BADiN] RELIGION 309 



they would say, "Now then, grandson, this we did to teach you. 

 Thus you shall act. You have completed your fasting." Thus they 

 would talk to me, I was told. Tliis war-party was composed entirely 

 of spirits, I was told, spirits from the heavens and from the earth; 

 indeed, all the spirits that exist would be there. These would all 

 bless me. They also told me that it would be a very difficult thing 

 to accomphsh this particular fasting. 



So there I fasted, at the black hawk's nest where a lodge had been 

 built for me. The first night I stayed there I wondered when things 

 would happen; but nothing took place. The second night, rather 

 late in the night, 'my father came and opened the war-bundle and 

 taking a gourd out, began to sing. I stood beside him without any 

 clothing on me except the breech-clout, and holding tobacco in each 

 hand I uttered my cry to the spirits as my father sang. He sang 

 war-bundle songs and he wept as he sang. I also wept as I uttered 

 my cry to the spirits. Wlien he was finished he told me some sacred 

 stories, and then went home. 



When I found myself alone I began to think that something ought 

 to happen to me soon, yet nothing occurred, so I had to pass another 

 day there. On the third night I was still there. My father visited 

 me again and we repeated what we had done the night before. In 

 the morning, just before simrise, I uttered my cry to the spirits. 

 The fourth night found me still there. Again my father came and 

 we did the same thuigs, but in spite of it all, I experienced nothing 

 unusual. Soon another day dawned upon us. That morning I 

 told my elder brother that I had been blessed by spirits and that I 

 was going home to eat. However, I was not telling the truth. I 

 was hungry and I also knew that on the following night we were 

 going to have a feast and that I would have to utter my cry to the 

 spirits again. I dreaded that. So I went home. When I got there 

 I told my people the story I had told my brother; that I had been 

 blessed and that the spirits had told me to eat. I was not speaking 

 the truth, yet they gave me the food that is carefully prepared for 

 those who have been blessed. Just then my older brother came 

 home and they objected to his return, for he had not been blessed. 

 However, he took some food and ate it. 



That night we gave our feast. There, however, our pride received 

 a fall, for although it was supposedly given in our honor, we were 

 placed on one side (of the main participants). After the kettles of 

 food had been put on twice, it became daylight. 



HOW A MAN DEFIED DISEASE-GIVER 



Once a man said, "Why do you always make offerings and feasts 

 to the Disease-giver? What benefit has he ever been to you that 

 you do it ? If I were ever to see him, I would kick him off the earth. 

 The onlv thing he can give vou is disease." 



