Fools Crow: Chapter 5 Summary & Analysis

Later, the young men huddle together near Woman Don’t Walk Butte. They have secured over one hundred and fifty Crow horses, but Cold Maker has made travel difficult. White Man’s Dog has again dreamt of the white-faced girl, and he is growing concerned because Yellow Kidney and Fast Horse have not yet returned. Eagle Ribs has found the young men near Elk River—he was able to get in and out of the Crow camp quickly with a strong buffalo-runner.

Eagle Ribs hopes that Yellow Kidney and Fast Horse are simply waiting out the weather, but he tells the other men about a disturbing dream he had the night before. In his dream, he saw a small white horse covered with sores and split hooves. He saw a face in the sky behind the horse, along with some hair and two owl feathers. Eagle Ribs and the other men fear that this dream means that Yellow Kidney is dead.

Later that night, Fast Horse arrives and tells the other men that he has not seen Yellow Kidney since the raid. After stealing his own buffalo-runner, Fast Horse and taken refuge in a cave to wait out the snow. Then Cold Maker appeared and took him to his home in Always Winter Land. Cold Maker was angry that Fast Horse did find the ice spring, but he has given the men one more chance. To appease Cold Maker, Fast Horse had to promise to bring his daughters two prime robes during the helping-to-eat moon along with red coals for their eyes—Cold Maker’s daughters have no eyes, only holes where their eyes should be.

Eight sleeps later, the men return home to the camp of the Lone Eaters. Eagle Ribs divides the horses up between the men, giving Yellow Kidney (or his widow) the most. White Man’s Dog returns home to his family. His mother, Double Strike Woman, is thankful for his return, and Rides-at-the-door asks his son about Yellow Kidney. White Man’s Dog tells his father about Eagle Ribs’s dream, but he does not believe that Yellow Kidney is dead. His father agrees.

Three days later, Heavy Shield Woman, Yellow Kidney’s wife, emerges from her lodge having cut her hair, slashed her arms and legs, and painted her face white with ash. That night, she makes Yellow Kidney’s favorite soup of dried sarvisberries and meat, and sets out five bowls; one for herself, one for her daughter, Red Paint, two for her sons, Good Young Man and One Spot, and one for Yellow Kidney. Heavy Shield Woman tells her children that their father is still alive. He had come to her in a dream, wearing old skins and rags, and told her that he will return once she performs a virtuous task. 

Later, Heavy Shield Woman goes to visit Three Bears, the chief of the Lone Eaters, and requests that, should her husband return safely to her, she be allowed to be the Medicine Woman at the Sun Dance ceremony in the summer. The men agree, much to Three Bears’ surprise. Usually, the tribe does not like a woman to declare this role—if she fails, it will bring dishonor to them all. Rides-at-the-door silently voices his support as well, although he does not speak, much to the disappointment of Three Bears and the others.