LAFLESCHE] RITE OF VIGIL FREE TRANSLATION. 195 



must depend for food. When you reach your fiehl you must, first of 

 all, prepare seven hills which you shall regard as the Mo" '-gtlio"-ge 

 Wa-ko"-<la-gi, the Mysterious Hills. Open the first hill with your 

 planting polo and put into it one grain of corn, after which you will 

 cover up the opening and tamp it with your foot; in the second hUl 

 you will put two grains in the same manner; three in the third hill; 

 four in the fourth; five in the fifth; six in the sixth; and seven in the 

 seventh. This ceremony is a supplication for three things: First, 

 the growing of the corn to maturity; second, the success of the 

 hunter; third, the success of the warrior who protects the home and 

 the field. When you have finished planting the seven sacred hills 

 you may proceed to plant the rest of your field without further 

 ceremony." ' 



The woman is next instructed how to gather ceremonially the roots 

 of the water chinquapin (Nehimho lutea) for food for her little ones. 



CEREMONIAL GATHERING OF FOOD. 



"The Tse'-wa-the (water chinquapin) with which you feed your 

 children is also a sacred food and should be gathered with proper cere- 

 mony. It is a symbol of life. When you set a day to go and gather 

 this food aim to rise with the sun and paint the parting of your hair 

 red. The red line represents the path of the god of day and the paths 

 of all living tilings which converge toward you and give to you and 

 your children both food and clothing. When you come to the lake 

 where you are to gather the tse'-wa-the cut a willow pole. The 

 willow is a tree that never dies and is a symbol of life. When you 

 have cut the pole remember to say: 'My grandfather bade me to 

 say: "This is to be my staff."' Upon entering the water to begin 

 your work take from the bottom of the lake a bit of the mud and 

 touch your head and body with it. This act is your prayer to the 

 earth. Then proceed to dig. When you have secured the first root 

 rub your arms and body with it, that you may receive the blessing of 

 life, and then throw it back into the water and remember to say: 

 'My grandfather bade me to do this act.' This is all of my instruc- 

 tions, my granddaughter." 



If the singer has no children the instructions relating to the rites 

 of the buffalo robe and to the gathering of the water chinquapin roots 

 may be omitted. 



"Both Tse-zhin'-ga-\va-da-i"-ga and Wa'-thu-xa-ge, in speaking of this ceremony, said that with the first 

 grain ofcom is planted a bit of scalp of the enemy. Also that when the com ripened, the woman who had 

 ceremonially planted her field gathered the corn from the seven sacred hills, pulling the stalks from these 

 hills and carn'ing them home. Then she prepares a feast for the Non'-ho"-zhin-ga who had instructed her 

 in the rife and ceremonially presents the sacred com to him. The Non'.ho"-2hio-ga invites other members 

 of the organization to the feast and shares with them the sacred corn. This ceremony is never again per- 

 formed by the same woman as it is believed to be efficacious for all her future plantings. 



