214 THE OSAGE TKIBE. [eth. ann. 39 



performed during the organization of a war party. A detailed descrip- 

 tion of the Wa-sha'-be A-thi° will be given in a later volume. 



The wi'-gi-e serves to direct attention to three animals and two 

 birds that were chosen by the ancient No^'-ho^-zhi^-ga to be used in 

 the war rites as symbols of fire and charcoal, namely, the puma, black 

 bear, white swan, golden eagle, and the young deer. The sections 

 relating to the puma, the black bear, and the swan are paraphrases 

 of lines 9S4 to 1062 of the Ni'-ki Wi'-gi-e of the Puma gens, which 

 relate to those two animals and the swan. (See o6th Ann. Kept. 

 B. A. E., pp. 389-391.) The section relating to the golden eagle 

 (hues 2S to 40) is a paraphrase from the Ni'-ki Wi'-gi-e of the Ho"'-ga 

 A-hiu-to" gens. The section relating to the young deer is a para- 

 phrase from the Ni'-ki Wi'-gi-e of the fa' I-ni-ka-shi-ga (Deer) gens. 



From the burning brand snatched out of the symbolic fire the war- 

 rior scrapes off tlie charcoal and puts it into a small deerskin pouch 

 which he carries upon some part of his clotliing as he marches against 

 the enemy. When the foe is discovered and an attack is to be made, 

 the warrior paints his face with this charcoal, an act by which he 

 expresses his determination to show no mercy to the enemy and to 

 expect none toward himself. 



When the two sacred fires are kindled and are burning, at the 

 Wa-sha'-be A-thi" ceremony, one on the Ho"'-ga side and one on the 

 Tsi'-zhu side, the warriors gather around their fires stripped of nearly 

 all clothing and wait for the "fray. The officer belonging to the 

 Ho°'-ga side stands by the fire holding in his hand one of the stand- 

 ards, while the officer on the fsi'-zhu side stands before his fire also 

 holding in his hand one of the standards (PI. 14). Both officers begin 

 at the same time to recite the fire wi'-gi-e, each using liis own version. 



Wl'-GI-E OF THE RUSH FOR THE CHARCOAL (ho"'-GA). 



(Osage version, p. 45S; literal translation, p. 586.) 



1. What shall they use for their charcoal symbol? it has been said, 



in this house. 



2. The male puma that lies outstretched, 



3. Shall be their charcoal symbol, as they travel the path of life, it 



has been said, in tliis house. 



4. When they make the pimia to be their charcoal symbol, 



5. And when they go against their enemies toward the setting sun, 



6. Black, indeed, shall be their charcoal. 



7. When they make the puma to be their charcoal symbol, 



8. They shall overcome their enemies with ease, O, younger brothers, 



they said to one another, it has been said, in this house. 



9. What shall they use for their charcoal symbol ? it has been said, 



in this house. 



