ST. DAVID'S FIELD - TENNESSEE 1863
Only a white man would make a fire for everyone to see.
Maybe there's more than one.
There might be three or four.
l know three or four...
...who will not be making the trip back home.
We have nothing to show for this trail.
We have no rifles.
White men are sure to have rifles.
lt's hard to say how many might be down there.
We should forget this and go home.
Then go.
l would rather die...
...than argue about a single line of smoke in my own country.
He will not quit until we are all dead.
Kicking Bird has been keeping to himself these last few days.
l do not like to see our medicine man walking so alone.
What does his wife say?
She says that he is keeping to himself.
That's not what l asked you.
Well, what did you ask me?
What did she say?
She said that he is keeping to himself these days.
That's what she says.
Make sure that meat is soft.
My teeth hurt.
May l come in?
No, let him sit with me.
Our country seems good this summer...
...but l have not been out to see it.
But the buffalo are late.
And l always worry about the bellies of our children.
l was thinking of a dance.
Yes. A dance is always a good idea.
lt would be good to have a strong sign.
There's a funny thing about signs.
We know when they are bad or good.
Sometimes they are strange and it's hard to understand them.
A smart man will think on these things.
lf he is still confused, he will tell somebody.
For instance, he might tell you or me.
A smart man always does this.
l have seen such a sign.
Really?
l saw a man.
A naked, white man.
Are you sure it was a man?
l saw his sex.
Did you speak to him?
No.
He might be a god.
Or a white chief with special abilities.
That is why we should talk with him.
l do not care for this talk about this white man.
Whatever he is, he is not a Sioux, and that makes him less.
When l hear that more whites are coming, l want to laugh.
We took a hundred horses from these people.
There was no honor in it.
They don't ride well. They don't shoot well.
They're dirty.
Those soldiers could not even make it through one winter here.
And these people are said to flourish?
l think they will all be dead soon.
l think this fool is probably lost.
Wind ln His Hair's words are strong and l have heard them.
lt's true the whites are a poor race and hard to understand.
But make no mistake, the whites are coming.
Even our enemies agree on this.
So when l see one man alone without fear in our country...
...l do not think he is lost. l think he may have medicine.
l see someone who might speak...
...for all the white people who are coming.
l think this is a person with which treaties might be struck.
Kicking Bird is always looking ahead and that is good.
But this man cannot cover our lodges or feed our children.
He is nothing to us.
l will take some men.
We will shoot some arrows into this white man.
lf he truly has medicine, he will not be hurt.
lf he has no medicine, he will be dead.
No man can tell another what to do.
But killing a white man is a delicate matter.
lf you kill one, more are sure to come.
lt's easy to become confused by these questions.
lt's hard to know what to do.
We should talk about this some more.
That is all l have to say.
What's the matter, now?
We don't think this is such a good idea.
lf we take the horse of a white god...
...they will make up songs about us.
Maybe.
They will ask us to go on raids.
Who gets the horse?
l do.
l do, but we share. Now who can say this is not a great plan?
lt's always the same.
Every time.
We'll be heroes.
They'll write songs about us.
What happened?
l don't know. My arm doesn't work.
You shouldn't have fallen off. Now we'll get in trouble.
lt was your idea.
My idea was only to take the horse, not fall down.
Otter hurt himself.
What are you looking at? l'm the one who's hurt.
l will be when my father finds out. His bow will be across my back.
l am Wind ln His Hair.
Do you see that l am not afraid of you?
Do you see?
The party that went against the Utes is coming back.
There are many hearts on the ground.
You are not welcome here.
Go away from us.
Stop.
The soldier did not come to fight.
He is going away and we will let him.
l am in agreement with Kicking Bird.
We will go down and talk to the white man.
And find out why he is here.
lf this council decides to talk to the white man...
...then it will be so.
But in my mind it's not right...
...that a chief as great as Ten Bears...
...goes to ask the business of a puny, trespassing white man...
...who has only a smart horse and a few white man's clothes.
l will not go.
You will go.
And you will go.
That is all l have to say.
His mind is gone.
Stands With A Fist.
We will talk awhile.
Your wounds are healing well?
Yes, they are.
You are happy here, with my family?
l am glad to be here.
l am missing my husband.
Perhaps you will marry again when the time is right?
Perhaps.
We have word from many places that the whites are coming.
They are coming into everyone's country.
l think they will soon be in ours.
This white man who lives at the old soldier fort...
l have visited him and l believe his heart is a good one.
l am afraid of the white man at the fort.
l am afraid he will tell others that l am here.
l am afraid they will try to take me away.
l've heard they take people away.
Every warrior in camp would fight them if they tried.
l cannot make the white man language.
He cannot speak Sioux.
lt has been a long time since l made the talk.
l want you to try.
l don't know how.
Yes, you do.
l can't.
l can't. lt's dead in me.
l don't ask this for myself. l ask this for all the people.
He knows things about the whites which we do not.
Now, you must remember.
l can't.
Will she make the white words?
She won't try. She is being difficult.
Well, she's the one who's crying.
Perhaps the difficulty is yours.
We were waiting for you.
Now tell him we are glad that he is here.
Ask him why he is at the soldier fort.
He's right. lntroductions should come first.
l found it on the prairie. lt's mine.
That hat belongs to the Lieutenant.
He left it on the prairie. He didn't want it.
Well, you can see he wants it now.
We all know that it's a soldier's hat.
We all know who wears it.
lf you want to keep it, that's all right.
But give something for it.