March, 1905. The Traditions of the Hopi — Voth. 115 



whether they live anywhere, and you know about it, you have med- 

 icine for that, and that is the reason why we called you." "Very 

 well," he said, "so that is why you wanted me. I shall go and get 

 my medicine." 



So he went over to his house and looked over his medicines and 

 finally found the right one. "This is the medicine," he said, and took 

 it, returning to the village. "Very well," he said ; "now when does he 

 want to find out about it?" "To-morrow," they said. "Very well; 

 have you a white kilt?" "Yes," the village chief replied. "You put 

 this on your son the next morning," he said, "and then you blacken 

 his chin with t6ho (a black shale), and tie a small eagle feather (piphii) 

 to his forehead." The next morning they dressed up the young man 

 as they were instructed, preparing him as they prepare the dead. 

 Hereupon the Badger Old Man spread a white 6wa on the floor and 

 told the young man to lie down on it. He then placed some medicine 

 into his mouth, which the young man ate. He also placed some 

 medicine into his ears and some on his heart. Then he wrapped him 

 up in a robe, whereupon the young man, after moving a little, "died." 

 "This is the medicine," the Badger Old Man said, ""if he eats this he 

 will go far away and then come back again. He wanted to see 

 something and find out something, and with this medicine he will 

 find out." 



After the young man had fallen asleep he saw a path leading west- 

 ward. It was the road to the Skeleton house. This road he followed 

 and after awhile he met someone who was sitting there. "What 

 have you come for?" he asked the young man. "Yes," he replied, 

 "I have come to find out about your life here." "Yes," the other 

 one replied, "I did not follow the straight road; I did not listen, and 

 I now have to wait here. After a certain number of days I can go on 

 a little, then I can go on again, but it will be a long time before I shall 

 get to Skeleton house." This one was simply living in an inclosure 

 of sticks. That was all the house and protection he had. 



From here the young man proceeded westward. The path led 

 through large cactus and through many agave plants so that some- 

 times it could hardly be distinguished. He finally arrived at the rim 

 of a steep bluff. Here somebody was sitting. He asked the young 

 man why he had come, and the latter told him. "Very well," the 

 chief said. "Away over there is the house that you are going to," 

 but as there was a great deal of smoke in the distance the young man 

 could not see the house. But hereupon the chief placed the young 

 man's kilt on the ground, placed the young man on it, then lifted it 

 up, and holding it over the precipice he threw it forward, whereupon 



