Blackfoot Discoveries: Blackfoot Stories: The Dancing People

Our summary of "The Dancing People" told by:
Dustin, Ben, Kelsey & Boston

In a camp there lived an old man and an old woman who no one came to visit because they were so old. One morning the tribe left and they left the old man and the old woman alone in the mountains for the winter. They had been left there to die. Every day they lit a little fire to the spirits and never complained. Then at the rising of the Moon of the Eagles the old man eventually died. The old woman had a dream to light the fire in the tipi every night because the Dancing People were coming. She was told not to look outside of the tipi at the Dancing People until the 4th night. When she looked out the door, she saw lots of Holy Deer. She shook the rattles and sang the songs that the Dancing People gave her and they gave her the medicine of the Holy Deer. This made the old man be healed and come alive. They went back to the camp of the relatives and told them. "Treat everybody like you want to be treated. Don't throw any old people out. You should honor then and use their wisdom."

What did we hear in this story that we have heard in other stories?

• The animals talk and help each other.
• Someone dies somewhere in the story.
• There is always a lesson to be learned.
• Not everyone is treated the same.
• They mention the number 4.
• They pray to the spirits.

We think the story teaches us .....

• To never treat people mean or bad and always treat people kindly.
• To take care of your elders.