3o6 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



"I see that you. are trying to plague me. We will now proceed to 

 a challenge for an exhibition of power, and let our own bodies be for 

 the results. If you cannot tell me of things aright, you will lose your 

 life, but should you conquer me at last, the victory is yours," said 

 White-Owl. As he spoke to Blood-Clot-Boy the snow would blow 

 around him and the wind would whistle. 



"Well, let me ask you this question, and I want you to answer it 

 without hesitation: Where do you come from, anyhow?" When he 

 had put this question to Blood-Clot-Boy, the wind and snow blew 

 furiously around them. 'Well, w^ell ! Do you know that it is as plain 

 as day? I came forth from my father," said Blood-Clot-Boy. "That 

 is right, man. Your idea is worthy," said White-Owl. The storm 

 continued with fury. The snow would dash over Blood-Clot-Boy 

 and there was a steep wall of snow around him. 



"Well, let me ask you another question, and I want you to answer 

 it quick: What is the most useful thing?" White-Owl flapped his- 

 broad wings, which produced more wind and snow. "Well, did yon 

 ever know that it is the eyes ? A man cannot get to any place without 

 the aid of sight ; besides, the sight, there is a heart, and mind and feet 

 to accomplish a desire or plan. A person without heart, mind and 

 feet cannot get to any place," said Blood-Clot-Boy. "That is a good 

 guess, but I have another question, which I want you to answer at 

 once: Which of the two things is the best benefactor, man or wife?"' 

 When White-Owl put this question, there came another blizzard, and 

 the snow was getting deeper all the time. When the wind blew, the 

 snow went ofif in heavy blocks. Blood-Clot-Boy was still sitting on the 

 ground neatly wrapped up with a buffalo robe. "Well, I think you 

 ought to know who are. the best companions. It is not very wise for me 

 to pick one, because they are both useful. If a man remains single, he 

 will die a bachelor, and so with the woman, she will die an old maid. 

 But on the other hand, if they were married each would be to the other 

 an equal blessing. One does just as much as the other. They are both 

 benefactors," said Blood-Clot-Boy. (Reference is here made to the 

 seeds of man and wife.) "That is good. It is true that one is just as 

 good in every particular as the other," said White-Owl, slightly rais- 

 ing his head and wings, which brought more sleet and snow. 



"Well, I want to know many things, and I want you to tell me 

 what are the most sacred things (medicine)," said White-Owl. "Well, 

 there are three things which I think are sacred enough for any one of 

 common sense, namely, day, night, and earth. The thing is a 'medi- 

 cine' ('heart egg'), by which we see things with the aid of light. It ; 



