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皮桑特是酋长的女儿，她自负且骄傲。她总是梳理着自己那乌黑的长发，等待人们赞扬她的头发是多么的美丽，她的皮肤是多么的光滑。 她认为她行事不必像其他人一样，而且每个人都应该尊敬她，因为她父亲是酋长。有一天，她与部落里的其他女孩们一起到森林里去摘浆果。 他们在树林里越走越深，其他女孩都紧张起来，她们开始轻声地唱歌儿。 “你们为什么要唱歌？”皮桑特问。‘‘我们害怕会打扰动物们，”一个女孩说道。"我们要让他们知道我们来了，尤其要让熊知道。” “熊又丑又臭！”皮桑特嗤之以鼻。"我才不在乎打扰他们！”“请不要那样说。"另一个女孩儿请求道，“他们会听到你说的话，会很生气的。”“随他们的便。"皮桑特说，“我是酋长的女儿，我不害怕打扰了大臭熊！" 她们来到一处林中空地，开阔地里毫无遮挡，她们更加害怕。这时她们看到一丛灌木丛长满了浆果，就开始摘浆果放在她们的篮子里。 一天很快就过去了，她们边摘果子边说笑着，完全忘记了熊的事儿。太阳准备下山睡觉时，她们的篮子已经满了。 "我们现在必须走了。”一个女孩对皮桑特说，“我们要在天黑之前离开，动物们不会喜欢我们打扰他们睡觉的。”‘‘我为什么要在乎他们呢？”皮桑特问。“我想再摘些浆果。”其他人都很害怕，开始往回走。 皮桑特叹了口气，跟着她们，但她又看到一处灌木丛，长满了又大又鲜嫩多汁的浆果。“我一定要去摘那些浆果。"她自言自语道，"我会采回最好的浆果，人们会说‘当然了，她是酋长的女儿！’” 她迅速摘了些这样的浆果，装到篮子里，篮子的浆果满得快掉出来了。其他人唱着说着，走得看不见影了，没有察觉到皮桑特没和她们在一起。 皮桑特匆忙去追赶其他人，这时她篮子上的皮带断了，浆果都滚出来撒在地上。她弯腰去捡的时候，出现了一个英俊的年轻人，身上披着熊皮斗篷。 “我可以帮你吗，皮桑特？"他问。“你怎么知道我的名字呀？”“大家都知道美丽的皮桑特，是酋长的女儿。你这么美丽，一定是她喽。”“这倒是真的。”皮桑特说，"每个人都知道我的美丽。" 他们再次装满了篮子，年轻人修好带子，好让皮桑特提着它。太阳已经要下山睡觉了，森林里暗了下来。 “太晚了，你回不了村子了。"年轻人说，‘‘如果你能跟我们住一晚，我的人民会很荣幸的。"皮桑特不知道该怎么做，就甩了甩她黑色的长发，自负地说她会留下。 他们来到年轻人的村子，皮桑特看到了其他的人，大家都披着熊皮斗篷。女人们既不和她说话也不看她，眼睛一直盯着地面。 年轻人带她来到村子的中心，人们正围坐在一堆篝火旁边。他们的酋长年事已高,头戴用熊掌做成的皇冠，对她表示欢迎。 大家吃过晚饭，谈了一会儿后，酋长站起来看着皮桑特说：“你要永远留在这个村子里并和我那年轻的侄儿结婚，他就是把你带到这里的人。”“我不！”皮桑特喊道，‘‘我是皮桑特——是我们部落的酋长之女！” '‘够了，我已经说过了！老人说完便向两名男子挥手示意，他们把她带到她新婚丈夫的小屋。皮桑特站在屋里，感到既恐惧又困惑。这时她听到一个微小的声音尖叫道：“皮桑特！皮桑特！” 她环顾四周，却看不到任何人。这时她觉得有东西在拉她的衣服，低头看时，看到一个老鼠小妇人。 "皮桑特，听我说！非常重要！这儿的人都是‘熊人’。酋长听你说熊又脏又臭，而且不怕他们，非常愤怒。你必须尊重你新婚的丈夫，始终服从他。要是不这样做，你就会像其他女人一样被变成奴隶。” “你试图逃跑的话，熊人们肯定又会愤怒万分，他们会杀了你的！”老鼠小妇人尖声说。皮桑特明白了她的警告，她改变了行事方式，尊重丈夫，顺从丈夫。 她注意到男人们离开村子时，就变成熊；他们回来时，又会变成人。 她不再骄傲自负，而是努力地干活，和熊人们一起住了很长时间。她生了两个儿子，都是半人半熊。皮桑特的丈夫对她很好，老鼠小妇人教了她很多东西。但她非常想念家人。 有一天，村外发现了陌生人。皮桑特的丈夫告诉她，那是她的哥哥们。"你失踪的时候他们发现了熊的足迹，从那之后他们杀害了我们很多人，他们是不会停止找你的。” 他伤心地看着皮桑特。“我梦见他们会杀了我。我知道你非常爱他们，我不会伤害他们的。我只要求他们像你一样尊重我，皮桑特。他们不能剥了我的皮还拖着我在地上走，我的毛发必须被放在耳朵后面，并且要用红赭石把我的背涂红（印第安人葬礼的一种习俗）。” 他抚摸着皮桑特的黑色长发，向他的儿子们告别。然后，他披上熊皮斗篷，向村外走去。皮桑特跟着他，看到他变成了一只熊。他伸出胳膊举在前面，去见皮桑特的哥哥们。他没有做任何反抗，就让皮桑特的哥哥们杀了。 “皮桑特，我们的妹妹！能再见到你真是太好了！"她的哥哥们欢呼道。皮桑特为她死去的丈夫哭泣，却又为再次见到她的兄弟们而高兴不已。 她让哥哥们按照丈夫要求的方式安置了他的遗体，然后哥哥们把她和她的两个儿子带回了父亲的村庄。 部落的人仔细地端详她，惊奇地发现她美丽的皮肤上已经长出了柔软的棕色毛发，她不再是一个纯粹的人了。 皮桑特告诉父亲，也就是酋长：“我现在觉得与人住在一起不舒服，我可以住在村边的小房子里吗？"可以，我的女儿，你可以住在那儿。”父亲回答道。 皮桑特带着两只幼熊住在小房子里。有一天，一个哥哥给她送来一些熊皮做冬季御寒的衣物。皮桑特和孩子们把熊皮披在身上，永远地变成了熊。她带着幼熊进入山里，从此再也没有人见过他们。 部落的人们一直记得他们酋长的女儿如何嫁给了熊，并教导他们尊重猎杀的每一头熊。 他们遵从她的教导，成为非常成功的猎人。 Peesunt was the Chiefs daughter. She was vain and proud. She was always combing her long black hair, waiting for people to say how beautiful it was and how her skin was soft. She believed she didn’t have to behave like the others and that everyone should respect her because of her father. One day she went into the forest to pick berries, with other girls from the tribe. As they walked further and further under the trees, the others became nervous. They started to sing softly. “Why are you singing?” asked Peesunt. “We’re frightened of disturbing the animals.” said one. “We need to let them know we’re coming 一 especially the bears.” “Bears are