May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 191 



altar where the Pledger stands during the ceremony. The rest of 

 the trees mentioned are used for firewood or other useful purposes. 



GAMES WHILE BATHING. 



When the boys are playing on a sand-bar, they make a small 

 mound, and then with their elbows they make a hollow place on top 

 of it. Then they kneel down over this small mound and urinate into 

 the hollow place. After the water has soaked in the "sand-bowl" 

 they take it with the right hand and throw it up in the air toward the 

 sun, saying, "Sun, you may have this for your drum." It drops and 

 breaks into pieces. When the boys throw the sand-bowls up in the 

 air they try to get away, because when the sand-bowls light on the 

 ground, they break and scatter in various directions. 



This is done by the young men to prevent disease. The young 

 boys play according to this method, when they get older they cease 

 doing it. 



When the children are swimming they sometimes plaster the right 

 toe with some clay and then carry it across, swimming on the back 

 and holding the foot up out of the water. If the water is deep, they 

 have to keep the foot with the clay out of the water in order to "save 

 their grandchildren." The foot represents an old man or an old 

 woman, while the clay represents a child. If the clay is washed away 

 from the foot, the "child is drowned." In other words, the future 

 prospects of the child are indefinite. 



After they get through with the play, they go on the bank and 

 select a small white cloud in the sky. They swing both hands to and 

 fro, occasionally looking at the cloud, saying, loudly, "An elk with a 

 pointed vulva," until the cloud vanishes. The sentence is repeated 

 by the child or children until the cloud vanishes out of sight; by this 

 time the body of the bather has become perfectly dry. 



XV.— Sun Dance Myths. 



ORIGIN MYTH. 



At one time there was a deluge on the face of the earth. A man 

 with something in his arms was seen for four days and nights walking 

 around on the water. 



One time, as he was wandering and thinking of this solitary habi- 

 tation and also planning secretly how he could preserve his pipe, 

 which was somewhat flat, he said, weeping, "Here I am alone with my 



