the woman (Tale 67)

Family: Arikara · Role: wife and mother · First appears: Tale 67 · The Woman Whose Breasts Were Cut Off

The woman gave birth to a baby boy when he was about five years old. She later left with the young man who courted the woman (Tale 67): they faked her death, dressed her as a boy, and lived together in another village. One day, the boy (Tale 67) recognized his mother and told the husband (Tale 67) he had seen her.

After she failed her husband’s tests, he recognized her as his wife. He cut off her breasts, and she ran to the entrance and died; her people buried her.

Relationship record

Life events

• The woman gave birth to a baby boy.(Tale 67 · The Woman Whose Breasts Were Cut Off)
  • With: the boy (Tale 67) the husband (Tale 67)
  • “This woman gave birth to a baby boy.”
• The woman and her lover faked her death and left together, living as a couple in another village.(Tale 67 · The Woman Whose Breasts Were Cut Off · 📍 another village)
  • With: the young man who courted the woman (Tale 67)
  • “The young man brought leggings, moccasins, blankets, and beads, and in these the girl dressed as a boy. Her breast was tied with wide strings, so that not much of it appeared. They went off to another village, which was about four miles from the original village, where they lived happily.”
• The boy recognized his mother and told his father he had seen her.(Tale 67 · The Woman Whose Breasts Were Cut Off)
  • With: the boy (Tale 67) the husband (Tale 67)
  • “He went into his lodge and told his father that he had seen his mother.”
• The husband recognized the woman as his wife after she failed his tests.(Tale 67 · The Woman Whose Breasts Were Cut Off)
  • With: the husband (Tale 67)
  • “The husband now took out his knife, and said: ‘I wanted to find you out. You are my wife.’”
• The husband cut off the woman's breasts, and she died.(Tale 67 · The Woman Whose Breasts Were Cut Off)
  • With: the husband (Tale 67)
  • “The husband took his knife out and cut her breasts off. The woman ran and fell at the entrance and died.”
• The woman was buried by her people.(Tale 67 · The Woman Whose Breasts Were Cut Off)
  • “She was taken up by her people and buried.”

Tale 67 · The Woman Whose Breasts Were Cut Off

• married with the husband (Tale 67) “if it is true that that woman is not a man, but my wife, I will find out.”
• child: the boy (Tale 67) “He went into his lodge and told his father that he had seen his mother.”
• courtship with the young man who courted the woman (Tale 67) “While he was gone another young man, who was very handsome came and courted the woman.”

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