BAciN] SO(^IAL ORGANIZATION SPECIFIC CLANS 215 



One day the oldest of the brothers lay down and did not rise again, 

 and he did not breathe and he became cold. "What is the matter 

 with our oldest brother?" the three others said. Four days they 

 waited for him, but still he did not arise. So the second brother was 

 asked by his youngest brother what the trouble was: but he d^d not 

 know anything about it and told him to ask his third brother; but 

 this one did not know either. Then the two older brothers asked the 

 youngest one, but he did not know either. Then they began to 

 mourn for him, not knowing what to do or think. They fasted and 

 blackened their faces, as we do now when we are in mournincr. They 

 made a platform and laid him on it. When the snow fell knee-deep 

 the three brothers filled their pipe and went toward the place of the 

 coming of daylight— the east. There they came to the first being 

 that Earthmaker had placed in the east, the Island-weight, as he was 

 called. They came to him weeping and went into his tent, turning 

 the stem of the pipe in his mouth. They said, "Grandfather, our 

 brother Kunuga has fallen and is not able to rise again. Earthmaker 

 made you great and endowed you with all knowledge, and thus you 

 know all things." He answered and said, "My dear grandsons, I am 

 sorry, but I do not know anything about it; but as you have started 

 to find out I would refer you to the one ahead of me (the north). 

 Perhaps he can tell you."^ 



So, weeping, they started for the next one. When they got 

 there and told him their troubles, he told them he could not 

 help them; "but," he said, "perhaps the one ahead of me 

 knows." So they started for the third one (the west), but from him 

 likewise they could learn nothing. He also referred them to the one 

 ahead (the south). When they reached the fourth and last one, they 

 entered the lodge, and behold there sat the three to whom the_y had 

 gone before. Here they asked the last one for help, and not only 

 he but the other three also answered them: "Grandsons, thus Earth- 

 maker has willed it. Your brother will not rise again. He will be 

 with you no more in this world, and as long as this world lasts so will 

 it be with human beings. Whenever one reaches the age of death 

 one shall die, and those that wish to live long will have to attain 

 that age by good actions. Thus they will live long. Into your 

 bodies Earthmaker has placed part of himself. That will return to 

 him if you do the proper things. This world will come to an end 

 sometime. Your brother shall keep a village in the west for all the 

 souls of your clan, and there he shall be in full charge of all of you, 

 and when this world is ended vour brother shall take all the souls 

 back to Earthmaker — at least all those who have acted properly. 

 Thus it is. Now you may go home and bury your brother in the 

 proper manner." The Thunder people thanked the four spirits and 

 left the tent. When they got home they took their brother's body, 



