LAPLBSCHE] Nl'-KI W'i'-GI-ES 239 



The No°'-ho''-zhi°-ga come in the evening, at which time they per- 

 form the ceremony of cutting the buffalo skin and making two pairs 

 of symbolic moccasins, each to be worn by the Xo'-ka at certain 

 stages of the great ceremony. The details of the acts of cutting the 

 skin were not given b}' the narrator. Each act of the cutting is pre- 

 ceded by the reciting of a section of the following wi'-gi-e, partly 

 made up from lines 51 to 100 of the Wi'-gi-e To^-ga, the Great 

 Wi'-gi-e (p. 254). 



Ho^-be'-^u (Moccasin) Wi'-gi-e 



(Osage version, p. 428; literal translation, p. 574) 



1. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, 



2. Of what shall the little ones make their foot? they said to one 



another. 



3. Verilj^, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, 



4. They spake to the principal Sho'-ka, 



5. Saying: O, my younger brother, 



6. Of what shall the little ones make their foot? 



7. We bid you go make search for some object suitable for use as 



a foot. 



8. The principal Sho'-ka 



9. Went forth in haste to make search, 



10. And in time returned, carrying with him a red boulder. 



11. Then standing before his elder brothers he said to them: O, elder 



brothers, 



12. This red boulder shall henceforth be as a foot to the little ones. 



13. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, 



14. When the little ones make of the red boulder their foot, 



15. Their foot shall not be pierced by thorns and harmful grasses as 



they travel the path of life. 



16. They shall be able to trample down and crush all harmful grasses 



as they travel the path of life. 



17. When the little ones make of the red boulder their foot, 



18. The}' shall have a foot that will cause them to be free from all 



causes of death as they travel the path of life. 



19. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, 



20. They said to one another: What shall the little ones use for a 



moccasin string? 



21. The red-breasted leech 



22. The little ones shall use as a moccasin string, they said to one 



another. 



23. When the little ones use the red-breasted leech as a moccasin 



string. 



