I owe much of my interest in and knowledge of the Pawnees to my long intimacy with the late Major Frank North, who from his extended intercourse and close connection with this people--a connection which lasted more than thirty years--was unquestionably better informed about them than any other white man has ever been; and with Capt. L. H. North, his brother, who was for many years associated with Major North in command of the Pawnee Scouts.
In gathering the material here presented I have been assisted also by James R. Murie, a nephew of Comanche Chief; by Ralph J. Weeks, a half-brother of Lone Chief; by Harry Kuhns, by Eagle Chief and Bear Chief, Skidis; by Good Chief and Curly Chief, Kit-ke-hahk´-is; by Secret Pipe Chief and Frank White, Chau-is, and by many others of my Pawnee friends, to all of whom my acknowledgments are due.
In the pronunciation of the few Pawnee words used in these stories, the vowel sounds, as nearly as I can give them, are as follows: _a_ as in father, _e_ as the _a_ in ale, _i_ as _e_ in cede, _û_ long as _oo_ in pool, _ü_ short as in us, _au_ as _ou_ in house. These sounds depend somewhat on the letters which follow the vowels, and the spelling does not always conform to the rule laid down. The last two syllables in the word Pita-hau-erat, for example, are pronounced _êrät_ or _idot_. The sounds of _d_, _l_, _n_ and _r_ are difficult to express by English letters; _r_ sometimes has its own sound quite distinctly, at others more the sound of _d_; _n_ often has a _d_ sound, and _l_ a sound of _n_. It will be noted that throughout this volume I have used the familiar English word Pawnee instead of the evidently more correct _Pa´-ni_.
Finally I have refrained from commenting on the stories, though there is abundant opportunity for comment.
Many years ago there lived in the Ski´-di village a young man, about sixteen years old. His name was _Kut-a´wi-kutz_ (the hawk). At this time the Pawnees wore their hair in the ancient fashion, cut as the Osages wear theirs; the whole head was shaved except a roach running back from the forehead beyond the scalp lock.
A war party went off to the south and he joined them as a servant. They went a long way and a long way, traveling far, but they got no horses and came back. Afterward another party started off on the warpath, and he went with it. They traveled many days, going to the southwest, and at length they came to a camp, and hid themselves to wait until it was dark. It was a camp of the Comanches.