100 THE OSAGE TKIBE. [kth. ann. 39 



their house. After many calls a Sho'-ka is sent by the impatient men 

 to urge the tardy ones to make haste. Finally the two gentes come 

 out of their house, only to stop in front of the door and engage in a 

 noisy debate over some question. The men of the two great divisions 

 continue to call to the tarrying gentes who, after a while, come slowly 

 forward to join the waiting men. 



The singing of the sixth song comes to a close and the procession 

 moves toward the place of ceremony in the following order: The 

 Wa-zha'-zhe subdivision of the great Ho'''-ga tribal division leading, 

 followed by the Ho°'-ga subdivision; next come the men of the 

 Tsi'-zhu division, and then the two tardj' gentes, the Tho'-xe first 

 and the Ni'-ka Wa-ko"-da-gi last of all. In this order all the No°'- 

 ho^-zhi^-ga approach the place of the ceremony. 



The drama enacted before this processional approach to the House 

 began, refers to the mythical story of the order in which the people 

 marched over the earth when they first descended from above until 

 they came to the village of a strange people (now represented by the 

 Ho°'-ga U-ta-no''-dsi gens in the gentile organization), whom they 

 persuaded to become a part of the tribe. (See 36th Ann. Kept. 

 B. A. E., pp. 59-61.) 



When the two divisions have entered the House and it becomes the 

 turn of the two gentes to enter, the Tho'-xe who are in advance and 

 close to the door stand still and permit the Ni'-ka Wa-ko°-da-gi to 

 pass into the House first, then the Tho'-xe follow and so become the 

 last to enter. 



No definite explanation could be obtained as to the meaning of this 

 final act of the two gentes, the Ni'-ka Wa-ko°-da-gi and Tho'-xe, but 

 from certain intimations in the tribal rituals it would seem that the 

 exchange of positions between the two related gentes has reference to 

 a question of official precedence which the ancient No°'-ho°-zhi°-ga 

 appear to have had some difficulty in settling definitely. The 

 mythical story of the coming of these two gentes from above to join 

 the people bears directly upon this point. The following is a para- 

 phrase of the story: 



Legend of the Hawk Wa-xo'-be. 



The No^'-ho^-zhi^-ga, having determined upon the Hawk as suitable 

 for use in the new war ritual as an emblem of coiu-age, proceeded to 

 make a Hawk emblem (called Wa-xo'-be) for each of the Seven Fire- 

 places of the Ho°'-ga, the Wa-zha'-zhe and the Tsi'-zhu. As they 

 sat busily at work witliin their House of Mystery they were suddenly 

 startled by a loud clap of thunder. The Sho'-ka was qiuckly sent out 

 to see who it was that made such a startling noise. He soon returned 

 and reported that it was Ni'-ka Wa-ko^-da-gi who made the noise. 

 The No°'-ho°-zhi°-ga all agreed that he was a desirable person to have 



