40 THE OSAGE TRIBE 



[eTH. ANN. 43 



which has power to help the Httle ones to reach old age. These are 

 the Fish people. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 98, 

 lines 1 to 35.) 



Wa-zha'-zhe gka: Fee, with a mussel shell. The mussel is the 

 life symbol of this gens. The members of the gens will recite their 

 wi'-gi-e relating to the power of the mussel to resist death, and to 

 its consent to aid the little ones to reach old age. The Wa-zha'-zhe 

 gka are a water people. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., 

 p. 94, lines 1 to 29.) 



Ta I-ni-ka-shi-ga, the Deer People: Only a fee is sent to them. 

 The members will recite their Wa-dsu'-ta I-hi-tho°-be Wi'-gi-e, 

 which tells of the various places of the earth where the deer will 

 reveal themselves to the little ones to give them help to reach old 

 age. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 97, lines 44 to 103.) 



When the Sho'-ka had delivered the last fee every No'"-ho°-zhi°-ga 

 who knows his wi'-gi-e begins to recite it in a loud voice. None of the 

 wi'-gi-es are alike and none of the members of a gens recite in unison, 

 consequently there would be a volume of sounds most bewildering 

 to the uninitiated. 



Zha'-zhe Ki-to'^ Wi'-gi-e 



The wi'-gi-e recited by the members of the I''-gtho'"-ga gens at 

 this time is c«,lled Zha'-zhe Ki-to° Wi'-gi-e, freely translated, the 

 Name Wi'-gi-e. It is in three parts. The first, which includes sections 

 1 to 8, is called Zha'-zhe Ki-to°, the taking of names; the second, 

 which includes sections 9 and 10, is called U'-no° U-tha-ge, the 

 telling of the means by which to reach old age; the third, which 

 includes sections 11 and 12, is called U'-no"-bthe U-gi-dse, the story 

 of the search for the life-giving foods. 



NAME-TAKING Wl'-GI-E 



(free translation) 



1 



1. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, 



2. The Ho^'-ga, a people who possess seven fireplaces, 



3. Spake to one another, saying: 0, younger brothei's, 



4. The little ones have become persons, 



5. Should not the little ones go below to become a people? they 



said to one another. 



6. Then, at that very time, 



7. They said: There are four great gods 



8. To whom we shall appeal for aid. 



9. Verily at that time, 



10. They spake to the god of day (the sun) saying: 



