densmore] 



TETON SIOUX MUSIC 



177 



best in health and in worthiness, for I had conducted myself rightly in my youth, 

 complying with all that is required of a boy and young man and living in a manner 

 worthy of my parents and grandparents. I had a clean record when I dreamed of 

 the elk. 



The dream came to me when I was asleep in a tent. Some one came to the door 

 of the tent. He said he had come for me, and I arose and followed him. It was a 

 long and difficult journey, but at last he led me to a beautiful lodge. All the sur- 

 roundings were beautiful. The lodge was painted yellow outside, and the door faced 

 the southeast. On entering the lodge I saw drawings on the walls. At the right of 

 the entrance was a drawing of a crane holding a pipe with the stem upward, and at 

 the left was a drawing of a crow holding a pipe with the stem downward. I could 

 see that the occupants of the lodge were living happily and luxuriously. I was escorted 

 to the seat of honor opposite the entrance and reached it with difficulty, as the lodge 

 was iilled with brush, and I was not accustomed to making my way through thickets. 

 [At this point the occupants of the lodge seem to have been recognized as elks.'] 

 The elks in the lodge watched me with interest and encouraged me to go on, saying 

 they had something they wished to tell me. At last I managed to reach the seat 

 assigned me, and when I was seated the elks rose and said they had heard that I was 

 a great friend of the buffalo, and that they wanted me to be their friend also. They 

 said they had tested me by requiring me to reach this difficult place, and as I had 

 succeeded in doing so they were glad to receive me. They then said that they were 

 going to sing a song and wished me to learn it. They sang the following song, which 

 has no words. 



No. 46. Song of the Elks (Catalogue No. 609) 



Sung by Bk.we Buffalo 

 Voice J— 60 

 Drum J =120 

 Drum-rhythm similar to No. 8 



i^^piUs 



Analysis. — The descending fourths E flat-B flat, and B flat-F 

 are prominent in the framework of tliis melody, though the interval 

 is usually broken, the progressions being a major second followed by 

 a minor third. The interval of a fourth in songs concerning animals 

 has been frequently noted. (See Bulletin 53, p. 101.) One interval 

 of a minor second occurs in the song, but was sung too large. It has 

 been observed that the minor second is found less frequently than 



[' The identity of a dream object is frequently unreoognized until it turns to depart. 

 207; also p. 66 of the present work.) 



Cf. Bulletin 53, p. 



