LA PLESCHE] TRIBAL, RITES FREE TRANSLATION 63 



country "that the people made the Wa-xo'-be Zhi°-ga (pi. 3) , the Little 

 Wa-xo'-be, one for each of the seven fireplaces of the Tsi'-zhu great 

 division; one for each of the seven fireplaces of the Ho°'-ga subdivi- 

 sion; and one for each of the seven fireplaces of the Wa-zha'-zhe sub- 

 division of the great Ho^'-ga division. 



These wa-xo'-be were made of hawk skins and symbolized the 

 courage of the warriors of each fireplace. The choice of the hawk to 

 symbolize the courage and combative nature of the warrior proved 

 satisfactory to all the people, for the courage of the hawk was con- 

 sidered as equal to that of the eagle, while the swift and decisive man- 

 ner in which the smaller bird always attacks its prey ever excited the 

 admiration of the warrior. 



From the story relating to the adoption of the hawk as the warrior 

 symbol, given in wi'-gi-e form by a member of the I°-gtho°'-ga gens 

 and by a member of the Tho'-xe gens in a paraphrase of the wi'-gi-e, 

 it would appear that the ceremonies of the formal adoption and the 

 acts of preparing the hawk skin for preservation were accompanied 

 by dramatic action. 



In the version of the I^-gtho^'-ga, a gens belonging to the Ho^'-ga 

 Great Division, the principal characters of the drama are left vague 

 as to identity. But in the version of the Tho'-xe, a gens belonging 

 to the Tsi'-zhu Great Division that symbolizes the sky, it becomes 

 clear that the warrior whom the hawk typifies is a child born of the 

 god of day and the goddess of night. In this version the principal 

 characters are four brothel's (stars), their sister (the moon), and 

 the sun. 



The supernatural birth of the wa-xo'-be, the symbolic hawk, is 

 referred to in the words of three songs belonging to the ritual of the 

 Wa-xo'-be degree of the Tho'-xe gens. The three songs bear in com- 

 mon the title "Little Songs of the Sun." (These songs, with their 

 music, will appear in a later volume.) 



Song 1 



1 



I go to the call of those who are assembled, 

 To the call of those who are gathered around the hawk. 



2 



I go to the call of those who are assembled, 



To the call of those who are gathered around the black bird. 



3 

 I go to the call of those who are assembled, 

 To the call of those who are gathered around the One of the Night. 



4 

 I go to the call of those who are assembled, 

 To the call of those who are gathered around the One of the Day. 



