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Chapter II: Part 2

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| Ha, | witsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ue! | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ui{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | wacin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a*d*e, | e{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}i anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Ho | grandfather! |child | body |they have none | he was saying that | he really said |O grandfather!

| Wakan'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}a | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}an'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e | ts'e | watseqi | *d*cin' | ecau: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Mysterious one | road | to die | difficult | I am | indeed | he really said | O grandfather!

24 | Wakan'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ana | *d*cin-ma{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}i, | e{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}i{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ie anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Mysterious one | that only |I am I-not | he was saying to him what precedes | he really said |O grandfather!

| Cun'unckita | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}an*d*ecace tatse: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Kaxe-wahue-san', | cunta, | wisun'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a, | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}an*d*e | an{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}axe ta*d*etse:

| Kaxe-wahue-san' | awhile longer | my younger brother | attention | we must make

| a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| he really said | O grandfather!

27 | Mikak'e | han'*d*a-{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}an | cinkci | e'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | hi' na{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in': | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Star | by day | the st. an. ob. | at it | arrived and stood | he really said |O grandfather!

| Ha, | witsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ue! | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ui{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | wacin{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a*d*e, | e{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}i anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Ho | grandfather! |child | body |they have none | he was saying that | he really said |O grandfather!

| Wakan'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}a | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}an'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e | ts'e | watseqi | *d*cin' | ecau: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Mysterious one | road | to die | difficult | I am | indeed | he really said | O grandfather!

30 | Wakan'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ana | *d*cin-ma{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}i, | e{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}i{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ie anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| O mysterious one | that only |I am I-not | he was saying to him what precedes | he really said |O grandfather!

| Cun'unckita | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}an*d*ecace tatse: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Kaxe-wahue-san', | cunta, | wisun'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a, | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}an*d*e | an{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}axe ta*d*etse: |a*d*intau,

| Kaxe-wahue-san' | awhile longer | my younger brother | attention | we must make | he really said

| Tsika!

| O grandfather!

33 | Wa{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | cue'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se | cinkce'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | hi' na{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in': | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Bird | red| | to the st. an. ob. | arrived and stood | he really said |O grandfather!

| Ha, | i{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}u! | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Ho | grandmother! | he really said | O grandfather!

| Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ui{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | wacin{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a*d*e, | e{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}i anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Child | body |they have none | he was saying that | he really said |O grandfather!

(Here some lines are wanting. See the other version for the appeal to the Red Bird and her reply. )

36 | Han'*d*a | ma{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}an' | uca{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}cin | cinkce'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | hi' na{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in': | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Day | land | good | at the st. an. ob. | arrived and stood | he really said | O grandfather!

| Maxe | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}awin'xe | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}u*d*a } cinkce e'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | anni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Upper world | gyration | four | the cv. in. ob. | there | we were people | he really said | O grandfather!

38 | Anni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ui{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | ankiica-*d*a{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}i: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| We were people | body | we did not find for ourselves | he really said | O grandfather!

| Maxe | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}awin'xe | wecun*d*a | e'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | antsi' na{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in': | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Upper world | gyration | the second | there | they arrived and stood | he really said | O grandfather!

| E'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | anni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a-*d*a{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}i: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| There | we were not human beings | he really said | O grandfather!

| Maxe | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}awin'xe | weca*d*cin | e'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | antsi' na{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in': | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Upper world | gyration | the third | there | they arrived and stood | he really said | O grandfather!

42 | E'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | anni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a-*d*a{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}i: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| There | we were not human beings | he really said | O grandfather!

| Maxe | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}awin'xe | we{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}u*d*a | e'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | antsi' na{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in': | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Upper world | gyration | the fourth | there | they arrived and stood | he really said | O grandfather!

| Oansan' | antsi' na{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in': | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Sycamore | they came and stood (on) | he really said | O grandfather!

45 | Ma{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}an' | utan'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | cinkce | e'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | antsi' na{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in': | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Harvest time | the | there | they arrived and stood | he really said | O grandfather!

| Ha, | wisun{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ae! | ni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | win' | si{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ca*d*e tse: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Ho | younger brother! | person | one | has left a trail | he really said | O grandfather!

| Ha, | wi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ince! | ni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | si{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ca*d*e tse: | eca*d*i'-na, | ni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a

| Ho | elder brother! | person | has left a trail | you have said | person

|ciakqa | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| this is he | he really said | O grandfather!

