BADiN] SYSTEM OF EDUCATION 171 



powers that the creator gave them. So it will be. Earthmaker 

 made it thus. 



My son, you must fast. If you breathe upon sick people," I mean 

 if you are blessed with that kind of power, you will be able to restore 

 people to health. You will be of help to your people. If you can, 

 in addition, draw out the pain from within the body of an individual, 

 you will indeed be a help to your people. They wiU respect you. 

 You will not even have to work for all your necessities, for those 

 whom you treat will cheerfully support you as long as you live. If 

 you should die, your name will be held in great respect and people 

 will frequently talk about you. Ah, that man he had indeed great 

 power ! 



My son, if you are not able to fast,'* try at least to obtain some 

 plants that are powerful. There are people who know the qualities 

 of the different plants, who have been blessed by the spirits with 

 this knowledge. It is pitiable enough that you could obtain nothing 

 through fasting, so ask those that are in possession of these plants at 

 least to have pity upon you. If they have pity upon you, they will 

 bless you with one of the plants they possess, and you will thus have 

 something to help you in life and to encourage you. One plant wiU 

 not be enough. Of all the plants that cover the earth and lie like a 

 fringe of hair upon the body of our grandmother, try and obtain 

 knowledge of these, that you may be strengthened in life. Then 

 you will have reason to feel encouraged. A real medicine man has 

 even more justification for feehng encouraged than an ordinary one, 

 because such a one has been blessed with life by the Water-spirits. 

 If, therefore, you wash to obtain the real powers of curing people, 

 so that you will have the power of making them arise from their 

 sick beds, you must long and patiently wait and labor. If, however, 

 jou obtain the true powers — that is, if you obtain blessings from the 

 Water-spirits — then some day, when your children are in need of 

 medicine, you will not have to go and look for a medicine man, but 

 you will only have to look into your medicine bundle. Whatever 

 trouble yoiu- children have you wiU be able to cm-e it. Should any- 

 thing be the matter with the people of your tribe they will call upon 

 you. You can then open your medicine bxmdle and the individual 

 who is wanting in life wiU be benefited from the stock of medicines 



" Sickness is due to the presence of some object within the body. Illness can therefore only be cured if 

 this object is extracted. This is generally accompUshed by the shaman sucking it out through a bone 

 tube. Among the Winnebago the shaman before applying the tube squirts some water upon the afflicted 

 person and breatbe.s upon him. This is what the "breathing'" refers to. 



" Not everyone who fasts is blessed with power. For those who are thus unable to obtain blessings 

 directly from the spirits there is only one method of protection against evils left— the purchase of plants 

 with magical properties from those who have been blessed with them. These can be obtained by any 

 individual no matter how unsuccessful he has been in obtaining blessings through personal fasting. .\11 

 that is needed is sufficient riches for purchasing them. Of course it goes without saying that those who 

 have been blessed with power may and do also provide themselves with these medicines. 



