DENSMoRB] MANDAN AND HIDATSA MUSIC 69 
When it reached the little wolverine the third time, he paid no 
attention to the pipe but snatched the corn ball. His father said, 
‘Here, what are you doing? Light the pipe.’ The little wolverine 
thrust the pipe in the fire and puffed it. Then he said, ‘I did not 
mean to give you any corn ball but I will.’ So he broke the corn 
ball in two and gave them part of it. 
“ Afterwards all the wolverines went to sleep. The next morning 
_ the old man said to Black Wolf, ‘Go out with your brother, tickle 
him until he dies, then remove his skin carefully, fill it with grass in 
a nice shape, and bring it to me.’ 
“Black Wolf did this and brought the skin to the old man. They 
set it in the back of the lodge and it looked exactly like a little 
wolverine, eyes and all. Then the old man said, ‘ This shall be your 
fetish. Keep it always with you.’ He then told Black Wolf to re- 
turn to his natural father and say, ‘In four days we will be with you 
to make medicine.’ He said to Black Wolf, ‘When you get home 
you must prepare corn balls and all kinds of food and there must be 
plenty of robes. Tell all your friends to help you. We will be 
there on the night of the fourth day.’ 
“ After telling the boy to go the old man said to his people, ‘ We 
had better give the boy some food to take with him as they may be 
all starving in his village.’ The people consented, and it was de- 
cided to have a good buffalo hunt near the village and to give all the 
meat to the boy. They said, ‘We will begin it at once.’ Just as 
this was settled an old buffalo came to the old man and said: ‘ Com- 
rade, this is what I always do—give my body to the Indians. I 
would like to be in this.’ The old man said: ‘If that is the case you 
shall be treated the same as I myself. My son has brought this girl 
to be my daughter-in-law, you shall be the same as I.’ 
“The old buffalo said: ‘Sing my song and whatever you desire will 
come to you. If you desire the wind, it will come to you, or the 
buffalo will come, or the eagles will come when you sing this song.’ 
“The old man said: ‘Friend, that is a good song. You have 
treated me well and I will do as you say.’ ” 
All the songs of eagle catching were recorded by Benson. He said 
that he could sing the words of the songs in either Mandan or 
Hidatsa, but as no Mandan interpreter was available he sang them 
in Hidatsa. It is probable that the words of other songs weuld have 
been recorded if a Mandan had been interpreting. 
This is the buffalo’s song. 