48 | Ha, | wi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ince!(21) | Han'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | *d*cin' | ecau | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Ho | elder brother! | Han'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | young | I am | indeed | he really said | O grandfather!

| Ha, | wisun{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ae! | ni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | win' | si{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ca*d*e tse: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Ho | younger brother! | person | one | has left a trail | he really said | O grandfather!

| Ha, | wi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ince! | ni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | si{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ca*d*e tse: | eca*d*i'-na, | ni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a

| Ho | elder brother! | person | has left a trail | you have said | person

|ciakqa | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| this is he | he really said | O grandfather!

51 | Ha, | wi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ince! | Wa{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}a{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}e | *d*cin' | ecau | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Ho | elder brother! | Osage | I am | indeed | he really said | O grandfather!

| Han'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | anni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a tatse: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Han'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | we shall be people | he really said O grandfather!

| Ni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}'u*d*a | si{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ca*d*e tse: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| People | some | left a trail | he really said | O grandfather!

54 | Han'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | utacan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se tsi | i{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}ta*d*e, | e | ecau: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Han'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | apart from the rest | lodge | theirs | that | indeed | he really said | O grandfather!

| Ha, | ni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}'u*d*a | tsi' anka | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Ho | persons | some | have come | he really said | O grandfather!

| Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u | Watsetsi | i{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}a*d*e | tsi' anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u | Watsetsi | also | have come | he really said | O grandfather!

57 | Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | uwaqta | ece{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}i anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Child | what is good for them | they decided (?) | he really said | O grandfather!

58 | Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}iwatan'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | mancin tatse, | ece{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}i anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Child | being chiefs over them | they two shall walk | they decided (?) | he really said | O grandfather!

| Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | its'e cin{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e | mancin tatse, | ece{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}i anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Child | without cause of death | they two shall walk | they decided (?) | he really said | O grandfather!

60 | Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}istu | e'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si cin{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ce tatse: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Child | assembly | there it shall be | he really said | O grandfather!

| Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | uni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acn'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | ta*d*e | ma{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}an' | uca{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}i{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se tatse, | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Child | to become men in | in order that | land | you two shall seek you | he really said | O grandfather!

| Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | uni{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}k'acn'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | ta*d*e-{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}an' | ma{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}an' | e{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si cinkce | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}axe anka:

| Child | to become men in | in order that | land | it is there | they have made

| a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| he really said | O grandfather!

63 | Oa*d*e(22) | min'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | ce-na | e'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | kan'ha | hi {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}cin anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Beaver | female animal | the mv. an. obs. in the past | there | border | reached and was sitting | he really said | O grandfather!

| Tsihe | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a

| Lodge | small

_Translation._

1 "O younger brother! we must see what can be done to make human beings of the children." The Black Bear came to them and stood. 3 He went to the mysterious one of day, saying, "Ho, grandfather! the children have no bodies." He replied, "I have an everlasting road (in which I must keep); 6 I am not the only mysterious one; You must still seek for help." (On reporting to the leader, the latter said,) "O Kaxe-wahue-san, my younger brother! we must still see what can be done." 9 So the Black Bear went to the star "Watse-{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a, saying, "Ho, grandfather! the children have no bodies." He replied, "I have an everlasting road (in which I must keep); 12 "I am not the only mysterious one; "You must still seek for help." (On reporting to the leader, the latter said), "O Kaxe-wahue-san, my younger brother! we must still see what can be done." 15 So the Black Bear went to the Bowl of the Great Dipper, saying, "O grandfather! the children have no bodies!" He replied, "I have an everlasting road (in which I must keep); 18 "I am not the only mysterious one; "You must still seek for help." (On reporting to the leader, the latter said), "O Kaxe-wahue-san, my younger brother! we must still see what can be done." 21 Then he went to the Seven Stars, saying, "Ho, grandfather! the children have no bodies." He replied, "I have an everlasting road (in which I must keep); 24 "I am not the only mysterious one; "You must still seek for help." (On reporting this to the leader, the latter said), 26 "O Kaxe-wahue-san, my younger brother! we must still see what can be done." So he went to the Morning Star, saying, "Ho, grandfather! the children have no bodies." He replied, "I have an everlasting road (in which I must keep); 30 "I am not the only mysterious one; "You must still seek for help." (On reporting this to the leader, the latter said), " O Kaxe-wahue-san, my younger brother! we must still see what can be done." 33 So he went to the Red Bird, who was sitting (on her nest), saying, "Ho, grandmother! The children have no bodies." * * * * * 36 They went to the good land of day. In four revolutions or gyrations of the upper worlds, we became human beings. Though we were human beings, we did not find bodies. 39 They arrived at the second revolution of the upper worlds. There we were not (complete) human beings. They arrived at the third revolution of the upper worlds. 42 There we were not (complete) human beings. They arrived at the fourth revolution of the upper worlds They stood on a sycamore tree. 45 They stood there at harvest time. "Ho, younger brother! a man has left a trail." "Ho, elder brother!" said the Black Bear; "you have said that a man has left a trail. "This is the man." 48 "Ho, elder brother!" (said the stranger) "I am Young Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a." [Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u.] "Ho, younger brother! a man has left a trail." [Black Bear.] "Ho, elder brother! you have said that a man has left a trail. "This is the man." 51 "Ho, elder brother!" (said the stranger) "I am Osage. "We shall be Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a people." Some people left a trail. 54 Those were the lodges of the Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a utacan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se. (The Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a utacan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se leader said) "Ho! some persons have come. "Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u and Watsetsi have come." 57 They thought of what was good for the children. They decided that the two should continue as chiefs for the children. They decided that the two should continue without anything that would be fatal to the children. (And they said) 60 "There shall be an assembly of the children. "You two shall seek a land in which the children may become men." They two arranged for the location of a land in order that the children might become men in it. 63 The Female Beaver, who had been traveling, came to the confines of the village (of the Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a utacan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se?) (She made?) a small lodge (for herself?).

