UAFLBSCHB] BITE OF VIGIL FREE TRANSLATION. 225 



FREE TRANSLATION. 

 1. 



Kindle ye, kindle ye the fire, twirl and grind, 

 Twirl and twirl ye the fire drill. 



Kindle ye, kindle ye the fire, twirl and grind, 

 Twirl, twirl the fire sticks till they sing. 



Kindle ye, kindle ye the fire, twirl and grind, 

 Twirl the fire drill till the sparks appear. 



Kindle ye, kindle ye the fire, twirl and grind. 

 Twirl the fire drill till the smoke comes. 



5. 



Kindle ye, kindle ye the fire, twirl and grind, 

 Twirl the fire drill till the flames arise. 



FlRE-MAKING SONG. 



The last of the series of songs relating to the kindling of the sacred 

 fire within the Mystic House is called Tse'-the Wa-tho", Fire-making 

 Song. The song which precedes tliis one at its close refers to the 

 flames produced from the friction of two pieces of wood, for the 

 burden of the series of fire-making songs is the producing of the 

 glow from which the flame is urged into life and the sacred fire 

 kindled and held by the application of dry twigs until fire is secured 

 and made ready for service. 



The series of songs that are sung, the wa'-gi-es that are recited, 

 the ceremonial acts that are performed within the Mystic House, all 

 point clearly and logically to the duties that devolve upon the 

 warrior who in order to keep the fire of his house continually burning, 

 his home well supplied with the necessaries of life, must at all times 

 be ready to meet and overcome those enemies who may threaten 

 not only to extinguish the home fires but the very existence of the 

 tribe itself. While the words of the song, the metaphors, and the 

 figures of speech employed in the wi'-gi-es may be confusing and the 

 ceremonial acts mystical, yet, as the warrior marches forth, when 

 the songs have been sung, the words of the wi'-gi-es spoken and the 

 mystical acts performed, he understands that he goes to risk his life 

 in order that the fire of liis home and those of his tribe may not be 

 extinguished. 



Two lines of each stanza freely translated will suffice to give the 

 meaning, as the other lines are repetitions. 

 3594°— 25t 15 



