Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 425 



On one occasion Poor Wolf danced and called for three arrows. 

 When the singing stopped he said, 



"We were out to war against our enemy, the Sioux. We went to the south. 

 Four Bears was the leader. When we found them, they were making their fire 

 at the edge of the brush on a hillside. I took aim at the man making the fire 

 and killed him. I rushed in and struck him first; a Mandan named Red Leaf 

 struck him next. When we returned to our party, Four Bears said 'We ought to 

 get the scalp as proof that we killed our enemy.' When he said that, it meant 

 that any man who brought in the scalp could keep it. The rest of the party went 

 into the brush and we thought they might be planning to kill anyone who returned 

 to get the scalp. Nevertheless, I went out and brought in the scalp. I killed the 

 enemy, struck the enemy, and got the scalp. Those are my three deeds for the 

 three arrows." 



The major bundle owners sang again and Bluestone danced. He 

 called for two arrows and said, "I went out with Four Bears when he 

 went against the Assiniboin. We found an enemy and I was the first 

 to strike him. Another time I went out with Knotted as leader and 

 I struck the enemy." 



Red Basket danced and Appearing Coyote was directed to bring 

 five arrows. He said, "One time the Assiniboin came in large numbers 

 to wipe out our people because they heard that we were few in numbers 

 after the smallpox. There was a big battle and they wounded our 

 chief, Four Bears. I went out and struck five enemies that day." 



Then Iron Eyes danced. He said, "I was leader and took my pipe 

 along. I got one man on a black horse. Flying Eagle struck this 

 enemy while he was riding away." 



The same men would dance on successive days and caU for arrows, 

 but each time a different war record was related. There frequently 

 were so many attending that it was not possible for a man to relate 

 more than one record. At the close of the day's dancing, the spec- 

 tators, warriors, and Wolf Woman impersonator returned to their 

 lodges for the night leaving the director of the ceremony, bundle 

 maker, bundle buyer, clan brother, and the fasters at the ceremonial 

 lodge. Any fasters desiring to do so could go out beyond the village 

 limits to cry or drag buffalo skulls through the village. In the latter 

 case, relatives usually accompanied them to give away property in 

 the name of the ones manifesting outstanding bravery. Fasters might 

 go outside for personal duties anytime except when the song was being 

 sung 100 times. The bundle buyer and his clan brother could go out 

 anytime when not wearing the wolf hides. The wolf hides were worn 

 only when the 100 songs were being sung. 



As stated above, the warriors selected one of their number to be the 

 First Creator impersonator and to serve as waiter. In eating, the 

 order of serving food was: (1) Wolf Woman; (2) director of the cere- 

 mony; (3) warriors; and (4) bundle maker. The bundle buyer and 