ugly and smelly.” sniffed Peesunt. “I don’t care if I disturb them!” “Please don't say that!” begged another. “They’ll hear you and be very angry.” “Let them!” said Peesunt. “I，m the Chiefs daughter and I don’t have to worry about disturbing smelly old bears!” They came to a clearing and were even more scared to be in the open. Then they saw bushes full of berries and started to fill their baskets. The day went quickly and they forgot all about the bears as they laughed and talked while they picked the fruit. When the sun began to prepare for sleep, their baskets were full. “We must leave now，” one girl said to Peesunt, “before it gets dark. The animals won’t like us disturbing their sleep.” “Why should I care?” asked Peesunt. “I want to pick more berries.” The others were frightened and started walking. Peesunt sighed and followed them, but then she saw another bush with the biggest and juiciest berries all over it. “I must pick those.” she said to herself. “I，ll go back with the best berries and people will say “Of course. She’s the Chiefs daughter!” Quickly she picked the berries until her basket was overflowing. The others were out of sight, singing and talking, not noticing that Peesunt wasn’t with them. She rushed to catch up and the strap on her basket broke and all the berries spilled onto the ground. As she bent to scoop them up, a handsome young man appeared, wrapped in a bearskin cloak. “Can I help you, Peesunt?” he asked. “How do you know my name?” asked the girl. “Everyone knows of beautiful Peesunt, the Chief's daughter. You are so beautiful, you must be her.” “That is true” said Peesunt. “Everyone knows of my beauty•” When they had filled the basket again, the young man fixed the strap so Peesunt could carry it. The sun had almost gone to sleep and the forest was becoming dark “It’s too late for you to walk back to your village.” the young man said. “My people would be honoured if you would stay with us overnight.” Peesunt did not know what to do, so she shook her long black hair, vainly and said she would stay. When they came to his village, she saw other people, all wearing bearskin cloaks. The women would not speak or look at her. They kept their eyes on the ground. The young man led her to the centre of the village, where people were sitting around a lire. She was welcomed by their chief, who was old and wore a crown made from bear claws. After everyone had eaten and talked, the chief stood up and looked at Peesunt. “You will stay in this village forever and marry my young nephew, who brought you here.” “I will not!” shouted Peesunt. “I am Peesunt — daughter of the chief of my tribe!” “Enough. I have spoken!” said the old man. He waved to two men and they took her to her new husband’s lodge. Standing inside, scared and confused, Peesunt heard a little voice squeaking “Peesunt! Peesunt!” She looked around, but couldn’t see anyone. Then she felt something tugging