Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 197 



both versions, First Creator — the coyote — assisted in freeing the 

 animals. In the Grandson version he returned to the sky when his 

 efforts failed. He warned the people that, although he did many 

 things for them and founded the Stone Hammer society while on 

 earth, should they make offerings to him or pray to him, they would 

 be unsuccessful. In the Sun version, the animals merely became 

 hungry and refused to stay imprisoned in the butte. Both versions 

 have widespread distribution among the Hidatsa but the Grandson 

 version seems to have wider distribution since it is the only version 

 I was able to record for the Mandan. In the Mandan version, 

 however, there is no reference to the founding of the Stone Hammer 

 society nor is there the prohibition of praying to Grandson. 



The concept of age-grading runs through the dog myths in spite 

 of the fact that the supernatural dogs founding the society were 

 brothers. This is not unusual, for the Hidatsa distinguish age 

 even in twins; the first born being older brother or sister depending 

 on the sex. The psychological relationships between the various 

 dog societies are based on common parents and are expressed by 

 numerous common sjrmbols, particularly dress and ornaments. 

 Maximilian stated that Mandan informants said the Crazy Dogs 

 were higher up in the series formerly, but this seems to be based 

 on an interpretation of the myth rather than actual memory of their 

 former higher place in the series. 



We find in the myth the native beliefs about the Dog societies. 

 The Crazy Dogs bring bad luck and insanity to those who get lost 

 near Dog Den; the Little Dogs are an abbreviation of their full name 

 of "Little-Dogs- Whose-Names-Are-Unknown" because in the myth 

 only the two oldest dogs and the youngest male dog were named; 

 the Dogs were brave and could not retreat; and finally the Old Dogs 

 were the bravest of all and painted their bodies white to represent 

 their father, White Dog. 



The Dog society was popular in all of the Mandan and Hidatsa 

 villages and continued so until the aboriginal culture broke down. 

 The Old Dog society was less popular in the Hidatsa villages than with 

 the Mandan. Maximilian does not list an Old Dog society for the 

 Hidatsa- — ^unless the society Waschu^kke-Achke, meaning Dog society 

 but which he translates as "Old Dog," should be so considered. 

 The Old Dog societies died out at the Mandan villages after the 

 smallpox epidemic of 1837 and must have been even less popular 

 with the Hidatsa for, in spite of native traditions, I could find no 

 knowledge of the society either at Hidatsa or Awaxawi prior to 1837 

 although it was reported to be an important society at Awatixa. 

 This is not unusual in view of the other cultural similarities between 

 this village group and the Mandan. 



710-195—65—14 



