Oct., 1903. Arapaho Traditions — Dorsey and Kroeber. 137 



being swift. Twice I was out of elk skin, which I needed for various 

 things. I aimed to get some that day. The other Arapaho had reached 

 the other shore all right, and it came my turn to cross. I was not 

 afraid at all, putting my faith in the pony ; so I rode in the river. 



Just as I was in the middle of the channel the pony was swimming 

 and I began to feel different, losing my senses all at once, because of 

 the strange sight before me ; and the pony was losing its strength every 

 moment. All on a sudden the water took us cfut of sight, and I found 

 myself standing on the dry sand. When I went into the water 

 (drowned) I knew that I should be wet in clothes; but they were all 

 perfectly dry. ' ' 



As I looked around to see the rest of the sand-bar in front of me, 

 there stood two young men, dressed in fine Indian style. These men 

 who appeared to me were a soft-shell turtle and a beaver. "Well, 

 young woman, we came after you and we want you to come along," 

 said the men. Without offering any objections, I consented to go, for 

 I was at their mercy. So these young men started off and I followed 

 their path, which was a dry river bed. 



As we walked around the bend of the river, we came to a black 

 painted tipi, with pictures of two water monsters, one on each side of 

 the tipi. Both of these monsters faced the door of the tipi ; in other 

 words, the animals wound around the bottom of the tipi. One of these 

 water monsters was red and the other a spotted, — black and white. In 

 the front of the doer, where the breastpins are used, was a sun, painted 

 in red (being a disc). The red painted sun meant the rising sun in 

 the morning. Back of the tipi at the top was a half-moon in green 

 color. There was a bunch of eagle feathers tied to the tipi pole. 



As I came nearer to the tipi, I heard the people inside talking to 

 each other. "Here is the woman that you wanted to see," said the 

 two young men. "Tell her to come in !" said somebody with a manly 

 voice. These two young men went in, and I followed. "Welcome ! 

 welcome ! Be seated !" said the rest of the young men. "Take your seat 

 with that man in the center," said one. 



I looked across the fireplace and saw a beautiful young man, 

 painted all in red, and who was naked ; at both sides there were more 

 young men, sitting in good positions. In front of them were different 

 kinds of medicine bags, with several small bags of medicine roots and 

 herbs, and weeds. These men were dressed in different shades, accord- 

 ing to their taste. 



So I took my seat on the right side of this beautiful young man. 

 "When I saw you I was very much charmed by your pretty looks and 



