EADiN] RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES BASED ON BLESSINGS 337 



can not find enough people to invite he would take pity on me. 

 This is what I should say, my father told me. In the direction from 

 which the day comes, there where the Nights are, live the night-sol- 

 diers, who blessed my grandfather and who made him try his powers 

 in the middle of the ocean — there where it is deepest. They placed 

 a roimd object of wood before him, and the night-soldiers said that 

 they would not take it away, and that every time my grandfather 

 tried to seize it he would not noiss. ' You have done well, human, 

 you have won,' they said to him. For this reason it was considereil 

 an instrument of war, he told me. If j'ou do yoin utmost in offering 

 tobacco, it will be an instrument of war, he said. 



And he also said the following: "All the plants with which I have 

 been blessed are useful and a person can receive life through them 

 if he takes good care of them. These plants can be very powerful 

 and some of them can even be used in playing jokes, we are told. 

 But we have never used any of them in such a manner, for if we did 

 our plants would surely lose their strength. I have been told that 

 should I frequently use any of my plants for the purpose of playing 

 jokes and then for the purpose of curing a sick person, they would 

 have no power at all. If, however, I never used them in jokes my 

 medicine would always be powerful. Therefore I have never used 

 them in that manner. Nor have I ever poisoned anyone with them. 

 I never considered myself great or used a Night's trick-medicine or 

 used fire, although I was told I could do so. This I never did. 

 When I use one of the plants I like to have it do its work. I am 

 saying this, although I am not a child of the night-blest ones. It 

 is now about time to permit our sisters to get hold of the 'chief 

 sticks' and to permit them to sit here and sing together with us." 



The women are then permitted to take two sticks apiece and sing 

 wherever they are sitting. As soon as the men sing the women 

 join in. 



"This is the way to do, I was told, and that is why I am doing it. 

 Children of the night-blessed ones, who are seated here in this lodge, 

 I send you all greeting." 



When he is through with his starting song he stands up and speaks 

 to them again, as follows: 



"Night-blest ones who are within this lodge, I greet you. I was 

 not invited to take this seat because I was a wise man. I do not 

 for a moment imagine that, but it was done in order to help me 

 obtain life. We will now rise and go forth and we will brush against 

 your faces, but you must take pity on us. Children of the night- 

 blessed ones, I greet you. We will not remain seated here but we will 

 rise and go forth in order to obtain the round stick. That is why I 

 am making this announcement to you. I greet you." 