Good Voice, of the Mink'in gens, knew the history of the Female Beaver, but he failed to keep his promise to dictate it to the author.

CONCLUDING REMARKS.

An Osage said to the author: "We do not believe that our ancestors were really animals, birds, &c., as told in the traditions. These things are only wa-wi'-ku-ska'-ye [symbols] of something higher." On saying this he pointed to the sky.

Apart from such traditions or myths, it is found that even the taboos and the names of the gentes, subgentes, phratries, and persons are objects of mysterious reverence among many, if not all, of the Siouan tribes. Such names are never used in ordinary conversation. This is especially the case in tribes where the secret society continues in all its power, as among the Osage, the Ponka, and the Kansa. When the author was questioning these Indians he was obliged to proceed very cautiously in order to obtain information of this character, which was not communicated till they learned about his acquaintance with some of the myths. When several Dakota delegations visited Washington he called on them and had little trouble in learning the names of their gentes, their order in the camping circle, &c., provided the interpreters were absent. During his visit to the Omaha, from 1878 to 1880, he did not find them very reticent in furnishing him with such information, though he was generally referred to the principal chief of each gens as the best authority for the names in his own division. But he found it very difficult to induce any of them to admit that the gentes had subdivisions, which were probably the original gentes. It was not till 1880, and after questioning many, that by the merest accident he obtained the clew from the keeper of a sacred pipe.

The Iowa, who have these social divisions and personal names of mythic significance, also have sacred songs, but these are in the Winnebago language. It is probable that they are the property of a secret order, as they, too, show how some of the gentes descended as birds from the upper world. The names of the Winnebago gentes and of some members of the tribe have been recorded by the author, who has also learned parts of their traditions. He infers that their secret society has not been abolished.

When a man of the Kansa tribe observed that the author had an inkling of the matter he related part of the tradition of that tribe, explaining the origin of the names and the taboos of several Kansa gentes. The ancestors of these gentes were spoken of as birds which descended from an upper world. The phratries in that tribe, the "Wa-yun min-'dun," or "(Those who) sing together," refer to mystic songs and strengthen the view that the secret society exists among these Indians. Several members of the tribe have positively stated its existence.

As one phratry is composed of the two gentes, Large and Small Hanka, that have the sole right to sing the war songs, time may show that these songs, which, with their chart of pictographs(23), are used by the Osage, are substantially those of the seventh degree in the Osage society. This is rendered the more probable by the fact that the Kansa have grouped their gentes in seven phratries, just the number of the degrees in the society. And this arrangement by sevens is the rule among Osage, Kansa, Ponka, Omaha, and Dakota, though there are apparent exceptions.

Further investigation may tend to confirm the supposition that in any tribe which has mythic names for its members and its social divisions (as among the Osage, Kansa, Quapaw, Omaha, Ponka, Iowa, Oto, Missouri, Tutelo, and Winnebago), or in one which has mythic names only for its members and local or other names for its social divisions (as among the Dakota, Assiniboin, Mandan, Hidatsa, and Crow), there are now or there have been secret societies or "The Mysteries."

