MICHELSON.] INTRODUCTION, 5038 
mystic word né“te!* (approximately ‘‘so be it’”’) are universal among 
such Fox festivals. Be it noted that even in burial ceremonies there 
is a prayer for much the same objects as in the present ceremony: 
see Michelson, Notes on Fox Mortuary Customs and Beliefs, in this 
volume. Note, too, that the actual phraseology of the speech at the 
end of the ceremony—just before the ceremonial attendant is told 
to throw away the bones—is quite like that which may occur at 
burial: see pages 381, 396, and 533 of this volume. And feathers 
are placed on a ridge of earth in the Green Buffalo dance, according 
to Alfred Kiyana. Also, dancing outside the lodge at the east end at 
the close of the fourth dance occurs in the White Buffalo dance. 
Obviously, then, the Foxes have a definite pattern for gens festivals 
and other religious rites; and this ceremony has been made to con- 
form to it with other additions in consonance with the general Fox 
scheme of things. It may be added that several of the songs in this 
ceremony occur also among the Sauk of Oklahoma in a different 
ceremony. 
Up to this point I have not taken into consideration accounts of 
two other sacred packs by the same informant (Sam Peters), one 
formerly owned by his father and now in the Museum of the American 
Indian, and the other owned by Pya’twiya and formerly kept at 
Tetepash’s place. The first contains the elements already mentioned, 
makes the point that the eating is not merely for the sake of eating, 
and there is a speech of dismissal as in this volume. Thus it does not 
stand in any particular relation to the ceremony of this volume. 
Such, however, is not the case with the account of the second pack. 
Granting the account is truthful—and I see no reason to doubt it, 
though I have but little material to check it definitely—there can 
be no doubt whatever that there is a close genetic connection between 
the ceremony described in the present volume and the one appurte- 
nant to Pyitwiya’s pack. For not only do they agree in the gen- 
eralities spoken of above, but also in specific and numerous details. 
Thus, for example, the blessing by an old man during sleep, the 
promise of rebirth when the earth is made anew, the caution not to 
think lightly of the ceremony, the address to the Spirit of Fire, dogs 
to take the messages, the ridge of earth with four feathers represent- 
ing spirits, the prayers for freedom from disease, benefits accruing to 
the men who handle the sacred pack, prayer for long life and not to 
stand around shamefacedly when there is war, prayer for victory 
over the enemy, blowing the flutes before dances, dancing outside at 
the close of the fourth dance. As this performance also belongs to 
the Thunder (more accurately, Feathered) gens and is at the same 
time a kind of buffalo dance, the question of the molding being due 
to which ceremony, is not readily answered until we have fuller data. 
