Silver] LEGENDS 647 



with mankind." With these words she ran forward, and throwing 

 her arms around him fondly embraced him, saying: "I will share 

 with you your fortune or misfortune, whichever it be, wherever man- 

 kind shall have charge of your welfare and needs, for my grand- 

 mother has appointed me to care for mankind during the time that 

 this earth shall endure. So it shall be that they shall plant us 

 always in one place. So from one place you and I together shall 

 depart when the time during which we shall provide (food) for 

 mankind, as has been appointed for us, shall expire. We must teach 

 them our songs and dances, so that mankind may express their 

 gratitude when they shall gather in their harvests of corn and beans 

 and squashes." 



Continuing, she said to her husband: "We must instruct mankind 

 with care in this matter, so that they shall do the essential things 

 and sing the essential songs of the A'kofiwi"se''V*'' (the ceremony of 

 the Corn dances). The women and the young maidens of both the 

 Father and the Mother side in beginning this ceremony shall stand 

 on their respective sides of the fire, forming in orderly lines with the 

 matrons of their several clans as leaders. One side shall first sing 

 the song which is in order, and then the other side shall sing that 

 song; then they shall sing it alternately, while the several leaders in 

 taking the lead must carry the turtle-shell rattle. It is important 

 that this shall be done in order, and that the rhythm of the songs 

 be not broken. When the song has been sung by both sides then the 

 two lines of women shall encircle the fire and dance around it three 

 times. This shall be done in the case of each song of the 

 A'konwi"se'''. 



"Now, the words of the essential songs are as follows : 



"(a) ' Coming hither I heard them; I heard them sing and dance 

 the A'konwi"se"'.' 



"(&) 'We have now arrived — we who are about to sing and dance 

 the A'konwi"se"'.' 



" (c) 'Among living, growing, unplucked flowers I am walking 

 reverently (silently, slowly).' 



"(f/) ' I am now dancing among living, growing, unplucked flowers 

 (blossoms).' 



"(e) 'We have now returned — w-e who are corn dancers and 

 singers— we who are women.' 



"(/) 'You two cousins,^*' do you now get the bark bowl (for 

 sprouting the seed corn ) . You two cousins, do you now get the bark 

 bowl.' 



"($r) 'Oh! the berries have ripened. Oh! the berries have 

 ripened — on stalk and stem.' 



