Flying Hawk Recalls Crazy Horse
I was sitting on a hill or rise, and something touched me on the head; I felt for it and found it was a bit of grass. I took it to look at; there was a trail nearby and I followed it; it led to water; I went into the water; there the trail ended and I sat down in the water; I was nearly out of breath; I started to rise out of the water, and when I came out I was born by my mother. When I was born I could know and see and understand for a time, but afterwards went back to it as a baby; then I grew up naturally -- at the age of seven I began to learn, and when twelve began to fight enemies. That was the reason I always refused to wear any war-dress; only a bit of grass in the hair; that was why I always was successful in battles. The first fight was with the Shoshones; the Shoshones were chasing the Sioux; I, with my younger brother riding double; two of the Shoshones came for us; we started to meet them; I killed one of them, took his horse; we jumped on him, my brother and I double, and escaped. "Crazy Horse was much alone when not in a fight or on travel or on a hunt; he was quiet and never told stories, but he was the first in every kind of trouble; he was married but had no children; his younger brother was on a campaign in the country about which is Utah, and was killed there by some settlers who were having trouble with some Indians there. When Crazy Horse learned that his brother [Little Hawk] was killed, he left the camp and took his wife, and nobody could find where he went. For a long time he was gone. He went to the place where his brother was killed, and camped in the woods, where he could see the settlement, but the thick woods protected his teepee from view. Here he stayed for nine days; every morning he got up and would stand and look; when he saw some enemy he shot him, until he had killed enough to satisfy him; then went back home."
Firewater and Forked Tongues by M. I. McCreight, Trails End Publishing, Pasadena, CA 1947 p 138 - 139
Flying Hawk was Crazy Horse's cousin and Kicking Bear's brother. The 211 word statement by Crazy Horse that Flying Hawk quotes here is the longest utterance by Crazy Horse on record. It is also the only instance we have of Crazy Horse himself talking about either his military exploits or his dream visions. Click here for Flying Hawk's account of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
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