The Lakota Way: Stories and Lessons in Living

Story Summary: “The Story of the Cottonwoods”

This story takes place before the white man’s steamboat brought smallpox that killed many Lakota up the Great Muddy River (in 1837). Two young people meet and fall in love with each other. On many nights, they stand and embrace under the courting robe made of elk skin. Everyone believes White Lance will take a gift of horses to Red Willow Woman’s family to ask her to marry him.

After White Lance proves himself in battle, he finds the camp with Red Willow Woman and asks her to marry him, but she says she has been promised to He Crow. He feels intensely sad and dedicates himself to battle, while Red Willow Woman, although a good wife with a daughter and later a son, seems distracted at all times. When they see each other at the summer gatherings, it’s evident that they are still in love, yet they act with propriety. White Lance marries Good Medicine and becomes a father and a leader, but he too seems distracted.

During a summer gathering, Good Medicine and He Crow talk, and then Good Medicine asks White Lance to take her to her relatives, while He Crow goes with Red Willow Woman to his relatives.