MICHELSON, ] ORIGIN OF THE WHITE BUFFALO DANCE. 125 
Four were hanging together. When they were rattled, it sounded 
very good to the Indians who were sitting there. And then a drum 
was being filled up for him. Then they began singing. First they 
used only the gourds. They loved to hear them. They loved to 
hear them very much. Some of the Indians were made to feel sad. 
Then after they had sung he beat a drum. And they loved very 
much‘more to hear the singers when the drum and gourds were the 
accompaniments. ‘They sounded very nicely. 
And then it is said when the dance was given them, they could not 
keep themselves from dancing; and those who were to dance liked to 
see each other. Moreover, after they had danced they ate some sweet 
foods. And they craved very much for the sweet things. And it is 
said they likewise ate squashes, and also they liked the taste exceed- 
ingly. Besides that, during this time they heard with pleasure those 
who were singing. The singers themselves also loved to hear them- 
selves. Their desire was to have a big bass voice. They were having 
a contest as to which one could reach the lowest bass voice. “‘ Try to 
lead a song,” it is said they were told. And it is said they were far 
from knowing how to sing correctly. 
Then it is said he began a speech. He made them feel very sadly 
by what he said. They were told to be thinking about the manitou. 
“That is the way you must think. For we are not singing sportively 
here, we are wailing together over our lives. ‘O, that the manitou 
would hear us!’ is what we are thinking. If he hears us, it would be 
well with us, although this is the first time we worship him. Verily, 
I do not know if he will hear us soon. 
“This is the way we shall continue to worship him in the future. 
As you see us now, just so you will see us in the future. You will not 
see us doing anything different; this will always be the same way. 
And these songs shall be the same ones which will continually be the 
songs far off in future. Not only within a short time will they be 
sung. That is the way the manitou thought of me, you can see this. 
“Or probably someone thinks of me, ‘I suppose he made that him- 
~self.’ I did not make it myself. The manitou himself personally 
gave this to me, which you now see. I did not make it myself. Oh, 
also in regard to these songs. I did not think the way we are to 
arrange them. That was the way the manitou planned for us that it 
should be arranged. So we must always continue to arrange them 
well just like this. You are to think very carefully of these songs. 
Do not think of changing their arrangement. The way you hear me 
now, is the way you will continue to sing. For later, all of you will 
know how to sing. You will not be ignorant in singing them as you 
