MICHELSON.] WIDOWS UNRELEASED FROM DEATH-CEREMONY. 487 
fetch it to you. After he fetches it to you you will summon your 
man (i. e., a man of your gens). After he comes you will tell him 
what you think. ‘This is what I thought while I saw this sweet 
(food). “Now I will begin to eat,’ I thought. That I might 
dedicate it to these snakes, is why I summoned you.’ That is what 
you must tell him. Now after you have done that you may begin 
to eat strawberries for the first time. And this. When corn and 
beans are ripe, at that time you shall again do the very same thing. 
If you have done this you may freely begin to eat anything. That, 
indeed, is what you are to do. 
“And this. Do not touch horses. And this. Do not enter the 
dwellings of another. , And do not look at a fellow-being if he (she) 
comes and enters (your dwelling), as long as (your husband) is not 
released (by an adoption-feast being held). 
“Well, this is what you are to do. If you believe me, if you are 
careful, in four years, after you have been released (from death- 
ceremonies), if you have not spoken (in a courting, flirtatious manner) 
to any one in four years from then, if you are fond of your husband, 
if you can do (this) for so long, you will not have a hard time. If 
you think, ‘I shall get it,’ you will get every little thing. You will be 
in need of nothing. He, your husband, will wish you to continue to 
be able to get anything. It will really be as if you have a man. 
Your life (i. e., health) will be even better as long as you live. If you 
do not speak to anyone (in a courting or flirtatious manner), you will 
truly reach the span of life (allotted you). 
“Our life is really hard. We do not know when, (but) at some time 
ourlife is cut off at daylight. If you do truly (what has been told) 
then you will reach the span of life (allotted you). Moreover, the 
manitou who plans everything we do will also arrange things pleas- 
antly for you. That truly is what people say to each other. 
“Tf, however, you do not believe this, before the fourth year is up, 
if you do anything before that time, you will injure your own body.' 
You will be wretched. You will not have anything. You will 
barely get anything. That is why I tell you what todo. For a long 
time you may think, ‘what, pray, am I to do,’ though they may set 
you free (by holding an adoption-feast) soon. But for four years you 
will be partially restricted.” 
“And this. If you are told anything (like this), ‘in the fourth 
year you must marry this fellow,’ if you are told that, you must do 
so. Now, if they try to get you to marry an eight year old (boy), 
you must take him as your husband; or (if they try tc get you to 
marry a man), say fifty years old, the same applies. They (your 
parents-in-law) still control you. If the (dead) man has a younger 
1 Free translation. 2 Not translated literally. 
