I^ flbsche] 



BITE OF VIGIL FREE TRANSLATION. 



263 



(1) The untying of the carrjdng strap tied around the nuddle of the 

 pouch and the thong that draws and hokls together the mouth of the 

 pouch in which is kept the sacred hawk. 



(2) The unfolding of the mouth of the pouch in readiness for the 

 next movement. 



(3) The stretching of the mouth of the pouch to its full width so 

 that the bird may pass readily through it. 



(4) The drawing of the sacred hawk from the pouch. This is done 

 by grasping the pouch with the left hand and with the right gently 

 drawing out the bird from the mouth of the pouch. In performing 

 this act the bird must be drawn away from the body of the Xo'-ka. 



The ceremonial acts are performed by the Xo'-ka while the A'-ki- 

 ho" Xo'-ka does the singing. .111 of these movements are sjrmbolic of 

 the birth of a chUd. When the bird is taken out of the pouch the 

 Xo'-ka passes it over his head, amis, and body, because the birth 

 represents life and the ceremony of which it is the central figure is a 

 supplication for a full, imobstructed life. 



The first of lines 1, 2, and 5 of each stanza is archaic and its meaning 

 lost, but the other words are intelligible and make possible a free 

 translation. 



Song 4. 



(Osage version, p. 482; literaltranslation, p. 607.) 



J Transcribed by Alice C.Fletcher 



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Time beats 



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I"-(la-ko 



r - f 



a - ha shka ho° (ise. 



r-da-ko 



'yr./rrr itJ^ii^fJ^r n^^^^ 



r f~ r r r r r r r r r 



a-ha shkahoidse Sho-the he shkahoidse, Sho -the the the 



m 



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^^^^ 



p vir_r- r 



E 



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■ e - he shkaho" dse, 



r r r 



l"-da-ko 



r r r 



a •■ ha. shka ho" dse. 



FREE TAN8LATION. 

 1. 



Let the knot become untied, 

 Let the cords become loosened, 

 Then shall the bird come, 

 Then shall the bird come forth, 

 Let the cords become loosened. 



