the boy (The Dun Horse)

Family: Pawnee · Role: grandson · First appears: The Dun Horse · Part 1

In the Pawnee tribe, the boy lived with his grandmother, and they took an abandoned dun horse to carry their pack. At Court House Rock, he killed a spotted calf and won its robe, which qualified him to marry the daughter of the Head Chief. He refused a rich young chief’s offer of twelve horses for the robe. Later, he disobeyed the dun horse’s warning and charged the Sioux a fifth time; the horse was killed, and the boy then rode into battle, killing the Sioux Head Chief and three of their bravest warriors. Toward night, the Sioux fled.

In Part 2, the dun horse stood up again, and the boy became rich after finding fine horses. He married the daughter of the Head Chief and, when older, was made Head Chief himself. He had many children; when his oldest boy died, he wrapped him in the spotted calf robe and buried him in it. He cared for his grandmother in his own lodge until she died.

Relationship record

Life events

• The boy and the old woman took the abandoned dun horse to carry their pack.(The Dun Horse · Part 1)
  • With: the old woman (The Dun Horse) the dun horse
  • “So the old woman put her pack on the horse, and drove him along, but he limped and could only go very slowly.”
• The boy killed the spotted calf and won the robe that qualified him to marry the Head Chief's daughter.(The Dun Horse · Part 1 · 📍 Court House Rock)
  • With: the daughter (The Dun Horse)
  • “First he picked out the spotted calf, and charging up alongside of it, U-ra-rish! straight flew the arrow. The calf fell.”
• The dun horse was restored to health after carrying the boy to kill the buffalo.(The Dun Horse · Part 1 · 📍 Court House Rock)
  • With: the dun horse
  • “His back was all right again; his legs were well and fine; and both his eyes were clear and bright.”
• The boy refused to sell the spotted robe to a chief who wanted it so he could marry the Head Chief's daughter.(The Dun Horse · Part 1 · 📍 Court House Rock)
  • With: the daughter (The Dun Horse)
  • “On the way to camp, one of the rich young chiefs of the tribe rode up by the boy, and offered him twelve good horses for the spotted robe, so that he could marry the Head Chief's beautiful daughter; but the boy laughed at him and would not sell the robe.”
• The boy disobeyed the horse's warning, charged a fifth time, and the Sioux killed the dun horse.(The Dun Horse · Part 1)
  • With: the dun horse
  • “But when he got among the Sioux, one Sioux warrior drew an arrow and shot. The arrow struck the dun horse behind the forelegs and pierced him through. And the horse fell down dead.”
• The boy charged the Sioux and killed their Head Chief and three of their bravest warriors.(The Dun Horse · Part 1)
  • With: the Head Chief (The Dun Horse)
  • “And he counted coup on the Chief, and killed him, and then rode back. After that he charged again among the Sioux, where they were gathered thickest, and counted coup on their bravest warrior, and killed him. And then twice more, until he had gone four times as the horse had told him.”
• The Sioux broke off the battle and fled.(The Dun Horse · Part 1)
  • “The Pawnees and Sioux fought all day long, but toward night the Sioux broke and fled.”
• The dun horse came back to life and stood up.(The Dun Horse · Part 2)
  • With: the dun horse
  • “Then the dun horse stood up.”
• The boy became rich after finding a succession of fine horses.(The Dun Horse · Part 2)
  • “Now the boy was rich”
• The boy married the daughter of the Head Chief.(The Dun Horse · Part 2)
  • With: the daughter (The Dun Horse)
  • “Now the boy was rich, and he married the beautiful daughter of the Head Chief”
• The boy became Head Chief.(The Dun Horse · Part 2)
  • With: the Head Chief (The Dun Horse)
  • “and when he became older, he was made Head Chief himself.”
• The boy's oldest boy died.(The Dun Horse · Part 2)
  • With: the oldest boy (The Dun Horse)
  • “and one day when his oldest boy died, he wrapped him in the spotted calf robe and buried him in it.”
• The boy's grandmother died after he cared for her in his lodge.(The Dun Horse · Part 2)
  • With: the old woman (The Dun Horse)
  • “He always took good care of his old grandmother, and kept her in his own lodge until she died.”

The Dun Horse · Part 1

• elder kin: the old woman (The Dun Horse) “Many years ago, there lived in the Pawnee tribe an old woman and her grandson, a boy about sixteen years old.”

The Dun Horse · Part 2

• married with the daughter (The Dun Horse) “Now the boy was rich, and he married the beautiful daughter of the Head Chief, and when he became older, he was made Head Chief himself.”
• child: the oldest boy (The Dun Horse) “He had many children by his beautiful wife, and one day when his oldest boy died, he wrapped him in the spotted calf robe and buried him in it.”
• elder kin: the old woman (The Dun Horse) “He always took good care of his old grandmother, and kept her in his own lodge until she died.”

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Extracted from the original text of Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales. Made with Rho MD.