May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 115 



informant stated that according to the story of Blue-Feather's 

 marriage with the cow, Lone-Bull, or Young-Bull, was our father-in- 

 law, because presents for the completion of his body were given by 

 the husband and delivered by the grandchild. Young-Bull is the 

 grandchild of the Sun. When the grandfather puts on the robe to have 

 connection with the wife of the Lodge-Maker, he is purely a buffalo. 

 In the story of Splinter-Foot, she became the wife of Lone-Bull 

 by captivity,' or through elopement. When the husband of the buffalo 

 cow selected the presents for the father-in-law, he procured a moon- 

 shell (baye, dirt, or sand). For speed he was presented with four 

 moon-shells, to be placed between the joints of the legs, for the reason 

 that there are the representations of the sun's revolution, at the wrists 

 and ankles, and one at the sternum. Young-Bull was the animal who 

 gave seven lodges to the Arapaho, as is related in the story of the 

 origin of the Sun Dance, when various animals chose their position in 

 life. The "moon" discs which were fastened to the robe represented 

 the throat, and thus the noise made by the buffalo, while the eagle 

 feathers which were attached to the robe were symbolic of the feather 

 of the Thunderbird, and represented a prayer for rain, and thus for 

 vegetation. Also by these eagle feathers respect was shown to Young- 

 Bull, and they may also be considered as a gift to the Man-Above. 

 The incisions in the front end of the buffalo robe have already been 

 noticed. Naturally, nowadays, it is not easy to obtain a buffalo robe 

 for this purpose, and in the present instance, the robe was of three 

 pieces sewn together. 



STORY OF RESULT IN NEGLECTING YOUNG-BULL. 



The- idea of the importance of continuing the use of the buffalo 

 robe was illustrated in the following story, obtained from Watanah, 

 which, although of considerable length, is here reproduced, just as it 

 was obtained, as it contains several interesting references to the 

 ceremony. 



In 1879, these tribes, Cheyenne and Arapaho, were to a certain 

 extent troublesome to the authorities, being excited on account of 

 intruders on their borders. Not only that, but these Indians (those 

 especially from the north) were dissatisfied with the country and the 

 climate. Som'e time after the above year, the Northern Cheyenne 

 made a break to return to their northern home, but they were com- 

 pelled to remain here (in Oklahoma). Quite a band of them managed 

 to get away, and reached their original home, but some were over- 

 taken close to the agency, and had skirmishes with the military, which 

 caused some bloodshed on both sides. 



