MICHELSON. ] ORIGIN OF THE WHITE BUFFALO DANCE. 59 
any kind of furs. But then those beavers will be hard (for us to 
kill). We shall not easily kill those beavers though there are many 
there. Fur will be difficult (to obtain). And the fur which will be 
given to us will be hard to get. We shall hardly have a chance to 
get them. And always something will happen in the way we shall 
always travel. There truly will be something difficult about it. 
Those are the ones who will cause this for us, those who did not 
straightway agree with me to come. If they had straightway agreed 
with me (to come), it would have been very fine; then there would 
not have been any trouble at all,’”’ that boy said to the people. 
To be sure their friends camped soon. Wi'sa‘kii'** also had his 
wickiup? someplace there. They cooked for each other. Wi'sa‘ki‘*' 
also went around where they were feasting, eating with his uncles. 
And then soon the Indians went there. It is said that they paddled 
when they went there. When they were near, they upset. One 
person came and told that they were upset by a manitou because 
they were not desired to, be talking as they were going along; verily 
no one was to say a word, it is said. When they were paddling by 
there, that was the way they were desired to do. ‘That is the way 
he wants us to do,’ the person who had almost drowned said. All 
whom he accompanied were drowned with the canoe; that man alone 
was saved. Then it is said whenever they went there, they wouldn’t 
say a word when they paddled by there. They would paddle by 
there quietly. After going through there, they would begin to talk. 
And then later on Wi'sa’kii'*” killed one raccoon. Then they went 
off to trade it off. Wisa'ki'*’ himself went along. That was the 
only raccoon he killed. And then, it is said, ‘‘What price will they 
give you for it?’’ he was asked by the Indians. ‘“‘ Well, the price will 
be according to the number of stripes it has on its tail; I will be given 
the number of stripes it has on its tail,’ he said. And they started’ 
out, they began to paddle away; the boy went along also. 
Then they came to the place where it was forbidden to talk. Pretty 
soon Wi'sa’ki'*’ said, ‘Well, whither are we paddling?’’ said he. 
Then, it is said, at once they became unconscious. When they came 
to their senses, they were sitting inside, in their canoe. Their furs 
were lying around. Wisa‘kii'*’ became angry. ‘‘O, it’s only this 
foolish fellow, who has been upsetting the people.” The other 
canoes were lying in a straight line upside down. And skulls were 
also lying cut off in a row. Then Wi'sa’ki‘*’ picked up a firestick 
which had been made sharp at the point by burning. The manitou 
fled, and he was chased along the Missouri River. Wi'sa‘ki*** was 
running on the bare ground. And the manitou ran under the water. 
Wisa‘ki'** seized his tail (when they came) as far as the Missouri 
extends. 
2 The vernacular (taken from the Indian) for ‘‘wigwam’”’ at Tama. 
