Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 409 



think, around his head and a roVje upside down. He had a few magpie feathers 

 scattered over his robe. He was there but a short time when my mother looked 

 out and said that all the old Holy Women were coming, about 10 of them in all. 

 Red Head, Roots, and Goes Around were all I remember. 



They came in rapidly with face and foreheads painted red. Each had a digging 

 stick made of ash. They announced, "We have come from the brush, the 

 heavens, and the north but we can't be seen." 



They pretended to be foolish women of the woods. They ran around in the 

 lodge and bumped into each other. We sat back in the lodge where we could 

 watch them perform. Cherry Necklace was carrying his rattle and, walking 

 around between them, he sang, "I am the Old Woman; I am the genuine Old 

 Woman. I would rather be the Old Woman to have great powers." 



When he finished, the women pretended to be like the old women and then one 

 said, "I have come for the things you promised me but I am a spirit and can't be 

 seen." 



They stopped jumping around and formed a circle, when one said, "Bring the 

 pay I am promised for this." 



My father said, "You should take those articles and distribute them." 



I said, "My mother, here is an article." 



She said, "I came from far away in the heavy timber and brought this medicine 

 for you. Open your mouth." Then she put black medicine on my tongue. 



Each one told where she came from. Some said, "There may be illness in your 

 family so you can use this black medicine to doctor with." 



After they finished, Cherry Necklace said to the women, "Go back to the dif- 

 ferent directions where you belong." They ran out fast carrying the goods, and 

 scattered in all directions. 



That was the end of the ceremony. After receiving all these bundles, we fixed 

 a place for them beside our father's bundles and on the same platform. My 

 father spoke to the bundles saying, "They own you now and you should send your 

 sons good dreams." 



Night came and I had a dream. I heard many wolves singing but I could not 

 tell if they were inside the lodge or outside. When they finished singing, I memo- 

 rized the song at once. It was a long one without words. I had never heard it 

 before. Then I dreamed again. I saw where we had the ceremony in the big 

 lodge. There was a hide rope around the lodge and the wolf hide given to me 

 was there. The hide was painted red in the middle and it looked like a new hide. 

 In the morning when I awoke, I was happy for I thought from the freshness of the 

 wolf hide, the red paint, and the Wolf song that I would be successful when 

 attacking my enemies. As soon as I arose I told my father about it. 



He said, "It is good that you saw red paint for that is a sign that you are going 

 to kill the enemy and have a long life." I was happy about this dream. 



At the same time. Red Basket told us that he had a dream also. My father 

 said, "Let me hear what you learned. Don't be afraid to tell me for your brother 

 has already told his." I told my brother how I had seen the wolf hide and that 

 when he was out hunting he should take a piece of wolf hide and put it around his 

 head. Then he would be successful. 



Red Basket sang the song he had heard. When he finished my father was happy 

 and said, "In your dream you had a song from the Woman Above. I am glad 

 for it means that you are going to have a good life. You will become a leader of 

 your people." 



The song was, "My son, my son, from up in heaven above you." 



