MICHELSON. ] ORIGIN OF THE WHITE BUFFALO DANCE, 107 
dishing it out, ‘‘There,’”’ he said. And then it is said he gave a short 
talk: ‘Now, we have handed this to the manitou, this which we have 
placed in kettles. This verily is why we have handed it to him, that 
we may be able to live a long time in the future with the people; to 
plan for us that way, that is why we worship him with this food of all 
kinds. That verily is why you are to eat; women and you men, 
eat!” the people were told. Then he began singing, beating the drum 
from the beginning. 
I sit down everywhere, I sit down everywhere; 
I sit down everywhere, I sit down everywhere; 
I sit down everywhere; 
Here on the manitous’ earth 
I sit down everywhere, I sit down everywhere; 
I sit down everywhere, I sit down everywhere.3? 
As far as I shall reach, as far as I reach; 
As far as I shall reach, as far as I reach; 
As far as I shall reach, as far as I reach; 
As far as I shall reach 
(Is) this firmament of the manitous; 
As far as I shall reach, as far as I reach; 
As far as I shall reach, as far as I reach; 
As far as I shall reach, as far as I reach.38 
This earth is weeping, weeping; 
Is weeping, weeping; 
This earth is weeping, weeping; 
Is weeping, weeping; 
This earth, our grandchild; 
This earth is weeping, weeping; 
This earth is weeping, weeping.®® 
Why is it that I speak thus? 
Why is it that I speak thus? 
Why is it that I speak thus? 
Why? 
The conversation of the white buffalo himself 
Is why I speak thus. 
Why is it that I speak thus? 
Why is it that I speak thus? #9 
The third time they were to dance, ‘‘ Now after we dance this time, 
then we shall eat heartily,’ they were told. They gave the dance 
songs. 
We shake the mane of this huge buffalo; 
We shake the mane of this huge buffalo; 
We shake the mane of this huge buffalo; 
Here, on this earth of ours 
We shake the mane of this huge buffalo.*! 
40 The sense is: ‘‘ Why isit that lspeak? It is because the white buffalo blessed me.’’ The word ‘dma’- 
neto’mi stands for wmanetd’mi, an old-fashioned word for wk4a’nawin™ in this sense. Ordinarily it would 
mean “‘his mystic power.’”’ Ofcourse analytically wmaneto’mi means “‘ his mystic power.”’ 
41 When the white buffalo was about to bestow his blessing, his mane was shaking. 
