Oct., 1903. Arapaho Traditions — Dorsey and Kroeber. 75 



I. have been seeking; I want you," he said. "Please let me go," said 

 the mouse. "You have just what I want," Nih a'^ga" said. "What do 

 you wish?" said the mouse, crying because Nili'a"ga" held it. "Tuum 

 penem volo," inquit Nih'a"(;a'^ ; "meum si tu velles, libenter tibi darem," 

 Turn mus victus Niha°9ae penem suo mutavit, Nih'a^ga" autem penem 

 parvum abstulit. 



Mane saltatoribus, dum eis multitude operam dant, nuntiatum 

 est ut vestes deponerent quo facilius a virgine eligeretur vir. Cum 

 nudi saltarent, dicebant mulieres: "Nih'a^gam aspice! eius penis mini- 

 mus est! vix apparet! nihili est!" Et re vera Nih'a"9ae saltantis penis' 

 nullus videbatur; adeo parvus erat. Virgo interim scrutabatur. Donee 

 saltandi finis esset, Nih'a°<;ae penem trahens progrediebatur mus ; cum 

 vero sagittis traicere iuvenes conati sunt, clamavit: "Tuum penem, 

 Nih'a"<;a°, laedunt." "Abi, iocaris," respondit Nih'a^^a", dum pueri 

 clamantes murem sequuntur fimoque pulsant. "Tuum penem, 

 Nih'a°9a", laedunt," clamavit mus, sed ille : "Tace," respondit populoque 

 dixit : ''Semper hie iocatur ; meum penem esse mentitur." 



On the last day, when the dance had ended and all were eating 

 and drinking together, the girl brought a clear, smooth spoon and a 

 bucket full of water, with which she gave a drink to Nih'a^Qa", whom 

 she thus designated as her husband. Then she took him into her tent. 

 The tent was good, the bed beautifully decorated, and bags of meat, 

 a pipe and comb, and other furniture, were already inside. Antequam 

 se quieti dederunt, Nih'a"9a'* reversus penem suum recepit. Mulier, 

 cum penem tractasset si forte adhuc tam parvus esset, magnum 

 necopinato sensit, Nih'a'^gamque expulit. Mane aquam hausit, et am- 

 phora expleta ligulam eandem sumpsit iuvenemque qui secundum 

 Nih'a°gam penem minimum habebat, adiit ; qui, cum mulier bibere de- 

 disset et in tabernaculum praecessisset, vir factus est. — K. 



39. — NlH'A^gA^' AND HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW, 



Nih'a"ga°, his wife, and his mother-in-law, camped alone. He 

 had his own tipi and did a great deal of work and errands for the moth- 

 er-in-law (such as is the custom of the Indians). He became quite 

 fond of her, at a distance, because of her pretty looks, but he could 

 not get to talk with her. 



One day Nih'a"Qa'^ went out for game and returned with some 

 beef for the family. His wife brought some beef or meat, which the 

 mother-in-law had prepared. He was not in good spirits, and didn't 

 feel like eating. 'What is the matter with you? Are you sick?" said the 