FOOTNOTES

1 The sound of this inverted u, between o and u, as well as the sounds
of other letters used in this article, except that of the inverted {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}
(which is a sound approximating ch in the German word ich), is to be
found on page 206, Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology.

2 It is probable, however, that the Pan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}ka (Ponka) man began with the
stick at the east, as he must use the right hand and foot first.

3 Meaning uncertain; it may refer to the female or doe.

4 See "Omaha Sociology," §§ 14-16, 19, 28, 33, 34, 36, 56, 143,
248-258, and passim, in Third Annual Report of the Director of the
Bureau of Ethnology.

5 The literal rendering of the title is "Growth told. Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u Peacemaker
theirs." This may be translated freely by "Revelations of the elders
of the Red Eagle gens."

6 Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a weha{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ice, "The first end of the children" or "The beginning
of the race." This reckoning was backward. The Ponka have a similar
usage: uhange, _an end_; uhange pahanga te, _the first end_ or
_beginning_. Adintau, formed by crasis from a*d*e and intau, may
refer to the words of the old men who have handed down these
traditions. Tsika is unintelligible to the younger Osage of the
present day. One man told the author that he thought it meant, "O
grandfather," being addressed to the principal Wakan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}a. He said that
it was substituted for another name of that being.

7 The chorus or refrain at the end of each line is omitted in the free
translation, as it would make confusion. If retained, the first four
lines would read thus:

The first of the race: he really said, O grandfather!

He was saying, "Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies":
he really said, O grandfather!

"We shall seek bodies for our children": he really said, O
grandfather!

"Ho, younger brother! you shall attend to it": he really said, O
grandfather!

8 E{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}i anka refers to the preceding words, which were those of one of
the mythic speakers. He was an ancestor of the Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u gens. Here he
addressed his younger brother. At this time the brothers were
destitute of human souls and bodies, though they possessed conscious
existence and could talk, as well as move about from place to place.

9 See the lowest horizontal line on the left side of the chart.

10 Nikaci{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a-da{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}i. Another reading is nikaci{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}aqtsi-da{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}i: _they were not
complete human beings_.

11 A different reading of lines 17 to 25 is as follows:

Maxe usaki*d*a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}u*d*a | nikaci{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}aca*d*e: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

Parallel upper worlds | four | they were made human beings | he
really said | O grandfather!

Cun'unckita | e | eca*d*intau, | Tsika!

Awhile | he said | indeed, he really said | O grandfather!

Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ui{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | wacin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a*d*e, | e anka: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

Child | body | they have none | he was saying | he really said | O
grandfather!

Ha, | wisun'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a! | e | eca*d*intau, | Tsika!

Ho | younger brother! | he said | indeed, he really said | O
grandfather!

U{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}an*d*e | an{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}axe tatse: a*d*intau, Tsika!

Attention | we shall make | he really said | O grandfather!

Maxe usaki*d*a | ca*d*cin | e'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | antsi na{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in': | a*d*intau, |
Tsika!

Parallel upper worlds | three | there | they (?) came and stood | he
really said | O grandfather!

| Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ui{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a-*d*aci | e | eca*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Child | had no bodies | he said | indeed, he really said | O
grandfather!

| Cun'unckita | u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}an*d*e | an{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}axe tatse: | a*d*intau, | Tsika!

| Awhile longer | attention | we shall make | he really said | O
grandfather!

| Maxe usaki*d*a | cun'*d*a | e'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}si | antsi na{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in': | a*d*intau, |
Tsika!

| Parallel upper worlds | two | there | they (?) came this way and
stood | he really said | O grandfather!

_Translation._

At the fourth upper world they were made human beings.

"Still," said he (the elder brother?), indeed he really said,

"The children have no bodies.

"Ho, younger brother!

"We must give this matter our attention."

They came to the third upper world.

"The children have no bodies."

"Still must we give this our attention," said one.

They came to the second upper world. (From this line on there is no
variation from what has been given above.)

12 Here they obtained human souls, though they were in the bodies of
birds. See the bird hovering above the four upper worlds in the
chart. Then began the descent to this earth.

13 Why the Black Bear was called Kaxe-wahue-san was not explained to the
author.

14 Ca{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e | {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}sue{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}sean' cakcice &c. _You shall take me for your servant_;
literally, _You shall walk, causing me to burn my feet_; that is,
_You shall make me go through fire and water for you_.

