236 THE OSAGE TRIBE [etb. ann. 38 



527. And, with the stone that flakes, 



528. He hurried home. 



529. Then he spake, saying: What think you of this, O, elder brothers? 



530. Let the httle ones make of this stone a knife, 



531. The people replied: It is not fit for the little ones to use as a 



knife, 



532. Verily, it is not the right kind of stone for the little ones to use, 



O, younger brother. 



533. The people spake to one another, saying: O, younger brothers, 



534. Look you, the little ones have nothing of which to make a knife. 



535. Then the one who had made of the Puma his body went forth, 



536. Even as these words were spoken, 



537. And with the hard flint 



538. He soon returned in haste, 



539. And spake to the people, saying: What think you of this, O, 



elder brothers ? 



540. Let the little ones make of this stone a knife, O, elder brothers. 



541. The elder brothers replied: Verily it is not the right kind of 



stone for the little ones to use, O, younger brother. 



542. The little ones have nothing of which to make a knife, they said. 



543. The people spake to one another, saying: O, younger brothers, 



544. Look you, the little ones have nothing of which to make a knife. 



545. Then to the one who had made of the Puma his body, they spake, 



546. O, younger brother. 



547. Then, even as these words were spoken, the Puma hastened 



forth, 



548. And, with the red, round-handled knife,'" 



549. He returned in haste, 



550. Then spake, saying: What think you of this, O, elder brothers? 



551. It is well, the people replied. 



552. That has been the object of your continual search, O, younger 



brother. 



553. It is fit for the little ones to use as a knife. 



554. The little ones shall use this as a ceremonial knife, O, younger 



brother, as they travel the path of life. 



555. When the little ones go toward the setting sun, against their 



enemies, 



556. And when they take with them this knife, 



557. Sharjj, indeed, shall be their knives as they travel the path of life. 



558. The little ones of the Tsi'-zhu 



" In the Omaha tattooing rite (See Twenty-seventh Annual Report, B. A. E,, pp. 503, 613) the preference 

 given to a red-handled knife for ceremonial purposes may have some relation to the "red knife" mentioned 

 in this Osage wi'-gi-e. 



