50 THE OSAGE TRIBE 



[ETH. ANN. 43 



To the I°-g;tho'''-ga do-ga, (male puma), 



With whom he stood face to face and spake, 



Saying: The little ones have nothing to use as a symbol of courage, O, grajid- 



father. 

 The Male puma replied: I am a person whom the little ones may use as a symbol 



of courage. 

 The brothers spake in low tones. 

 Saying: He is a puma, O, younger brothers, 

 Let us take personal names from him; 

 I''-gtho°'-ga-to''-ga, the Great-puma, 

 Shall be our name, O, younger brothers; 

 I"-gtho"'-ga-zhi°-ga, the Young-piuua, 

 Shall be our names, as we travel the path of life. 



The Ho"'-ga Wa'-tse-ga-wa, Radiant-star, 



Went forth with hurried footsteps, 



To the Wa-9a'-be, the Black-bear that is without blemish, 



Who stood as in a flame of fire. 



The Radiant-star spake to him, saying: The little ones have nothing to use as a 

 symbol of their courage. 



Wa-ga'-be replied: I am a person whom the little ones may use as a symbol of 

 their courage. 



The brothers spake to one another, saying: He is a black bear! 



He is very dark in color! 



Let us take from him personal names. 



Sha'-be-tsi-gthe, the Dark -one. 



Shall be our name henceforth, as we travel the path of life. 



You have found the Dark-one, O, younger brothers, 



Sha'-be-i-the, Finder-of-the-dark-one, 



Shall be our name, henceforth, as we travel the path of life. 



Look you, O, younger brothers, they said to one another, 



The little ones have nothing to use as a svmbol of courage. 



Then they went forth in a body to an open prairie, 



Where sat Mi'-.xa-{ka, the Great-white-swan. 



Face to face they stood with him and spake. 



Saying: The little ones have nothing to use as a symbol of courage, O, grand- 

 father. 



The brothers spake in low tones, saying: O, younger brothers, 



We shall take from him personal names. 



How white he is! the younger ones exclaimed. 



He is a bird, 



A white swan. 



Mi'-xa-fka, the White-swan, 



Shall be our name, O, younger brothers. 



How white he is! they again exclaimed, 



Wa-zhi-'-gka, the White-bird, shall also 



Be our name, O, younger brothers. 



— (.36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 194-195, lines 1063 to 

 1115.) 



Earth names mentioned in the origin wi'-gi-e given by Wa-tse'- 

 mo°-i". 



