74 THE OSAGE TRIBE. [bth. Ann. 39 



ness. At the end of line 21 the Singer slips the neckband over the 

 head and around the neck of the Xo'-ka so that the gorget hangs at 

 his chest. The gorget typifies the God of Day, the sun. This act of 

 the Singer is also supplicatory and expressive of a desire for a long and 

 fruitful life, not only for himself but for all his descendants. 



As the A'-ki-ho" Xo'-ka begins to recite the fourth section of the 

 wi'-gi-e the Singer takes up two narrow woven bands and holds them 

 in readiness. At the end of line 29 he quickly ties on theXo'-ka's 

 wrists the woven bands. In early times these woven bands were made 

 of buffalo hair, but in modern days various colored yarn is used. Lines 

 24 and 25 of this section declare that the bonds to be put upon the 

 wrists of the Xo'-ka are captive bonds, but lines 26 to 29 say that in 

 truth it is not the bond of a captive that is tied to each wrist of the 

 Xo'-ka, but a spirit. It would appear that these lines refer to the 

 likening of the earth to a snare into which all life is drawn and held 

 captive, not only in body but also in spirit. 



The symbolic gorget having been put upon the chest of the Xo'-ka 

 the A'-ki-ho° Xo'-ka continues to the fifth section and the Singer 

 takes up a woven girdle, in early days of buffalo hair but now of yarn, 

 which he holds in readiness. In the wi'-gi-e the girdle is spoken of 

 as a captive's girdle and as a spirit. At the close of the section the 

 Singer wraps around the body of his Xo'-ka a puma skin ro'be and fas- 

 tens it at the waist with the woven girdle. (For symbolism of pmna 

 skin robe see lines 31 to 44 of the First Smoking Wi'-gi-e, pp. 55-56.) 



The A'-ki-ho° Xo'-ka continues to the sixth section and the Singer 

 picks up a pair of the symbolic moccasins ceremonially made for the 

 Xo'-ka and holds them in readiness. (See Ho°-be'-9u Wi'-gi-e, p. 

 63, and lines 1 to 52 of the wi'-gi-e.) In this section the Xo'-ka is 

 referred to as a captive (line 38) and as a spirit (line 41) upon whose 

 feet will be put the sacred moccasins. 



Wi'-Gi-E OF THE Symbolic Painting. 



(Osage version, p. 388; literal translation, p. 529.) 



1. With what shall they (the little ones) adorn their bodies, as they 



tread the path of life? it has been said, in this house. 



2. The crimson color of the God of Day who sitteth in the heavens, 



3. They shall make to be their sacred color, as they go forth upon 



life's journey. 



4. Verily, the God who reddens the heavens as he approaches, 



5. They shall make to be their sacred color, as they go forth upon 



life's journey. 



6. When they adorn their bodies with the crimson hue shed by that 



God of Day, 



