1920.] Lowie, Crow Tobacco Society. 185 



berry and Pine chapters. The founder of the Yellow Tobacco chapter had a vision 

 of a man dressed in yellow, standing at the edge of the Tobacco garden and singing 

 towards the Tobacco. When the visionary came home, he dressed up all his adopted 

 children in the manner of the visitant. The Weasel chapter was dreamt by an old 

 man on Cloud's Peak, who saw a man dancing with a weasel in each hand and a whistle 

 in his mouth; a weasel strip tied to the right bang, and a whole weasel skin round the 

 head for a crown. 



In 1911 Gray-bull gave the following tradition, which long ago he 

 had elicited from an old man. 



Once an old man was fasting on a mountain top. At night the stars from above 

 came down; there were four men, each having a star in front of himself. They began 

 to dance and sing with rattles and the visionary joined them. The first man sang four 

 songs and told the others to sing too. He said, "My child, remember what we have 

 done here." The second man sang only one song, and so did the third. The fourth 

 man struck the ground with his rattle and also sang one song. This made seven songs 

 in all, accordingly the visionary believed these men were the Dipper. They put the 

 shining objects they had in front of them into one bag and gave it to the visionary. 

 This is why the Tobacco we plant is regarded as being stars. 



The man brought back the Tobacco and did what he had seen on the mountains. 

 He called four other Crow and sang a song he had heard. He made them act according 

 to his experiences and told them he was going to plant on cleared ground in the spring 

 and would harvest in the fall. The four Crow consented and had it announced in 

 camp that people were to move towards the mountains and find a nice spot under an 

 aspen grove. They moved. The visionary called these four men and their wives, also 

 two additional couples, he himself being the seventh. He distributed the plant among 

 them. They hoed the ground, cleared it, and laid dry grass on top. The founder said 

 he would show them how to do it and they would enjoy it as children enjoy playing. 

 He told them to put twigs on top. He took a flint, struck fire, and made burning 

 firebrands for the rest. The entire Crow camp had turned out and all were looking on. 

 He sang his bird song, flapping his eagle wings at the same time. At the close of the 

 fourth song he said, " kahel " (Ready!) At this signal they put the firebrands down 

 at one side on the grass, then he took his wings, flapped them and sang. The fire 

 spread, burning up all the dry grass. The other people went home, commenting on 

 his power. The fire left the ground black. The founder sang a song and pushed a 

 young man, who ran across the field and back and thus reported on his return : 



duxiwarfek' itsik'Sta barapfu , ictaxia burutsfk'. 



I went on the warpath. In safety they killed an enemy , a gun I took. 



karakom boia, aratcfruac awakam, batsua ahiik' 



Then I came, the gardens you made I saw, the cherries were plenty. 



a a xe bice ahuk'. karakGm book, b6ra ace"wak, 



Around (were) buffalo many. Then I came, as I came camp I reached, 



acisbuxiicuk. bora, ace bawim, apsaruke itsik'Sta 



I signaled to the camp. I came, the camp T got to, the Crow well 



ara'kuk. 

 were faring. 



