220 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



beef for all. While the mother was cooking a meal, the father pre- 

 sented the sticks to his daughters-in-law. "These shall be your 

 instruments every day. You can use them in erecting your tipis and 

 in digging eating-roots and weeds, etc. They will be useful in every 

 way," said the father, giving the sticks to the women. The young 

 men watched and listened attentively to their father, for their wives 

 were being educated. 



"Say, come over quickly," said the human woman, as she squatted 

 down with a deep breath from her mouth. "What is it?" said the 

 mother, reaching out to her body. To her surprise, she found a well- 

 formed baby struggling for life under her limbs. "Well, well! Here 

 is my dear grandchild. Say, old man, he is a nice boy. Look at 

 him," said the grandmother, holding up the young baby. "Good! 

 Good! Well, I am so happy to have a grandchild. He is a cute little 

 baby. What delightful features he has," said the grandfather, 

 lovingly. The young baby was wrapped with pieces of buffalo hide 

 (beksaw, beloved, or I love you). Moon was still looking at his 

 sister-in-law with a scornful frown on his forehead. The old folks 

 talked pleasantly over the arrival of the baby. "Oh, pshaw, you make 

 me tired of your foolishness; because you hate me and criticise my 

 appearance inhumanly I will be with you all the time. In this way 

 people will see you plainly hereafter," said the frog woman, leaping 

 up and landing on Moon's breast and adhering.' "Say, dear child 

 (Moon), I have not yet finished my gifts to your wives, but what I 

 have already given is sufficient. In order that you may know here- 

 after the conditions of your wives, I want to tell you the signs. I am 

 well pleased with the arrival of your sweet baby, but I don't like the 

 method of your wife in giving it birth; it is without preparation. The 

 time of delivery is unexpected and comes with surprise; therefore I 

 consider that a better method may be adopted, for the ease of all con- 

 cerned. So I want you to tell me where you got this nice baby," said 

 the father to his son, Moon. "Well, father, I got it after I arrived 

 here," said Moon. "Well, then, let me see. You started here one 

 day — When did you get there, and when did you get back?" said 

 the father to Moon. "We started off at the same time, and I got 

 down the same time as my brother; in other words, the lengths of day 

 and night were about the same. But I came back with her on the 

 same day that I reached the place below, and may you know that 

 those people know of our elopement, for there was a companion with 



• So the moon bears the picture of Water-Woman, and at the same time typifies the growth 

 of humanity. It also signifies the " seeds of women " thereafter. The appearance of the toad on 

 the belly indicates pregnancy of the woman. The '• face of Moon " bears the mark of the first men- 

 struation of the woman. 