15 Watse-{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a-na. {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a shows that the star was regarded as a male
_animal_, just as min'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a, in line 43, denotes that the next star was
a female _animal_, not a female of the human race. As they were
called "grandfather" and "grandmother," they were looked upon as
supernatural beings or gods. So were all of the heavenly bodies to
whom the Black Bear applied.

16 Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ui{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a minkce can'tse, a phrase that puzzles the writer, who
suspects that an auxiliary verb has been omitted and that the whole
should read: "Oin{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a {~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ui{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a-wikcice minkce can'tse? ( _Can I give you
bodies for the children_?) No! You must still make attempts to
obtain them elsewhere."

17 Wakan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}a {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ana *d*cin-ma{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}i, _I am not the only mysterious one_ (apply
to some one of the rest).

18 Mikak'e pecu*d*a, sometimes called "Mikak'e u*d*atse pecun*d*a," the
Seven Gentes of Stars. Could this have any connection with the use
of the number 7 as the number of the Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u, Wa{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}a{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}e, and Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a
gentes?

19 {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ahi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e-wa{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}ayin{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a, of this gens, gave the following as another
reading:

Oin'{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | nikaci{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a | cin{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e-e{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}an', | cu*d*ce | ecau, | witsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}ue! |
a*d*intau, | Tsika!

Child | human beings | none as | I go to you | indeed | O
grandfather! | he really said | O grandfather!

_Translation_.

As the children are not human beings, I go to you, O grandfather!

20 This fragment of the tradition of the Bald Eagle subgens of the
Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u wacta{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e gens was told by Pahue-ska, the chief, to Ha*d*a-{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ue{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se,
who related it to the writer on the following day.

Ha*d*a-{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ue{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se, told some of the tradition first in English, but on
chanting it in Osage he did not give all; so the former account is
now given in these notes: "When the ancestors of the Bald Eagle
people came to this earth they alighted on a sycamore tree, as all
of the surrounding country was under water. This water was dried up
by the ancestors of the Elk people, according to the tradition of
the Upqan or Elk gens; but this is disputed by the members of the
I*d*ats'e gens, who are Kansa or Wind people. They say that their
ancestors blew on the water, drying it up and causing the growth of
vegetation. As soon as the water was gone the Bald Eagle people
alighted on the ground. Then they met the Black Bear, who offered to
become the servant of the Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u wacta{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e people. So he was sent to
"Watse-{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}u{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a, who was a red star; then to Watse-min{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a, a star near
the Morning Star; then to the Sun, Moon, and Seven Stars. As the
people journeyed, the Black Bear said to the Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u leader, 'Brother,
I see a man's trail. Here is the man.' The stranger said, 'I am a
young Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a. I am fit for work.' So they took him with them. Then
they saw another trail, of which the Black Bear spoke to the Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u
leader. They overtook the man, who was Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}aqtsi or Real Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a. By
and by they reached the village of the Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a utacan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se. They entered
the village and made peace with the inhabitants. Then the leader of
the Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a utacan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se said, 'We have some people come to us, and we
will make them our chiefs.' So the two wacta{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e were made chiefs. The
wacta{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e were then sent to search for a land where they might dwell,
as the village of the Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a utacan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se was filthy and offensive on
account of the dead bodies in and around it. This council was the
first one of the whole nation. The two wacta{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e went out as mourners
for seven days. The Han{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a wacta{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e (Pan{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED H~}ka = Ponka) came back first,
saying, 'I have found a place.' Afterwards the Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u wacta{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e
returned and reported. The council was held again to decide to which
place they would go. They agreed to settle at the place visited by
the Tsi{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}u wacta{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}e. Then four standards were made by members of the
Wa{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}a{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}e (wanun gens, two for each side of the tribe. These were the
standards made of minxa ha (swan or goose skins), and they were
carried on the hunting road as well as on the war path. But the
otter skin standards were always retained by the Wa{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}a{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}e gens."

On comparing this version with that of Sa*d*ekice we notice that in
one or the other a transposition of some parts has been made. In
this latter tradition the appeals to the heavenly bodies and to the
Red Bird were made before the journey to the four revolutions of the
upper worlds.

21 Here is where the two roads begin.

22 At this point begins the account of the Female Beaver. She was an
ancestor of the Osage, according to a statement published in Long's
Expedition to the Rocky Mountains.

23 See the author's paper in the American Naturalist for 1885, entitled
"Kansas mourning and war customs," with which was published part of
the chart mentioned above.

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Osage TraditionsChapter II: Part 2

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