1000 THE GHOST-DANCE RELIGION [eth.ask.14 



Iii this song the dreamer tells of bis trance visit to the spirit world, 

 where he found his friends busily engaged cutting up the meat after a 

 successful buffalo hunt, while the crows were hovering about the car- 

 rion. Four and seven are the constant sacred numbers of the Ghost 

 dance, as of Indian ritual and story generally. 



59. Aiiu'xa hf.'scna'nIn 



Ahu'nSi he'suna'nln — 

 Ahu'nii he'suna'nln — 

 Ni'taba/tani' bata'hina'ni, 

 Ni'tabii'tani' bata'hina'ni, 

 Ha ka ha'sabini'na he'suna'nln, 

 Ila'ka ha'sabini'na he'suna'nln. 



Translation 



There is our father — 



There is our father — 



We are dancing as he wishes (makes; us to ilance. 



We are dancing as he wishes (makes) us to dame. 



Because our father has so commanded us, 



Because our father has so commanded us. 



The literal meaning of the last line is ''because our father has given 

 it to us," the prairie idiom for directing or commanding being to " give 

 a road" or to " make a road" for the one thus commanded. To disobey 

 is to "break the road" and to depart from the former custom is to 

 "make a new road." The idea is expressed in the same way both in 

 the various spoken languages and in the sign language. 



60. Ga'awa'hu 



Ga'awa'hu, ga'awa'hu, 

 Ni hii'nii gn'shi'na, 

 Ni'hii'na gu'shi'nii. 

 A'tanii'tahina'na, 

 A'tana'tiihina'na. 



Translation 



The ball, the ball— 

 You must throw it swiftly, 

 You must throw it swiftly. 

 I want to wiu, 

 I want to win. 



The author of this song was a woman who in her trance vision saw 

 her girl friends in the other world playing the ball game, as described 

 in song number 7. In this case, however, her partner is urged tothrotv 

 the ball, instead of to strike it. 



61. Mir M higa'hu 



Aim ni'higa hu, 

 Mm ni'higa'hu. 



I la lain ui tani nil, 



Ha tani ui tani ua. 



