The Great Race of the Animals
The Great Race is a Lakota legend about a competition between the four-legged animals and the two-legged birds to determine who would eat whom. The race was proposed by Ksapela the Wise One to settle conflicts among the creatures. Representing the four-leggeds was the buffalo, while the magpie represented the two-leggeds. As the race progressed, various animals helped their champion. The buffalo was winning until the magpie hitched a ride on his back, then flew ahead at the last moment. The Great Spirit declared the race a draw, decreeing that henceforth the two-leggeds would hunt the four-leg