340 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [eth. ann. 37 



"Councilors, life-obtainers, I greet jou. You who sit in tiie 

 first seat, you who sit in the north, and you who sit in the west, I 

 greet. Children of the night-blessed ones who are seated within 

 this lodge, I greet you all. It is good that to-night you have tried 

 to imitate your grandfathers, that you have tried to take the place 

 of the spirits. You have said enough with which to obtain life. 

 But I am more unfortunate. I can never do what my ancestors 

 did or say what they said, and for that reason I suppose my talk 

 will be quite wortliless. I was told that if at any time I should be 

 pitied, not to talk foolishly about this ceremony. If I am a bad man 

 I will act foolishly in this affair, I was told. 



" My grandfather was blessed by those whom we call the night- 

 soldiei-s, who blessed him with certain utterances. As many black- 

 birds as there are, that many appeared to him as Night Spirits. 

 Our utterances will be an imitation of those he received when he 

 was blessed. We can only guess at these. 



" We were told that when we hold the mediators we will be strength- 

 ened by them. Night-blessed spirits vvlio are seated here, I greet 



you." 



Then he began the starting songs, and when these were finished 



he rose and spoke again. 



"Councilors, life-obtainers, I greet your seats. You who sit in 

 the east, you who sit in the north, and you who sit in the west, I 

 greet you all. Children of the night-blessed ones, I greet you. Tliose 

 whom we call night-soldiers treated their sisters' as holy and placed 

 them in front. In imitation of these soldiers we will now put our 

 sisters in front, so that we may be strengthened thereby. I wish 

 to announce that we now place the women at the head of our pro- 

 cession. Let us all come together, so that we may be strengthened. 

 That is our desire and that is what we are pleading for. I greet you." 



When they are ready to begin the dancing songs all rise and form 

 in line, having the women lead them. Then the men with the gourds, 

 their backs turned to the women, follow, then the drummers. Then 

 all those join who feel so inclined. When they have finished all the 

 songs they intend to use they bring back the drum, gourd, etc., to 

 the middle of the lodge and stop dancing. Then they return to their 

 seats and then the leader rises and says: 



"Councilors, relatives who are seated here, I greet you. You 

 who are seated in the first seat, you who sit in the north, and you 

 who sit in the west, night-blest ones who are within this lodge, I 

 gi-eet you all. Whenever a night-blessed child holds councU, when he 

 is in^^ted to a feast and is given the position at the end of the road, 

 the intention of the feast-giver is to enable him to obtain life. So 

 they told me, and that is what they meant. Most assuredly have 

 they caused me to think of life. When I hold the mediators in my 



