University of Montana (System) records, 1915-1958.

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STORY OF tmRY SDIPP-SHIN-MAH
by
Pierre Pichette
The story of m"/  grandmother Mary Sdipp-shin~mah (Fallen from the Sky)
is as folloTrs — I am telling and "writing this just exactly as it was told
to me hy  my grandmother — here is Tfhat she said;
During those days of long ago when the country vras still free from
the clutches of the law of the Y/hites during those days the attitude of the
Indians of their children is to see that they are T/ell brought up, properly
taken care of as to the customs of the tribe ?/hich is to be honest, friendly,
and courteous to all and also their anxiety is to see that their children
become real good faith-doctors or medicine men which is a gift obtained from
Nature through the beasts of the wilderness and through trance or visions,
and now beginning she says .......   ' ,    -
When I was a little girl of about six or seven years old one vday my
mother told me that ue  are going to take a ride up on the mountains to look
for some huckleberries of which I was very much delighted and before long we
was on our way climbing up the mountains riding double and we went up and up
until it was getting pretty late in the evening and believe me all during
this time I was sure enjoying the ride and the scenery ,and just then v/hile
\ve Yras moving along I could see a nice patch of huckleberry bushes heavily
loaded v/ith nice big huckleberries, and me telling mother look there is some
nice big huckleberries and plenty of it and she said my child have patience
a little further up is the place where we will get our, berries. So vre went
on and on until when the sun was just about going down she stopped our horse
and said here is the place where we are going to pick our huckleberries and
she put me off the horse and she got off also and she went around plucking
huckleberry bushes loaded v/ith berries and put them on the ground and she
said come my child sit here and help yourself on the berries while I am going
doT/n here a little ways to see if there is lot of berries around there too
and stay right here I will not be long, be a good little girl and don't be
afraid nothing v/ill harm you and she spread out xuy  little robe and I sat on
it and began helping myself on the berries. And she mounted on the horse
and away she went saying as she was going my child remember stay right here
and don't go anywhere I will be back pretty quick. And. she disappeared in
the brushes and there I was alone and not frightened as I was sure having a
feast eating huckleberries and while doing so I was busily looking around
enjoying the scenery., trees, etc., and talking to myself about all the scenery
around me and at last I learned that night ?fas just about falling on me and
my mother still away yet. Surely then I was frightened and called and called
for mother but no sign of her and again calling and calling through sobs as
I Tras already crying bitterly not knovring what to do. So I cried and cried,
called and called for my mother during the night. But there was no use as
she had left me and went back home leaving me alone on the high mountains.
Viell I cried and cried until I could not cry any more then I got up and took
my little robe and Yfalked away not Imoviring where I was going and it was in