^i8 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



"My friend treated me well, and gave me a good meal," said the 

 medieine-man, smiling. "Yes, you and I have the same wonderful 

 tricks, but this time I must have made a mistake in plunging. That 

 is the reason I didn't succeed," said the man. "Well, my good friend, 

 I am much obliged tO' you for this meal," said the medicine-man, smil- 

 ing, "you may keep the meat, for I am going home." So he started 

 toward his tent, and when he entered he was laughing so much that 

 his wife was curious. So she asked him why he was laughing so much. 

 "Well," said he, "my friend whO' was here a short time ago tried to do 

 the same way I did at the lake, but failed." 



The medicine-man was gifted by a Kingfisher, but the other man 

 v/ho tried to imitate the trick, failed. The story also teaches generosity 

 and good will to strangers, to do, if possible, as much for them in re- 

 turn for favors received. — D. 



Told by Adopted. Cf. Nos. 57 and 58; see note to No. 57. 



60. — Nir'a^ca"^ imitates his Host. 



Nih^a^ga^ went down to the river and came to a tipi where there 

 were a man and wife. When he stopped at the dicor, he was welcomed 

 and invited to enter. "Well, Nih'a"<;a'^, come in! I am sorry that I 

 •cannot give a meal at once. I have just eaten the last food we had," 

 said the man. Nih^a^ga"^ looked at the man and wife carefully. 



"Say, my wife, old woman, go and get a slice of bark and bring 

 it inside ; also a stick," said the man. So the woman wxnt out and got 

 a piece of cottonwood bark and a small stick and brought them in. 

 "Put the stick into the bark and hold it to the fire !" said the man The 

 v/oman [wife] did as she was instructed. The. bark turned into ten- 

 derloin, well roasted. The wife then took the roasted meat and beat 

 it and placed it in a wooden bowl. "Well, this meat is dry ; what shall 

 we have for tallov»^?" said the wife. The man took the comb and 

 combed his wife's hair, parted the hair in the middle, and after he had 

 parted it, he took a parting hair-stick and rubbed it in the red paint 

 bag and made a red streak from her forehead to the back of her neck. 

 "Bring me the axe and then sit down and face toward me," said the 

 man to his wife. So the woman sat down as directed and looked down 

 to the ground. The husband took the axe and . raised it, making a 

 motion toward her head three times. At the fourth time, he struck her 

 in the center of her head, and the skull opened along the red painted 

 line or streak. The woman sat still, alive, while the man reached over 



