158 The Book of Woodcraft 



Others thank the dog for finding the lost children, for 

 giving alarm when an enemy approached, for killing a 

 rattler, for finding the lost medicine bag, etc. 



Then the last one, the boy dog, comes up and barks at 

 the head. 



Finally, the leader resumes, saying: "Yes, Dog! You 

 were the one that dragged the lodge poles. You were the 

 one that found the wounded deer, etc. And best of all, 

 first, last, and all the time, you were our faithful friend, 

 and all you asked in return was a bite to eat and a place to 

 lie down. And so long as the blue sky is above the green 

 grass you will be the friend of the prairie children. Then, 

 when at last we cross over the great river, and see behind 

 the Divide, we hope we shall find awaiting us our old friend, 

 the Dog that we may take up our friendship again, and 

 continue on and on in the good country where no white 

 man or smallpox ever comes." 



Then they pass around the dish and eat the crackers and 

 candies; offering things to the dog, and honoring him as 

 much as possible with a variety of stage "business." 

 Finally, all go off, carrying the various things and barking 

 as they came. 



OJIBWA SNAKE DANCE 



Select a good dancer for leader. All form line, holding 

 hands, carefully graded so the least is last. Then dancing 

 in step to the music, they set out in a line, follow-my-leader 

 style, doubhng the line on itself, and evoluting around the 

 fire. Sometimes the dancers face alternately — that is, all 

 the even numbers in the Une look one way and the odd 

 another. 



A good finish is to curl in a tight spiral around the head, 

 when the tail boy mounts on the back of the one before him 

 and shakes a rattle, Hke a rattler rattling on its coil. 



