in the summer of 1902, when the wars were long over, kicking bear told claude whistler what thunder dreamers could do. their power came from the sky bird whose beating wings were heard by men as the sound of thunder. the rock was the first of all things. inyon, the rock, created as companion the second of all things. to dream of how it could complicate a man's life almost beyond imagining requiring him to behave as a contrary who laughed when he was sad, plunged his hand into boiling water, went naked when it was cold. but there was a second kind of thunder dreamer, and these also had very great powers. so great that they could control the weather. by this it was not meant only that they could provide a blue day for a ceremonial event or make it rain during a dry season. their power was much greater and more explicit. kicking bear described this power to whistler. surprised once in the open by an approaching storm, kicking bear said he did not hide as the sioux usually did. they were frightened by lightning, and for good reason. lightning often killed men on horses trapped in the open. on th