Written for children, this story is one in a series about the history of the Blackfeet from the precontact period to the mid-nineteenth century. The story begins when the tribe first encounters gunfire in a battle with the Plains Cree, then their neighbors to the east. A Blackfeet warrior is killed and the others return home to tell the chiefs and medicine men about the powerful thunder medicine of the Crees. The Blackfeet determine to capture this weapon and are successful, but many winters pass and they cannot make it work. Finally, Chief Na-mak-an, proposes that they make peace with the Crees and, in return, learn to use their thunder medicine. The Blackfeet not only learn to load and fire their weapon but are given more guns by the Crees, who get them from white men on the Assiniboine River, trading 50 beaver skins for each gun. With the great medicine of the loud mouthed gun the Blackfeet drive the Crow south to the Yellowstone, raid many tribes, and gain and hold a vast country even after all their enemies are equally well armed. (JHZ)