In his dreams came the voice of God, saying: "I have given it, given you
the little brown bat. Wear it always on your scalp-lock, and never let
it away from you for a moment. Talk to it, ask of it all manner of
questions, tell it the secrets of your shadow-self, and it will take you
through battle so fast that no arrow or bullet can hit you. It will
steal you away from the spirits which haunt the night. It will whisper
to you concerning the intentions of the women, and your enemies, and it
will make you wise in the council when you are older. If you adhere to
it and follow its dictation, it will give you the white hair of old age
on this earth, and bring you to the shadow-land when your turn comes."

The next day, when the sun had come again, White Otter walked down the
mountain, and at the foot met his father with ponies and buffalo meat.
The old man had followed on his trail, but had gone no farther.

"I am strong now, father. I can protect my body and my shadow--the Good
God has come to Wo-pe-ni-in."




II

The Brown Bat Proves Itself


Big Hair and his son, White Otter, rode home slowly, back through the
coulees and the pines and the sage-brush to the camp of the
Chis-chis-chash. The squaws took their ponies when they came to their