536 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE • [eth. ann. 37 



the ones who will be the victors. It is said of you that even if a 

 prayer be offered to you in silence, along with the tobacco, you will 

 hear it. Here we offer you tobacco, deer for food, and buckskin 

 for moccasins. This, grandfather, is our prayer and our offering. 



"To you, grandmother, the Moon, do we offer tobacco. We 

 desire to have victory in battle. The ])lessmgs you bestowed upon 

 our grandfather, Kills- Withui-Lodge, when you blessed htm with the 

 powers of a warrior, those give to us now. The blessings that were 

 not fulfilled by hun (that is, all those blessmgs that death prevented 

 hun from using) we ask that they may be fulfilled by us. Tobacco 

 and deer for food and buckskm, all these we offer to you. Here it is. 

 Here it is. 



"To you, Moniuig Star, do we offer tobacco. Wlien my grand- 

 father was blessed with your power, while he was making his war 

 bundle, he was to give you tobacco for smokmg and food at mid- 

 night. That is what we are trying to do, although we are lackmg 

 in all the essentials necessary for success. However, we wish to be 

 prepared m times of trouble aiul that is why we ask, grandfather, 

 that we be blessed with life. A kettle with tobacco, enough buck- 

 skui for moccasms, and tobacco we offer to you. 



"To you, grandmother, the Earth, do we offer tobacco also. We 

 pray for victory m war and for all the medicmes that are necessary 

 to obtam it, so that we may buid ourselves with medicine; that we 

 may use the flowers of the earth for paint — -all that is red and all 

 that is blue — this we ask of you. Should there ])e anything better, 

 we ask that you arrange it so that we obtain it. Tobacco and com 

 for food do we offer to you, and should you need more tobacco we 

 will send it along. Here it is. 



"To you, Eagle Chief, you who blessed our grandfather with power 

 to conquer m war while he was makuig his bundle of spirit-power, 

 do we offer tobacco. For all that he told us to retam and which 

 he said was powerful in the bundle, I am makmg this feast. I am 

 trying to-night to make a feast in honor of the spirits. To you and 

 to the hawk I offer this kettle." 



All the kettles which are to be used at this feast have by this time 

 been put on. The nephews act as attendants and place the kettles 

 on the fireplaces. Those spirits for whom no kettles are placed on 

 the fire receive tobacco as an offering. After the host has offered 

 tobacco to these latter spu'its, he returns to his place and sits down. 

 Then the war-bundle owners to whom tobacco had been given get 

 up m turn and with one hand pour tobacco into the fire and with 

 tlie other upon the war bundle. The host then rises and speaks as 

 follows : 



"Sons of war, and you who stand in the footsteps of the spirits, all 

 you who are in this lodge, I greet you. We are boiling hot water for 



