest one was married.”

Tale 25 · The End of the Elk Power · Part 2

• parent: Pretty-Voice's mother (Tale 25) “His poor mother, crying for her son, came out with a robe to collect his flesh and do as she had been told.”
• married with the Sioux girl (Tale 25) “He kept her for his wife.”
• mentor: the Elk (Tale 25) “One night he painted himself according to the instructions the Elk had given him.”

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Extracted from the original text of Traditions of the Arikara. Made with Rho MD.