"Ska’ reh found no rest. Help was not to be had. To make it hard for Se’ sta to run, Ska’ reh cut his own body. His blood flowed out, and each drop became at once a sharp stone to cut the feet of Se’ sta and hold him back. These flint stones may be found all over the earth. But at last Se’ sta came up with Ska’ reh and slew him with the horns of the Deer. Then peace settled over a black and wasted world."
Indian Myths
The Last Battle
Se’ sta was good. His heart was kind. He was more powerful than his evil brother, but had never wished his death even in their wars. But now he saw that there could be no peace in the Lower World while Ska’ reh lived in it. It was with deep regret that Se’ sta decided to bring the war to an end, for that meant the death of Ska’ reh. But, with the good, duty comes before all other things.
So Se’ sta went into the sky where Ska’ rah had hidden himself. He carried the horns torn by Ska’ reh from the head of the Deer. Ska’ reh was armed with the blades of the swamp flag, which he had made hard as flint and sharp as steel. He ran through the sky, but Se’ sta followed hard upon him. Then he ran into the Lower World. Se’ sta did not stop. They were gods. As they fought, earth and sky were wrapped in fiery clouds. The sky seemed to be in flames. Heno rolled his thunder over the world. And screaming birds flapped their helpless wings and fell into the raging sea. Beasts ran bowling to their hiding places. The elk and buffalo fled in terror over the grassy plains. For those who made all the beasts and birds were in deadly battle.
Ska’ reh found no rest. Help was not to be had. To make it hard for Se’ sta to run, Ska’ reh cut his own body. His blood flowed out, and each drop became at once a sharp stone to cut the feet of Se’ sta and hold him back. These flint stones may be found all over the earth. But at last Se’ sta came up with Ska’ reh and slew him with the horns of the Deer. Then peace settled over a black and wasted world.
