LAFLESCHB] Nl'-KI Wl'-GI-ES 275 



Like the other Ni'-ki wi'-gi-es given in this volume, this wi'-gi-e 

 opens the life scene of the Tsi'-zhu Wa-shta'-ge in midheaven, where 

 the people come into spiritual, bodiless existence and contemplate the 

 finding of some place where they can take on bodily form and abide 

 as a living people. They send a "younger brother" (Sho'-ka, or 

 Messenger) downward to make search for the place of abode. He 

 descends to the first division of the sides, as counted from the starting 

 point, and seeing that the "little ones" can not make an abiding 

 place there he returns to the "elder brothers" just as the heavens 

 are darkened by the god of darkness and reports to them the result 

 of his search. 



At the second command of the "elder brothers" Ka'-xe-wa-hu-pa 

 (this title, most likely, is the archaic term for youngest of the broth- 

 ers) descends to the second division of the heavens and as the god 

 of darkness strikes the heavens wath a dark shadow the messenger 

 returns to the "elder brothers" to report his failure to find an abid- 

 ing place for the "little ones." 



A third command is given by the "elder brothers" for a further 

 search, and a younger brother descends to the third division of the 

 skies, and when the god of darkness strikes the heavens with a dark 

 shadow the messenger returns to his "elder brothers" to report his 

 failure to find an abiding place for the "little ones." 



Again the elder brothers commanded that a further search be 

 made and Ka'-xe-wa-hu-^a descended to the fourth division of the 

 skies, where he caihe face to face with Ni'-ka-wa-ko°-da-gi (the god 

 of the clouds). This section of the wi'-gi-e intimates that all the 

 brothers foUowed closely their messenger, so that on discovering 



i'-ka-wa-ko°-da-gi the messenger turns to them and says: "Here 

 stands a person, O, elder brothers." Ni'-ka-wa-ko°-da-gi promises 

 that the little ones shall make of him their bodies, meaning that 

 from him they shall receive the means by which to sustain and pro- 

 long life. He also gives them certain sacred names to use in the course 

 of their life. 



The brothers move on and they come upon Tho'-xe, Buffalo, who 

 gives them two kinds of medicines, four kinds of corn, and three 

 kinds of squashes, all of which shall be used by the little ones in 

 making their bodies. In lines 107 and 108 in this section reference 

 is made to the sanctity of the reproduction of life. 



The brothers continue their journey, this time upon the earth, 

 and come upon the red-oak tree, which they consecrate to be their 

 life symbol. They also take from it certain sacred gentile names. 



They pass on and come to the red cedar, who promises them long 

 life. (In the ceremonial naming of the children the fronds of this 

 tree are used as a symbol of the tree itself and of life's persistency.) 



