060 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS (kth. anx.32 



which Ke intended that mankind should support their prayers to 

 Him, no matter to what object of His creation they wished to direct 

 their appeals.' So, now, you Bears, who move from place to place 

 in the forest, and all with whom you are united in bonds of mutual 

 aid, we ask j-ou to assist in bringing about such conditions that we 

 shall think in peace, and that those who are being called away by 

 death may recover health and contentment of mind. 



"Now the drink of berry juices has been prepared and sweetened 

 with maple sugar — the drink which you Bears so highly prize; and 

 now mankind are about to assume your bodily forms, and they will 

 then touch you in making their appeals to you. Then one shall cast 

 native tobacco on the fire, at the same time saying, ' Now, be it known 

 that there shall begin the ceremony which is of you. Bears.' Then 

 the people shall be exsufflated *"'^ by the masters of ceremony; and 

 the people shall take a drink of the berry beverage, and in taking it 

 each person shall say, ' I give thanks unto you severally, you Bears.' 

 This is all that is necessary to be done. Then, verily, the duty de- 

 volves upon us to give aid to mankind. But when we are engaged 

 in giving the aid we shall not be seen by mankind. Moreover, this 

 shall be done. You must take back with you the songs which we are 

 accustomed to use when we wish to enjoy ourselves in our dances." 



Thereupon, the strange man began to sing the songs, and these 

 songs the child learned and brought back with him to his own lodge. 

 In the songs the singer employs these words : " No matter what a 

 human being may desire to do this shall accomplish his desire." " I 

 know all the virtues of the things that gi'ow on plants on the earth." 

 These are the words of the songs which the child heard the strange 

 man sing to him. 



This is what took place in the lodge from which the child was 

 stolen when the mother of the child awoke from her sleep. Finding 

 that the boy was missing, she hunted for him everywhere. Wlien the 

 men returned from hunting they at once joined the mother in search- 

 ing for the lost boy, but they failed to find him. They sought for 

 him even to the banks of a river which flowed at some distance from 

 the lodge; they even sought for the tracks of the boy on both sides 

 of the river. Then, boarding canoes, they went up and down the 

 river to learn if possible whether the child had been drowned or 

 not, but they were unable to find any trace of him in the water. 

 Next they turned their attention to the neighboring forest, which 

 they thoroughly searched, but they did not find him. 



By this time they were much troubled in mind because of the child 

 who was lost, indeed. Then the father of the child went out to 

 hunt, and when he returned he said to his wife : " It is, perhaps, the 

 proper thing for us to prepare a ' reunion ' feast ; for it seems true 

 that our child has perished." Thereupon the mother set to work 



