10 BUKEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [kii.i.. 5:: 



(No. 156) contains the words "Be kindly, my manido'/' and in some 

 of the Mide' songs a manido' (spirit) animal or bird is represented 

 as speaking — "I am a spirit to be able to become visible, I that am 

 a male beaver" (Bulletin 45, No. 34), and "I am about to alight 

 that you may see me" (ibid.. No. 41). 



It is said that in the old days all the important songs were "com- 

 posed m dreams," and it is readUy understood that the man who 

 sought a dream desired power superior to that he possessed. A 

 song usually came to a man in his "dream"; he sang this song in the 

 tune of danger or necessity in the belief that by so doing he made 

 more potent the supernatural aid vouchsafed to him m the dream. 

 Songs composed, oi- received, in this mamier were used on the warpath, 

 in the practice of medicine,^ and in any serious undertaking of life. 

 Thus there are many dream songs among the songs of war, of the 

 Alide', and of the moccasin game, in addition to the group of dream 

 songs in the classified analysis. An instance of a warrior's success 

 connected with the singing of a dream song is shown in No. 42, and of 

 a warrior's defeat attributed to the failure of supernatural help, in 

 No. 8. 



In addition to songs connected with dreams and with triumphs 

 gained by supernatural aid, there are love songs, and songs of physical 

 activity (as the social dances) and of the home life (as the songs for 

 the entertainment of children). Almost without exception the love 

 songs are songs of disappointment and longing, though a few love- 

 charm songs are included among those of the Mide' (Bulletin 45, 

 Nos. 71-76). 



The words of 248 songs are transcribed: one- third of this jujmber 

 contain mention of some manifestation of nature, the number and 

 percentages of this group being as follows: 



Number Percentage 



Songs concerning animals 30 36 



Songs concerning birds 17 21 



Songs concerning the sky 17 21 



Songs concerning water 11 13 



Songs concerning clouds 4 4.5 



Songs concerning the wind 4 4-5 



Noting the large number of songs containing mention of animals, 

 it is interesting to consider whether animals may have seemed to 

 the Indian better fitted than himself to cope with natural conditions. 

 The animals mentioned m the songs are the otter, beaver, weasel, 

 marten, crawfish, rattlesnake, large bear, fox, deer, and dog; there is 

 also (on a reservation showing Sioux influence) one reference to the 

 horse and the buffalo. The birds mentioned are the crow, loon, owl, 



1 Compare Ales Hrdlidka, Physiological and Medical Observations Among the Indians of Southwestern 

 United States and Northern Mexico, Bulletin 34 of the Bureau of American Ethnology, Washington, 1908, 

 pp. 222-227, 24:{, 24i. 



