346 



THE OSAGE TRIBE. 



[ETH. ANN. 39 



FREE TRANSLATION. 

 1. 



Many are the mystic arrows you possess. 



Song 3 refers to the office of the Black Bear gens as custodian of 

 the four symbolic fhnt knives. The names of these symbolic knives 

 are: Mo°'-hi°-pi i-ba btho-ga, Round-handled knifej Mo°'-lii">-fa-be, 

 Black knife; Mo°'-hi"-ho°-ga, Sacred knife: and Mo^'-hi^-zhu-dse, Red 

 knife. 



The first two knives were reserved for the Ho^'-ga subdivision. 

 The other two knives were dedicated to the Wa-zha'-zhe subdivision 

 and the Tsi'-zhu great tribal division, to be used by them in common. 

 (For the mythic story of the finding of these knives see 36th Ann. 

 Rept. B. A. E., pp. 206-208, Ni'-ki Wi'-gi-e of the Puma gens, lines 

 1391 to 1446.) 



The knife used by a warrior who may succeed in beheading an 

 enemy is considered as being mystically one of these symbolic 

 knives, therefore the warrior is entitled to count the act as an o-do°' 

 war honor. 



In the song these knives are designated as Wa-pa'-hi, pointed or 

 sharp weapons. A free translation of one line will suffice to give the 

 meaning of the song. 



Song 3. 



(Osage version, p. 508; literal translation, p. 626.) 

 MM J - <12 Transcribed by Alice C.Fletcher 



P.r r''ll" JJ'JJ-J4 



Its I 



Time beats ' ' I j ( P 



Wa-pa- hi shki we-iiii"da ha, Wa-pa - hi shki 



4 



t? fr»^ 



lC= 



s 



f 



^ 



^ 



r 



-5-^ 



-d-^ 



r f ' f r - r - r 



we-nii"da ha, Wa-pa -hi shki we-nii"da ha, Wa-pa -hi shki 



r -f 



^m 



r r- ^ I I 



^^ 



"^ 



■we-ni i° da ha, 



r r- r r 



Wa-pa - hi shki we-ni i" da ha. 



FREE TRANSLATION. 

 1. 



Sharp weapons ye have for the foe. 



