88 THE OSAGE TRIBE [eth. ann.43 



fringe along the entire edge. (Fig. 6.) The story of its adoption 

 is best told in the wi'-gi-e of the gens, a paraphrase of which is here 

 given : 



THE Wl'-Gl-E 



The Ho°'-ga, a people who possess seven fireplaces, spake to one another. 



Saying: O, younger brothers. 



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



Then to the Ho°'-ga A-hiu-to" (Winged Ho°'-ga) they spake, 



Saying: O, elder brother! and stood in mute appeal. 



In quick response the Winged Ho°'-ga set forth in haste 



To a deep and miry marsh, 



To the Little Rock who sitteth firmly upon the earth. 



Close to the Little Rock he stood and spake, 



Saying: O, Grandfather! 



Our little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies. 



The Little Rock spake in quick response: 



I am a person of whom the little ones may well make their bodies. 



Thereupon the Winged Ho'''-ga hastened back to his brothers to whom he spake. 



Saying: O, younger brothers, a Little Rock sits yonder. 



Then, with heads bent thitherward. 



The younger brothers set forth in haste 



To the Little Rock who sitteth firmly upon the earth, in the marsh. 



Around him they gathered, close to him they stood as they spake 



To the Little Rock sitting with algae floating about him, like locks of hair blow- 

 ing in the wind. (Fig. 6.) 



0, Grandfather! they said to him. 



Our little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies. 



The Little Rock made reply: 



I am a person who is difficult to be overcome by death. 



When your little ones make of me their bodies, 



They shaU always be difficult to overcome by death. 



Behold the locks that float about the edges of my head. 



When the little ones reach old age. 



Their locks shall float about the edges of their heads. 



The Little ones shall always live to see their locks grown scant with age. 



The younger brothers spake, saying: Close to the God of Day who sitteth in 

 the heavens. 



We shaU place the Little Rock.' 



When our little ones make of the Little Rock their bodies. 



Of the God of Day also 



Our little ones shall make their bodies. 



The four days, 



The four great divisions of the days (the four stages of life) , 



The little ones shall always reach and enter. 



They shall always live to see old age. 



This style of hair cut is called ko^'-ha-u-thi-stse (ko°'-ha, along 

 the edge; u-thi-stse, a line left uncut), meaning an unbroken line of 

 hair left uncut along the entire edge. 



' The Little Rock of the marsh is spoken of as the Oentle Rock because it is a special life symbol of the 

 people for whom there must always be peace and happiness. .\s a memorial of the finding of the Little 

 Rock of the marsh the members of the Ho^'-ga gens in cutting the hair of their little ones leave a fringe 

 around t he entire edge. 



