Pursuer

One spring all the young Crow men got together, wanting to go fight the Sioux and earn war honors. But a wise old woman known as The Pursuer sets out to thwart their plans. Their chief, Sits in the Middle of the Land, calls a council to decide how to handle the young men’s request. But this old woman reminds her husband, a member of the council, that they have a lot of relatives that would be involved in the outcome of this decision. She knows the young men want ‘to test themselves‘ and acknowledges that there is probably nothing they can do to stop them. Nevertheless, she speaks out against letting the young men go, saying, “war will make us cry” and “is not good for children.”

This council took place in the Wind River Valley of Wyoming where The Pursuer reminds her people that here they have plenty of rice grass and other resources for their horses, wild game for the people to eat and spiritual helpers for the young men to win over. The old woman is so persuasive that the council turns down the young men’s request to go to war. “See how wise our chief is!” The Pursuer says, giving the chief and councilmen all the credit for her persuasive powers.