482 A STUDY OF SIOUAN CULTS. 



oft'eied liim food, which he hekl as lie sat motionless, gaziug at them. 

 The food disappeared before the spectators were aware of it, though 

 they did not see the being eat it. 



TREES. 



§ 255. The Dakota prayed to trees, because it was reported that 

 iti former days a tree had snug at intervals. A man claimed to have 

 witnessed this, and from that time they have been regarded as mys- 

 terious. 



CUSTOMS RELATING TO CHILDHOOD. 



§ 256. The Teton sing on account of the nnborn child, and set up a 

 pole inside the lodge, at the part opposite the entrance, fastening 

 eagles' down to the top of the pole, just as they do when a boy has 

 advanced toward manhood. 



§ 257. Soon after birth they paint the face of the infant, w'hether it 

 be a boy or a girl, with vermilion, iu the "Huijka " style.' Should they 

 neglect to do this, it is said that the infant would become blear-eyed or 

 it would suffer from some kind of sickness. 



§ 258. When the navel string is cut, a small bag is made of deer- 

 skin, cut in the shape of a small tortoise, known as patkasala. In this 

 bag is placed a piece of the navel string and sweet-smelling leaves, 

 with which the bag is filled. The infant has to carry this bag on its 

 back. Tart of the navel string is buried, and when the child is large 

 enough to get into mischief they say, " He is hunting for his navel 

 string." 



§ 259. Prior to the naming of the infant is the ceremony of the trans- 

 fer of character. Should the infant be a boy, a brave and good-tem- 

 pered man, chosen beforehand, takes the infant in his arms and breathes 

 into his mouth, thereby communicating his own disposition to the 

 infant, who will grow up to be a brave and good-natured man. It is 

 thought that such an infant will not cry as much as infants that have 

 not been thus favored. Should the infant be a girl, it is put into the 

 arms of a good woman, who breathes into its mouth. 



§ 2()0. Twins are a mystery to the Teton,'who believe that they are 

 of sui5erhuman origin, and must come from Twin-land. As they are 

 not human beings, they must be treated very politely and tenderly, lest 

 they should become offended and die in order to return to Twin land. 



In his MS. Teton vocabulary, sent to the Bureau of Ethnology in 

 July, 1890, Dr. J. M. Woodburu, jr., recently physician at Rosebud 

 Agency, S. Dak., makes the following statement which seems worthy 

 of notice: "Twins are lucky as regards themselves only; the mother 

 is looked upon as unfortunate. The twins may die, but they are sure 

 to be born again into separate families. No ordinary human being can 

 recognize them as twins after the new births: but twins themselves 



■See" Calumet Dauce," in Om. Sociology, 3d Am. Kept. Bur. Etho., p. 280. 



