1070 THE GHOST-DANCE RELIGION [eth.ann.14 



Translation 



It was the father who gave us these things — Ye'ye'ye .' 

 It was the father who gave us these things — Te yt j/< .' 

 It was the father who gave us lire — Ye'yt //< ' 

 It was the father who gave us tire — Fe ye ;/< .' 

 The father gave it to us — Fe ye y< ' 

 The father gave it to us — Te'ye ye ! 



This was frequently used as the opening song- of the Sioux Ghost 

 dance. Fire is held in reverence among all Indian tribes as one of the 

 greatest gifts of the Author of Life, and every tribe lias a myth telling 

 how it originated and how it was obtained by the people. In most of 

 these myths the tire is represented as being at first in the possession 

 of some giant or malevolent monster, from whom it is finally stolen by 

 a hero, after a series of trials and difficulties worthy of the heroes of 

 the Golden Fleece. 



15. In a in: kiwi) 



Iua' he kuwo ; inn' he kuwo'. 

 Misu nkala che yaya oma'ni-ye, 

 Misu'nkala che yaya oma'ni-ye. 

 I'na he'kuwo : i na lie kuwo . 



Translation 



Mother, come home; mother, come home. 

 My little brother goes about always crying, 

 My little brother goes about always crying. 

 Mother, come home; mother, come home. 



This touching song was a favorite among the Sioux. It was composed 

 by a young woman who saw her dead mother in the other world, and 

 on waking out of her trance vision implores the mother to come back 

 to them again, as her little brother is forever crying after her. 



to'. Wa na wanasa'pi-kta 



Wa na wanasa pi-kta, 

 Wa na wanasa pi-kta. 

 Ifiehi ita zipa michu -ye, 

 I'hehi ita zipa michu -ye, 

 A te he ye lo, a te he ye lo. 



Translation 



Now they are about to chase the buffalo, 

 New I hey are about to chase the buffalo, 

 Grandmother, give me back my bow, 

 Grandmother, give me back my bow. 

 The father says so, the father says so. 



The author of this song, in his trance vision of (he spirit world, sees 

 his old-time friends about to start on a buffalo hunt, and calls to his 

 grandmother to give him back his bow,so that he may join them. The 



