112 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BuU. 194 



the other advised because he was the older and therefore would under- 

 stand such things better — actually, the difference in age between them 

 was at most not more than 3 months. 



An older brother would advise his younger brother in competitive 

 contests or in hunting small game and take an active interest in the 

 things he was doing. If the older one had been away to war and had 

 won honors, he would relate his experiences and encourage the younger 

 man to follow his ways. If the difference in age was not great, they 

 would play together, hunt together, chase girls together, and fast 

 together in the same ceremonies or at the same places away from the 

 village. They would assist each other in putting up goods to hear the 

 sacred myths or ask the mother to help them with feasts to their 

 "fathers" who were to pray for them to be successful in war expeditions. 



Older brothers already established in the ceremonies would help the 

 younger ones in their ambitions to secure a good wife, honors in war, 

 and rights in ceremonies and age-grade societies. In fact, a younger 

 brother not making suitable progress was severely criticized by older 

 brothers. It was the most distinguished older brother's right to 

 discipline those not showing special interest in warfare and rituahstic 

 activities. An older brother rarely punished a younger one unless the 

 other clan members of the household demanded it. Finding a group 

 of boys abusing a girl, he would feel obliged to whip and cuff the young 

 boys of his own clan and related households at once and see that the 

 girl got back to her lodge without further trouble. Having once 

 punished his own brothers, the girl's brothers could not punish them 

 again. Learning of the attack, "older brothers" of the other boys 

 involved in the attack would hasten to punish their relatives to avoid 

 having their property cut up and their horses shot by the girl's relatives. 

 Boys caught steaUng were also punished by whipping or ducking in the 

 river to avoid ridicule and retahation. Older brothers, being around 

 more with their younger ones, were expected to keep an eye on them 

 to keep them out of trouble and to avoid situations requiring the inter- 

 vention of the Black Mouth society. 



Inquiry among the older Hidatsas revealed that only a few had ever 

 been whipped or ducked by an older brother but all had been scolded 

 at one time or another. Those who had been both ducked and scolded 

 thought that the scolding was the more severe punishment, for in- 

 variably it was done in public or word of it got around. In any event, 

 it was not held against an older brother afterwards since there were so 

 many situations when he could and did offer assistance. They would 

 assist each other in progressing through the age-grade societies and if 

 their age differences were not very great they often bought societies 

 simultaneously. They would have feasts prepared to show honor 



