256 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropot,ogy, Vol. III. 



said he could not as the hole was so small. She told him to put his 

 foot in and enlarge it. This he did, and then entered and told his 

 story, saying that he had come to see where all that water flowed 

 and to see whether he could not find something that would benefit his 

 people. Especially was he also hunting some beads, shells, etc. He 

 then handed her a baho, which made her very happy. She then said 

 that she would go with him, as those objects were jealously guarded 

 by ferocious animals, "If you had not found me," she said, "how 

 could you have found and gotten them and how could you have got- 

 ten back ?" So she gave him some medicine, and taking a seat 

 behind his ear, they started. He took some of the medicine into his 

 mouth, chewed it, spat it on and over the water and at once a bridge 

 of a rainbow was spanned across it, over which he crossed the water. 

 They saw at a distance a kiva, to which they wanted to go. Soon 

 they came upon a toho (panther), who growled fearfully. The youth 

 spat some of the medicine on him, and gave him one of the bahos, 

 whereupon he let them pass. Soon they encountered a /lonawuu (bear), 

 who grunted and would not let them pass until he had been treated the 

 same way as the panther. The next was a tokotci (wild cat), then a 

 k7va7vuu (gray wolf), and finally a kahtoya (a species of very large 

 rattlesnake). All were treated in the same manner. They then 

 entered the Snake kiva, on the outside of which hung on the ladder 

 an aodtnatsi (bow standard). In the kiva were assembled many 

 people, who wore no clothes but a sakaviikuna (blue kilt) and beads, 

 their faces being painted with yalahaii (specular iron). The young 

 man sat down; all looked at him but none spoke. Presently the 

 chief got a large pipe and a bag with tobacco, from which he filled 

 the pipe. After having smoked four puffs he handed the pipe to the 

 youth and said: "Now smoke, but swallow the smoke.*" When 

 the youth commenced smoking Spider Woman whispered into 

 his ear to place her behind him. So when he swallowed the smoke 

 she drew it from him (behind) and he did not become pivcuvi 

 (tobacco dizzy). The men were pleased and said: "Good! thanks! 

 you are strong, you are someone, your heart is good, you are one of 

 us, you are our child." "Yes," he said, and then gave them some 

 red nakwakwosis and single green bahos with red points, over which 

 they were very happy. 



On the walls hung many shirts of snake skins, and the chief then 

 said to the men to dress up, forbidding the young man, however, to 



♦This was a test about which Spider Woman had told the youth beforehand. Anyone 

 that was unable to swallow the smoke was driven away. 



