12 



THE OOLOGIST 



ing, tormenting and aggravating things. 

 One of these expressions is "Kitlio 

 karishtiditore," kitho meaning insig- 

 nificant one, and karislitiditore, mean- 

 ing "good for nothing fellow." The 

 Omahas put words of their own lan- 

 guage to the notes of the meadowlark. 

 One of these expressions is "Suite 

 thingthi tegaze" which means winter 

 will not come back. 



The Pawnees say that the meadow- 

 lark is endowed with speech. Burst- 

 ing forth with its cheery salute, per- 

 haps in dewy morning time, it says 

 Ket-che-kah-ke-koo-re-roo. And th- 

 passing warrior will reply, "Indeed, it 

 is true brother, we are not afraid," for 

 the bird had challenged his human 

 brother with, "Oh, I have no fear." 



It is said that there are as many 

 as five hundred sayings of the 

 meadowlark in the Dakota language. 

 One saying is: "Friends, I whistle for 

 the buffalo." This is a promise to the 

 people. Another saying is: "I want a 

 buffalo calf." Meaning lie wants it for 

 his friends, the people of the Dakota 

 nation; and the singing of his wish is 

 a promise of fulfillment. 



We speak of the United States as 

 Uncle Sam, but the people of the Da- 

 kota nation call it Grandfather which 

 is a title of great respect. In the sum- 

 mer of 1918, while the American ex- 

 peditionary forces were fighting in the 

 World War , many Dakotas on the 

 Standing Rock Reservation said they 

 heard the meadowlarks singing "Tunk- 

 ashila ohiyelo" meaning "The United 

 States will have the victory." 



The white settlers of North Dakota 

 have also learned to attach words to 

 the meadowlark's song. Farmers say 

 that early in the springtime, the 

 meadowlark perches jauntily on a post, 

 and calls, mockingly: "You sowed 

 your wheat too soon! You sowed your 

 wheat too soon!" Another taunting 

 expression is addressed to girls and 



young women when dressed in their 

 Sunday best and out for a ride along 

 the country highway. The meadow- 

 lark says: "You think you're pretty, 

 don't you?" 



The songs which the Dakota Indians 

 have attributed to the meadowlar'K 

 are so numerous that it is hard to 

 select a few examples. The morning 

 song is as follows: 



"Awake, awake, awake, ITl" 

 Awake, awake, awake, I'l'l'l 

 Arise, a'rise, arise, I'l'l'l 

 In haste, ho-he-he-he, I'l'l'l." 

 (The whistle of the lark which most 

 Indians can imitate). 



("Ho-he-he-he-" is joy. "He-he-he-he- 

 he" is sorrow.") 



A rather common lark song is as 

 follows: 



"Morning has no tears. 

 Evening has no fears. 

 Springtime hearts are glad, 

 Autumntime is joy." 



In bad weather if the meadowlark 

 circles upward and down and comes 

 back singing, it will be fair weather. 

 "I've circled upward through the dark 

 Gray mists of dawn, am circling back 



again 

 With melody for animals and men; 

 O, listen to my glee, O, list, O, hark, 

 Get ready for the journey, down the 



tent." 



A song for the hunters: 

 "There's game just over the hill. 

 And you can have it if you will; 

 The tumblebug will tell you where. 

 Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, ha-ha." 



(The tumblebug with its feelers in- 

 dicates where buffalo are, scents the 

 game from afar). 



The song to the bashful young lady: 



"You're old enough to marry. 

 Don't be so bashful. 

 It's summertime, be jolly. 

 He loves you, speak to him." 

 A day before the news of the armis- 

 tice, (as plenty of reputable men will 

 state), numerous Indians heard the 

 meadowlark who was later in depart- 



