Abstracts — Dorsey and Kroeber. 435 



men go into tunnel and One-Eyed-Sioux builds fire. Women smell smoke, 

 but he says smoking birds have just passed by. He increases fire, until smoke 

 pours inside so thick women smother to death. He goes in, drags women out and 

 cooks them for himself. — D. 



51.— NlH'A^'gA'* AND THE YOUNG MEN RACE FOR WiVES. 



Nih'a^ga"^ joins young men on war-path. One carries back side of wo- 

 man and Niha'^qa'^ induces him to let him carry it. Nih'a^ga'^ drops his burden, 

 breaking it. Nih'a^^a'i goes off alone. Comes to camp-circle ; enters painted 

 tipi in center with pipe of peace over door and finds a woman. She wants 

 him to remain as her husband, as there are no men in camp-circle. Nih'a''<;a'* 

 runs back to young men. He tells them he has found camp-circle of women. 

 They arrange to race for wives, fastest to get prettiest, but Niha'^qa'^ claims 

 tipi in center. They start, Nih'a'^Q'i in lead. They tell him to stop, as he ought 

 to have weights at ankles and wrists. They fasten stones to his ankles and 

 wrists. They start again, young men giving Nih'a'^9a'^ lead. They make 

 him put heavier weights on ankles and wrists. Race begins again, but Nih'a^Qa" 

 stops to untie stones. Young men reach tipis and select best ones. Niha^qa" 

 goes to painted tipi, peeps in and sees woman with man. Owner orders Niha^ga"! 

 away. He walks to east part of camp and comes to tipi owned by old woman. 

 He goes in, and old woman addresses him as grandson. He calls her mother- 

 in-law, and marrties her. — D. 



52. — NlH'ANgA^ AND THE MiCE'S SuN DaNCE. 



Nih'a'^ga'^ finds mice holding a Sun-dance in an elk skull. Trying to look 

 on, he shoves his head into the skull and cannot get it out. He wanders over 

 the prairie until he reaches the fiver. Falling into this, he floats down until 

 he reaches women. They strike the skull, break it, and release him. — K. 



53. — Nm'A'^gAN AND THE Mice's Sun Dance, 



After Nih'a"Qa° has created man and woman and other things he goes 

 from place to place to see if everything is all right. Comes to camp in circle 

 and hears noise. Sees in center big lodge. People all around singing and 

 drumming. Goes to place and tries to make his way through people. Finally 

 he thrusts his head entirely in and finds his head stuck in elk's skull. People 

 making dance and noise were mice in skull. He goes back. Finally reaches 

 sand-bar. Lays his back on surface of water and floats down. Women and 

 girls bathing see skull floating down river and tell young men to bring ropes 

 and catch skull. They drag it to shore and know Niha^qa"^ by his color. 

 Nih'a^Qa'^ tells them to hit him on top of head. Skull opens. In answer to 

 inquiry by girls Nih'a"ga"i says he wants to lay his head on* their laps. They 

 louse him, he goes to sleep. They leave him and Nih'a°(;a'^ wakes up and finds 

 cockle burrs all over his head. To get rid of them he cuts his hair. — D. 



