356 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 194 



Black Shield to draw an image of an enemy on the bottom of the sweat lodge pit. 

 When the first stone was placed in the pit, each man struck the stone as though 

 it were an enemy. Each of the first four stones was struck in that manner. Then 

 the waiter carried in the remaining stones, the bearskin, and the bufifalo skull. 

 Old-Woman-CrawHng dipped sweetgrass in water from a wooden bowl and 

 sprinkled the bearskin and buffalo skull. All those, including even little children 

 who did not go into the sweat lodge, came to the sweat lodge entrance and were 

 sprinkled. 



Before water was added to the hot rocks, Old Mouse, who was to fast in the 

 sweat lodge, asked two men of his father's clan to put thongs through his wrists 

 and both sides of his chest so that he could be hung above the heated rocks in the 

 sweat lodge. He came to the door of the sweat lodge and said, "There are 

 many bears and other gods gathered here. I asked Black Shield, when he was 

 getting up this ceremony, for permission to heat the rocks because I wanted to be 

 pierced. I am poor. I want to do this so some god may take pity on me and 

 send me good luck." 



The sweat lodge was large and Old Mouse had put up extra posts strong enough 

 to hold him. When he was fasting at the posts, Old- Woman-Crawling said, 

 "It is the rule that we must pour 20 buffalo horns full of water on the stones. 

 But I do not think Old Mouse can stand that much heat. When it is hot enough, 

 anyone can call, 'That is 20 alreadyl' I will sing the four Bear sweat lodge songs. 

 There are four of them. When I sing the fourth song, you will all seize the sweat 

 lodge frame and shake it like bears shaking plum bushes to get the fruit." 



He poured two horns full of water onto the hot stones. The men called, "That 

 is 20 already," and Old- Woman-Crawling called to the waiter to lift up the cover. 



They found Old Mouse hanging there unconscious; he appeared to be dead. 

 First Creator impersonator poured water on him. Old Mouse regained conscious- 

 ness and was sent home. Afterward Old Mouse said that while he was lying 

 there he saw the bearskin in its place at the head of the lodge and thought this 

 ample reward for his efforts. Afterward he killed two enemies, stole some very 

 good spotted horses, and lived a better life. The sweat lodge rites completed the 

 ceremony. Black Shield got all the things which his manager had provided for him. 



Some Bear bundles included the Sacred Arrows while others did 

 not. Buyers whose fathers held these dual bundles could buy either 

 the Bear or the Sacred Arrow portions of the bundle or both, depend- 

 ing on the nature of the vision instructions. Likewise, purchase 

 could be made separately or at the same time. If complete purchase 

 was made with one ceremony, two clan fathers were selected, one to 

 secure the articles for the Bear bundle and the other to provide the 

 Sacred Arrows. There was one principal tribal Sacred Arrow bundle 

 kept, formerly, at Awatixa village. It was kept in the Porcupine 

 Head household, Frosty Mouth having the principal rights in this 

 bundle at this time and passing it on to Robert Lincoln who was 

 living when this study was made. The bundle had its traditional 

 origin with the sacred rites at Old-Woman-Who-Never-Dies' lodge 

 at Short Missouri and did not include Bear bundle rights. Distinctive 

 songs and rituals were employed whenever individuals bought from 

 their fathers or whenever Sacred Arrows were to be incorporated 

 into other bundles. It was customary, also, for those desiring to 



