45. A Fight Between the Alabama and the Choctaw

45. A FIGHT BETWEEN THE ALABAMA AND THE CHOCTAW

The Choctaw captured an Alabama Indian who remained with them and fought for them against the Alabama. Once the Choctaw and Alabama fought each other all day and at night the Alabama got into a creek bottom surrounded by bluffs. The Choctaw watched them, making fires all about. The Alabama they had captured stayed with them rolling rocks down upon the other Alabama and saying repeatedly, "You stay there." In consequence they were angry with him.

After the Alabama Indian had done this for a while, the Choctaw took him away and put him in a hollow tree. When they got back the Choctaw said, "When day comes, shoot the Alabama in their big bellies," and the Alabama in the hollow tree shouted, "That is good," so that all heard him.

After that the Alabama called upon one of their number to make it rain. He moved away a little and sat down. He talked and called for rain until it became cloudy and the rain fell. It rained continually until the place was covered with water. Then one of the Alabama crawled between the watchmen, passed through, and got out. He walked around howling like a fox and came back. He said it was all right and all of them crawled off and passed through, dragging behind them the warriors who had been wounded. Then they started off and came to the place where the renegade stood in the hollow tree. They called out in the Choctaw language and he answered them. "Come out," they said, and when he came out they seized him, struck him, and killed him. They cut off his head and carried it along with them.