Fools Crow: Chapter 9 Summary & Analysis

The next day, Rides-at-the-door asks White Man’s Dog about his behavior during Yellow Kidney’s story. White Man’s Dog tells his father that he blames himself for Yellow Kidney’s condition. He had not told him about his dream of the white-faced girl; if he had, he would have taken it as a bad omen and turned the raid back.

Rides-at-the-door reassures White Man’s Dog. There is no telling what Yellow Kidney would have done; they were close to Crow land by that time, and he likely would have wanted to go on, he says. Rides-at-the-door tells his son that while he should have told Yellow Kidney about the dream, he must not blame himself.

White Man’s Dog tells Rides-at-the-door that he initially blamed Fast Horse for Yellow Kidney’s disappearance, but now he is not sure. He tells his father about Mik-api’s ceremony and how the bad spirit of his dream is floating about the village. Rides-at-the-door suspects that the same spirit caused Yellow Kidney to enter the death tipi, but he doesn’t think that it has entered Fast Horse. “No. I think it is the nature of Fast Horse to be loud and boastful and to hurt others. Some men are just like that.” 

Meanwhile, White Man’s Dog has been ordered by Three Bears to deliver the news of Yellow Kidney’s return to the outlying Pikuni camps. As Double Strike Woman gives her son instructions for his ride, Striped Face, her sister and Rides-at-the-door’s second wife, braids her hair. Kills-close-to-the-lake cooks and serves them—their husband’s youngest wife is little more than their slave. Double Strike Woman tells White Man’s Dog to “take a good look” at Little Bird Woman, the daughter of her cousin living near the Two Medicine River, while on his ride. She would make him a good wife, and her father, Crow Foot, is a powerful man.

White Man’s Dog is not interested in Little Bird Woman, and while Kills-close-to-the-lake frequently looks at him, he is not interested in her either. As White Man’s Dog thinks about Red Paint, Running Fisher rushes into the lodge and tells them that Fast Horse has banished himself and has left camp during the night to join Owl Child and his gang.

Rides-at-the-door fears that Fast Horse will be an even bigger problem riding with Owl Child than he would be in camp. They are sure to kill and rob more Napikwans, which will bring the blue-coat seizers to raid Pikuni lands. Running Fisher wants to fight the seizers, but his father warns him that the white man must be left alone. It is better to allow them some of their land to raise whitehorns than to invite war. “It is not an agreeable way, but it is the only way,” says Rides-at-the-door.

As White Man’s Dog leaves for his journey, Running Fisher notices how his brother has changed. Now, he envies White Man’s Dog and does not pity him. Running Fisher notices Kills-close-to-the-lake hand White Man’s Dog a package of meat and touch him softly on the shoulder. He notices a quick glance between the two and looks up to see Striped Face smiling at him.

Over the next few days, White Man’s Dog visits three Pikuni bands: the Black Doors, the Small Robes, and Crow Foot’s people. He sees Little Bird Woman, and while she is a fine woman, White Man’s Dog thinks only of Red Paint. That night under the stars, he lifts his hands to the sky and remembers the stories his grandfather told him about the origins of the constellations. In the stories there was only the people, the stars, and blackhorns. Now the people are different; the white man is moving in, and White Man’s Dog fears the worst. He remembers his grandfather telling him that if he sleeps with his palms out and a star falls on them, he will be a powerful man.

The next day, White Man’s Dog visits the Black Patched Moccasins near the Bear River. The band had previously been the most powerful, and their leader, Little Dog, was the head chief of all the Pikunis. White Man’s Dog rides through their camp, which is a shell of its former glory. Tipis are falling, and children wander unattended as rotting meat litters the paths.

White Man’s Dog arrives at the lodge of Mad Plume, who presents the Otter Medicine bundle at the Sun Dance. Mad Plume notices White Man’s Dog looking about the camp in disbelief and tells him that they were once proud people. Mad Plume says the white chiefs had come to camp and taught the Black Patched Moccasins how to plant seeds in the ground to grow food. They wanted them to stop hunting blackhorns and farm instead. The crops were scrawny and the people hungry, so they went back to hunting. This led to unrest between the Moccasins and the Napikwans, who want the land to farm and raise whitehorn cattle.

Little Dog tried to make peace with the Napikwans and refused to fight. He dealt harshly with Pikunis who offended the Napikwans and assisted the Napikwans when he was able. One day, Little Dog was killed by his own people, and since then, the Black Patched Moccasins have been distrustful people.

White Man’s Dog suspects that Mad Plume condones the killing of Little Dog. The people felt that Little Dog had put the needs of the Napikwans ahead of the needs of the Pikunis, and he had betrayed his own people. Mad Plume tells White Man’s Dog that they are leaderless now and that most of the young people selfishly hunt and drink white man’s water. “There is no center here,” he says.