Burnt-Hands’ grandmother

Family: Arikara · Role: grandmother · First appears: Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 1

In Tale 17, Burnt-Hands (Tale 17) lived with his grandmother. After Red-Bear shot the boy and left him in an air-hole, Burnt-Hands returned home alive, and his grandmother rejoiced to find him there. The next day, Burnt-Hands secured a white buffalo hide and meat to send home for her.

In Part 2, she gave Last-Child the hide to have made into a robe. She and Burnt-Hands later turned into bears; she caught Red-Bear’s brother and several of his relatives.

Relationship record

Life events

• Red-Bear killed Burnt-Hands after finding him by an elk, then left him in an air-hole.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 1)
  • With: Red-Bear
  • “Pulling his arrows out of his quiver, he said, ‘My father will be glad to have you for his meal,’ and he shot two arrows through the boy. He dragged him out on the ice to a large air-hole and said, as he dropped him, ‘Father, I have done as you bid me.’”
• 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 (Tale 17)
  • “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 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 (Tale 17)
  • “Red-Bear and Black-Bear said everything would be all right, and that the boy could have the hide and some meat.”
• Burnt-Hands’ grandmother gave Last-Child the white buffalo hide to have made into a robe.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 2)
  • With: Last-Child
  • “I want you to have this hide, and to have a robe made for yourself.”
• Burnt-Hands and his grandmother turned into Bears.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 2)
  • With: Burnt-Hands (Tale 17)
  • “Burnt-Hands and his grandmother had turned into Bears, and were making a big noise, growling and grunting.”
• Burnt-Hands’ grandmother attacked and caught Red-Bear’s brother and several of his relatives.(Tale 17 · How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief · Part 2)
  • With: Red-Bear’s brother
  • “She caught Red-Bear’s brother and four or five others of his near relatives.”

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

• younger kin: Burnt-Hands (Tale 17) “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.”

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

• younger kin: Burnt-Hands (Tale 17) “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.”

Also listed in Arikara — Minor Figures

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