Joe Maller.com

Lend me your grace and swiftness

Plenty-coups (1848–1932), last hereditary chief of the Crow Indians

“‘O Butterflies, lend me your grace and swiftness!’ I repeated, rubbing the broken wings over my pounding heart. If this would give me grace and speed I should catch many butterflies, I knew. But instead of keeping the secret I told my friends, as my grandfather knew I would. And how many, many we boys caught after that to rub over our hearts. We chased butterflies to give us endurance in running, always rubbing our breasts with their wings, asking the butterflies to give us a portion of their power. We worked very hard at this. because running is necessary both in hunting and in war. I was never the swiftest among my friends, but not many could run farther than I.”

“Is running a greater accomplishment than swimming?”

“Yes, but swimming is more fun. In all seasons of the year most men were in the rivers before sunrise. Boys had plenty of teachers here. Sometimes they were hard on us, too. They would often send us into the water to swim among cakes of floating ice, and the ice taught us to take care of our bodies. Cold toughens a man.”
Plenty-coups (1848–1932), last hereditary chief of the Crow Indians

From the book, Plenty-coups: Chief of the Crows (also Google Books, via Tuck)

Chief Plenty-coups with daughter