at her dress. Looking down, she saw the tiny Mouse Woman. “Peesunt. Listen to me! This is very important! These are the Bear People. The chief heard you say that bears were dirty and smelly and that you weren’t afraid of them — and he was angry. You must show respect to your new husband and always obey him. If you don，t, you’ll be made a slave like the other women.” “And if you try to escape, the Bear People will become angry again and kill you.” squeaked Mouse Woman. Peesunt understood the warning and changed her ways. She became respectful and obeyed her husband. She noticed that when the men left the village they turned into bears and when they returned, they became men again. She was no longer vain and proud. She worked hard and stayed with the Bear People for a long time. She gave birth to two sons, who were both half man and half bear. Peesunfs husband was kind to her and Mouse Woman taught her many things. But she missed her family. One day, strangers were seen outside the village. Peesunt，s husband told her the men were her brothers. “They found bear tracks when you went missing and they have killed many of my people since then. They will not stop looking for you.” He looked at Peesunt sadly. “I’ve dreamed that they will kill me. I know you love them very much, and I won’t hurt them. I ask that they treat me with respect as you have, Peesunt. They must not drag my body on the ground after they have taken my skin. My feathers must be placed behind my ears and red ochre1 rubbed on my back.” He stroked Peesunt’s long black hair and said goodbye to his sons. Then he put on his bear cloak and started to walk out of the village. Peesunt followed him and saw him turn into a bear. Holding his arms out in front of him, he went to meet the brothers. He let them kill him without struggling. “Peesunt，our sister! It，s so good to see you again!” shouted the brothers. Peesunt cried for her dead husband and with joy to see her brothers again. She made them treat her husband’s body as he had asked and they took her and her two sons back to her father’s village. The people from her tribe looked at her closely and were amazed to see soft brown hair growing on her beautiful skin. She was no longer fully human. Peesunt told her father, the Chief, “I don’t feel comfortable living with people now. May I live in the small house at the edge of the village?，，“Yes, my daughter, you can.” said her father. Peesunt took her two cubs and lived in the small house. One day, one of her brothers brought her some bearskins to make warm clothing for the winter. Peesunt and her children put the skins around them and turned into bears forever. She took the cubs into the mountains and they were never seen again. The people of her tribe remembered how the daughter of their chief had married a bear and taught them to respect any bear that they killed. They followed her teaching and were very successful hunters. |
