lAFLBSCHB] Nl'-Kl NON-k'on rite 231 



336. An elder brother exclaimed: I have spoken, we shall send him 



to the abode of spirits ! 



337. Then his index finger 



338. He thrust into his mouth, 



339. Quickly withdrew it, and pointed it at the animal. 



340. The bird fell in death to the ground, its feathers strewing the 



earth. 



341. The people hastened to the bird 



342. And spake to one another, saying: O, elder brothers. 



343. It is a swan (fig. 15), O, elder brothers, 



344. A white swan, O, elder brothers, 



345. A bird fit for a symbolic article. 



346. We shall use it for our ceremonial article. 



347. Behold its feet are dark in color. 



348. The tip of its bill is also dark. 



349. Its feathers are white. 



350. From this bird also 



351. We shall take personal names, O, elder brothers, they said to 



one another. 



352. White-swan 



353. Shall be to us a personal name. 



354. White-bird also 



355. Shall be a personal name to us. 



356. This shall be the name of the little ones as they travel the path 



of Ufe. 



357. White-feather also 



358. We shall use as a personal name. 



359. Behold the dark color of the skin of the feet of the bird. 



360. That also 



361. We shall use as a symbol. 



362. When we go toward the setting of the sun against our enemies, 



363. That color shall be represented by charcoal. 



364. When the little ones use the charcoal as a sign of their supplica- 



tions, 



365. Their jirayers shall never fail to be heard as they travel the path 



of life. 



366. Look you, we had nothing of which to make our ceremonial 



articles. 



367. We have killed a white swan. 



368. Behold the curved neck of the bird. 



369. That also we shall use. 



370. We shall make of it a standard. 



371. When we use it as a standard, as we travel the path of life, 



