60 THE OSAGE TRIBE [eth. ann.43 



of the father, at sunrise the next morning, to take part in the cere- 

 monies of naming his child: 



1. Wa'-tse-tsi, of the Wa-zha'-zhe subdivision, to recite tlieir 

 wi'-gi-e relating to their life symbol, the red cedar. (36th Ann. 

 Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 95, lines 1 to 34.) 



2. No°'-po°-da, Deer gens, of the Wa-zha'-zhe subdivision, to 

 recite their wi'-gi-e relating to one of their life symbols, the water. 

 (36th Arm. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 98, lines 1 to 25.) 



3. I'-ba-tse Ta-dse, Wuad People, of the Ho°'-ga subdivision, 

 to recite their wi'-gi-e relating to one of their life symbols, the maize. 



4. Tho'-xe, Buffalo-bull gens of the Tsi-zhu great division, to 

 recite their wi'-gi-e relating to the maize. Tho'-xe is the gens that 

 gave to the people the maize and the squashes. (36th Ann. Rept. 

 Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 279, lines 54 to 110.) The Tho'-xe authorized 

 the I'-ba-tse and certain other gentes to use the Maize ritual in their 

 child-naming ceremonies. 



5. Ci^'-dse-a-gthe, Wolf gens of the Tsi'-zhu great division, to 

 recite their wi'-gi-e relating to their life symbol, the sun. The Dog- 

 star is also one of their life symbols. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. 

 Ethn., p. 118, Imes 1 to 36.) 



Wa-zho'-i-ga-the (Life Symbol) Wi'-gi-e 



The Sho'-ka returns to the house of the father and reports that he 

 has given notice to all the gentes named to attend the ceremony. 

 Then Sho^'-ge-mo^-i" proceeds to recite the Wa-zho'-i-ga-the Wi'- 

 gi-e of his gens, a name which means. The Taking of Bodies; that is. 

 The Taking of Life Symbols. The reciting of this wi'-gi-e is for the 

 benefit of the father and the child. 



THE TAKING OF LIFE SYMBOLS. 

 FREE TRANSLATION 



1 



1. The people spake to one another, saying: Lo, the little ones 



have nothing of which to make their bodies, 



2. Take heed, O, younger brothers, and see what can be done. 



3. Then to the youngest of the brothers they spake, saying: 



4. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies, O, 



younger brother. 



5. Hardly were these words spoken, 



6. Wlien the young messenger stood before the God of Day (the 



sun), to whom he spake, saying: 



7. O, my grandfather! 



8. The God of Day repHed: My grandchild! 



9. The messenger spake: The little ones have nothing of which to 



make their bodies, 0, grandfather. 



