164 THE OSAGE TRIBE. [bth. an.v. 39 



305. Verily, I have placed them here to remain for all time to come. 



306. They are the valorous deeds spoken of as o-do°'. 



307. Verily, I have placed them here to remain for all time to come, 



308. The valorous deeds spoken of as the vSeven 0-ilo°', 



309. I have verily placed here to remain for all time," it has been 



said, in this house. 



310. They said, it has been said, in this house, 



311. The bear went forth with quickened footsteps, 



312. And came to a lanil upon which the air quivered with the warmth 



of the sun. 



313. The grass rustled to the tread of his feet as he paused and stood. 



314. He went forth with quickened footsteps, 



315. And came to a little house (the beaver's house), where he paused 



and stood. 



316. He went forth with quickened footsteps, 



317. And came to the edge of a river where he paused and stood. 



THE PART BELONGIXG TO THE WA-ZHA'-ZHE WA-NO'* GENS. 



318. Verily, at that time and place, it has been saitl, in this house, 



319. There stood the male beaver, 



320. Gathering with his tail the soft mud, 



321. Which he placed in a pile, 



322. And spake, saying: "I have gathered this pile of mud not with- 



out a purpose. 



323. When the little ones go toward the setting sun against their 



enemies, 



324. They shall use the soft earth ^ in their appeals for aid to over- 



come their enemies with ease. 



325. When they use the soft earth in their appeals for aid to over- 



come their enemies with ease, 



326. They shall enable themselves to overcome their enemies with 



ease, as they travel the path of life," it has been said, in this 

 house. 



327. They saiil, it has been said, in this house, 



328. The beaver moved to the strong current of the stream, 



329. Slapping the water with his tail. 



330. Verily, he went uj) the river against its current, 



5 The mud of the bottom of the lakes or running streams is the supplicatory symbol of the gentes of the 

 Wa-zha'-zhe subdivision that represents the water portion of the earth in the tribal organization. The 

 members of this subdivision may use the soil of the dry land in their supplicatory rites, but such soil repre- 

 sents the original type, i. e., the soft mud of the lakes or running waters. In lines 319 to 326 of this wi'-gl^, 

 the ancient Non'-hon-zhin-ga have expressed, in mythic form, their conception that the great life-giving 

 power resides within the waters as well as in the sky and the dryland. In accordance with this conception 

 the supplications of the people are directed to the waters as weU as to the sky and to the dry land. 



