e long they
heard far off a noise coming. It was the tramp of a great herd of
buffalo. Then they knew that the stone was powerful, and since that
time the people have taken care of it and have prayed to it.

HOW THE THUNDER PIPE CAME

You have heard the Thunder, for he is everywhere. He roars in the
mountains, and far out on the prairie is heard his crashing. He
strikes the high rocks, and they fall to pieces; a tree, and it is
broken in slivers; the people, and they die. He is bad. He does not
like the high cliff, the standing tree, or living man. He likes to
strike and crush them to the ground. Of all things he is the most
powerful. He cannot be resisted. But I have not told you the worst
thing about him. Sometimes he takes away women.

Long ago, almost in the beginning, a man and his wife were sitting
in their lodge when Thunder came and struck them. The man was not
killed. At first he lay as if dead, but after a time he lived again,
and, standing up, looked about him. He did not see his wife.

"Oh," he thought, "she has gone to get wood or water," and he sat
down again. But when night came he went out of the lodge and asked
the people about her. No one had seen her. He looked all through the
camp, but could not find her. Then he knew that the Thunder had
taken her away, and he went out on the hills and mourned. All night
he sat there, trying to think what he might do to get back his wife.

When morning came he rose and wandered away, and whenever he met any
of the animals he asked if they could tell him where the Thunder
lived. The animals laughed, and most of them would not answer.

The Wolf said to him, "Do you think that we would look for the home
of the only one we fear? He is our only danger. From all other
enemies we can run away, but from him no one can run. He strikes and
there we lie. Turn back; go home. Do not look for the place of that
dreadful one."

The man kept on and travelled a long distance. At last, after many
days, he came to a lodge--a strange lodge, for it was made of
stone. Just like any other lodge it looked, only it was made of
stone. This was the home of the Raven chief. The man entered.

"Welcome, friend," said the chief of the Ravens; "sit down there,"
and he pointed to a place. Soon food was placed before the poor man.

When he had finished eating, the Raven chief asked, "Why have you
come here?"

"Thunder has stolen my wife," the man answered. "I am looking for
his d