246 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



to tell me what to do," said the woman, taking the club and striking- the 

 forehead, completely breaking it to fragments. "This is the way that 

 the skulls of the dead shall be treated," said the mother with much pride. 



That is the reason that the people still crush the dead bones of 

 people when they accidentally meet with them, killing the bad and 

 evil desires, or driving away the visiting plague. It is said that the owls 

 are bad people, for they carry off man}' sick people, i. e., influence the 

 people to die. 



So the mother and the boy left Big Owl and continued their return 

 journey. Reaching a divide they saw the camp-circle, covered with 

 blue smoke. 



"There,, over yonder, comes the woman with her boy !" said the 

 people, standing outside and gazing at them. "Yes, that is she, with the 

 boy, for she said to us before leaving, to watch the divide closely." 

 said the interested ones. At last they returned and went back to their 

 own tipi. While the boy was walking to the tipi, people overtook him 

 from all sides, and shook hands with him. Even after he was taken 

 inside the tipi many entered and saw him. Thus the family was com- 

 plete again. 



When children are quite young and very distressing at meal time, 

 or during the night, their parents would scare them by saying that the 

 Owner-of-Bag was around, "Here, Owner-of-Bag, take this child, we 

 •cannot make it quiet." "Be still, for he might come and take you !" Of 

 course the young children do not know the party, but they" do get fright- 

 ened and hold their peace. 



When a person is sick or any one sees bad visions or signs of trou- 

 bles, a pledge or vow is made by the friend to make any of the things 

 mentioned in the story: Of course there are a good many things that 

 are quilled and ornamented for taste and fashion. They think that 

 doing those things on behalf of friends brings them purity, strength, 

 and above all, leads them to health and prosperity. 



This woman traced the boy and was aided by a voice of a person, 

 and on her return, aided by her works in porcupine quills. Sometimes 

 a woman during pregnancy makes the vow and makes the tipi designs, 

 in order that she may have an easy delivery. — D. 



Told by River-Woman. 



