1920.] Lowie, Crow Tobacco Society. 139 



do something good." Then he lays down the stick, and the Builder calls for Medicine- 

 crow (or some other noted brave). Medicine-crow dresses up in his best clothes and 

 beadwork, paints himself stylishly, and enters the lodge. Medicine-crow's wife has 

 placed a small pail of water about fifty yards outside the door. The Builder's wife 

 stands at the door behind Medicine-crow, grasping the back of his shirt. The Builder 

 shakes his rattle and sings, and the woman pushes Medicine-crow forward. This is 

 repeated until, at the close of the fourth song, the woman again pushes Medicine- 

 crow, who runs to his wife, dips a bucket into the pail, and runs back with it filled. 

 The Builder cannot move back, but merely stands there with his wife. After return- 

 ing, Medicine-crow gives the pail to the Builder, who presents him with an orange. 

 Medicine-crow offers water to several chiefs. The Builder then announces in a loud 

 voice that he desires everyone to keep still, because he wishes to speak. He speaks 

 as follows: 1 " Your sacred Tobacco has grown well. Everything around where you 

 have planted it has grown well, even the berries. You have gathered the Tobacco 

 in good condition. This summer there is no sickness. This spring everything has 

 grown well, and you have plenty of money." A pipe is brought in, and after it has 

 been smoked with incense it is lit with manure and hot ashes. Then it is smoked. 

 The singers begin to sing, so does the Tobacco-lighter, and the women take up the 

 song. After this is completed, the musicians sing one of the candidate's songs. He 

 rises, and dances to his four songs. His relatives bring in horses, blankets, and other 

 property. Each of the four clubs receives a case of fruit as compensation for the 

 services of its members, and they go off to have a feast. If any one of the relatives 

 desires to give a horse to the ' father/ but has not brought it with him, he gives the 

 adopter a stick as an earnest of the donation. After the boy has danced, the members 

 of the society into which he is adopted begin to sing, commencing at one end of the 

 line. The Builder selects for himself two pieces of red cloth from the property pre- 

 sented to the ' father.' At the close of the performance a special song is intoned. 

 Every one takes a branch in his hands and moves it so that the leaves appear to dance. 

 Then they raise the branches aloft. This is done four times, then this part of the 

 ceremony is completed, and they leave the adoption lodge. 



The ' father ' says to the novice, " Go, bring me fourteen willows." When he has 

 brought them, the Father constructs a sweatlodge and makes a pit in the ground. 

 " Now, take a wagon and bring some stones from the hills." When the stones have 

 been brought they are heated on a pile of wood that has been gathered together. 

 The cover for the sweatlodge is brought. Then the 'father' says, "We will go out 

 and bring in medicine-bags." They go to different camps for the bags. A certain 

 man puts water on the stone. The four song-teachers sit in a row, with their medicines 

 above them on the sweatlodge cover. Hot ashes are put into the pit, ise is smoked for 

 incense, and the pipe is smoked with it. The people smoke four times. The Tobacco- 

 lighter takes some tobacco, and sets down part of it on either side of the door, as well 

 as in the back. He says, " I shall 2 not have sickness this year. I shall reach the next 

 season." Then charcoal is placed with the Tobacco. Horsetracks are painted with 

 charcoal on the hands of the four singers, who express a wish to obtain horses. A little 

 water is sprinkled on the stones. Four songs are sung, then four cupfuls of water are 

 poured on the stones. Then the inmates of the sweatlodge call out to have the cover 

 raised. The first man says, " May we reech winter!" The others cry, "aho!" 3 When 



!lt will appear later (p. 153) that he is merely heralding the report of the water-carrier. 

 2 The future tense here, of course, merely expresses a prayer. 

 3 Ceremonial expression of thanks. 



