"Back Elk is sick and may be dying,"
Said the old man to his wife.
"Even now the Holy Man is. singing,
Mat Wakan-Tanka spare his life."
Black Elk was trance-like in a d**h sleep,
Dreaming of two men with flaming spears,
Left him alone and disappeared.
Then a bay horse stood before him,
Said, "Now my life history you shall see,
See how all the horses come dancing,
Come dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing, wild and free.
Dancing, dancing, dancing, wild and free."
Twelve black horses with manes of lightning in the night,
Twelve white horses with white geese circling, thundering past,
Twelve sorrel horses with eyes like stars and manes of light,
Twelve buckskins with horns on their heads and manes of gra**.
Then the horses formed a line of four abreast,
Bay horse turned his head West and he neighed,
Sky was like a storm of thundering houses,
And Little Black Elk was afraid.
And then the horses changed into all creatures,
Into every from of life that there could be,
See how all the horses come dancing,
Come dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing, wild and free.
Dancing, dancing, dancing, wild and free.