Burnt-Hands (Tale 17)

Also known as: Burnt-Hands / Stanapaat · Family: Arikara · Role: boy · First appears: Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 1

At about eleven or twelve, Burnt-Hands lived around the village with his grandmother. White-Bear rescued him, adopted him as his son, and taught him bear ceremony, giving him a bundle of medicine and power. When Burnt-Hands returned home alive, his grandmother rejoiced. The next day, he and a kind young man on horseback planned to help each other on the buffalo chase; Burnt-Hands secured white buffalo hide and meat to send home to his grandmother.

In Part 2, Burnt-Hands and his friend ate the meat prepared for Red-Bear. The next day, Burnt-Hands struck Red-Bear with his war-club and dragged him to the air-hole; later, he and his grandmother turned into Bears. He accepted the peace-pipe from Last-Child, and they smoked it, ending the fight. When all was quiet, Burnt-Hands, about twenty-two, married Last-Child, became chief, and had Black-Bear as his slave.

Relationship record

Life events

• White-Bear rescued Burnt-Hands, adopted him as his son, and endowed him with power and medicine.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 1)
  • With: White-Bear (Tale 17 bear) White-Bear’s cub
  • “From now on you shall be my son. You shall treat Red-Bear just as he has treated you. I will enjoy his flesh. I will endow you with all the power I have. I will teach you all, and you shall go back and do as I say.” White-Bear and Burnt-Hands then sat down and began the bear ceremony, Burnt-Hands learning everything and receiving his bundle of medicine and other things.”
• Burnt-Hands returned home alive, and his grandmother rejoiced at his return.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 1)
  • With: Burnt-Hands’ grandmother
  • “His grandmother arose. When she had kindled the fire there sat her boy. She rejoiced, for she was glad her boy was alive.”
• Burnt-Hands and the young man agreed to help each other on the buffalo chase.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 1)
  • With: the kind young man on horseback
  • “They made plans to be together and help each other on the chase.”
• Burnt-Hands secured the white buffalo hide and meat, intending to send them home for his grandmother.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 1)
  • With: Burnt-Hands’ grandmother
  • “Red-Bear and Black-Bear said everything would be all right, and that the boy could have the hide and some meat.”
• Burnt-Hands and his friend ate the meat prepared for Red-Bear at the chiefs’ place.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 2)
  • With: the kind young man on horseback
  • “Burnt-Hands and his friend sat down on the robes and ate the meat prepared for Red-Bear.”
• Burnt-Hands struck Red-Bear with his war-club and dragged him to the air-hole.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 2)
  • With: Red-Bear
  • “As Red-Bear leaned over to take the teeth Burnt-Hands took his war-club and struck him on the head. He took him by the feet and dragged him to the air-hole.”
• Burnt-Hands and his grandmother turned into Bears.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 2)
  • With: Burnt-Hands’ grandmother
  • “Burnt-Hands and his grandmother had turned into Bears, and were making a big noise, growling and grunting.”
• Burnt-Hands accepted the peace-pipe from Last-Child, and both smoked it, ending the fight.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 2)
  • With: Last-Child
  • “The boy accepted the peace-pipe and both smoked it. This ended the fight.”
• Burnt-Hands married Last-Child.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 2)
  • With: Last-Child
  • “The boy made himself about twenty-two, and when all was quiet he married Last-Child.”
• Burnt-Hands became chief and made Black-Bear his slave.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 2)
  • With: Black-Bear
  • “Burnt-Hands came to be chief, and had Black-Bear as his slave.”

Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 1

• elder kin: Burnt-Hands’ grandmother “Around the outside of the village and over a knoll lived Stanapaat, or Burnt-Hands, a boy of about eleven or twelve years, and his grandmother.”
• parent: White-Bear (Tale 17 bear) “From now on you shall be my son.”
• friends with the kind young man on horseback “They made plans to be together and help each other on the chase.”

Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 2

• friends with the kind young man on horseback “Burnt-Hands and his friend came to the camp and found the meat cooking, and a comfortable place made for the chiefs.”
• elder kin: Burnt-Hands’ grandmother “Burnt-Hands went home with his friend and pulled off the meat and the white buffalo hide. “Here, grandmother, is what I promised you, and a lot of meat.”
• parent: White-Bear (Tale 17 bear) “He adorned his grandmother and himself according to the instruction of his Bear father.”
• married with Last-Child “The boy made himself about twenty-two, and when all was quiet he married Last-Child.”
• servant: Black-Bear “Burnt-Hands came to be chief, and had Black-Bear as his slave.”

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