360 THE ¢EGIHA LANGUAGE—MYTHS, STORIES, AND LETTERS. 
TRANSLATION. 
A great many persons went on the war-path. They were Ponkas. As they ap- 
proached the foe, they camped for the night. They kindled a fire. It was during the 
night. And kindling a bright fire, they sat down; they made the fire burn very brightly. 
Rejoicing greatly, they sat eating. Very suddenly a person sang. ‘Keep quiet. Push 
the ashes over that fire. Seize your bows in silence,” said their leader. All took their 
bows. And they departed to surround him. They made the circle smaller and smaller, 
and commenced at once to come together. And still he stood singing; he did not stir at 
all. At length they went near to the tree. And when they drew very near to it the 
singer ceased his song. And when they reached the tree, bones lay there in a pile. 
Human bones were there at the foot of the tree. When persons die, the Dakotas 
usually suspend the bodies in trees, in a horizontal attitude. 
A DAKOTA GHOST STORY. 
OBTAINED FROM FRANK LA FLECHE. 
Caa” nuda” a¢d-biamd. A¢a-bi yi na™ba wada™be a¢d-biama. 
Dakotas to war went, they say. They. went, when two toactas scouts they went, they 
ey say Bay. 
Nikaci"ga wi” wa‘a™ na‘a™-biama. 
Person one singing ‘they heard, they say. 
Hé-a-he+ ¢e-hé-a! Hé-a-he+ ¢e-hé-a! Hé-¢e-hé-e-hé! A-hé ¢e-hé-a! 
Hé-¢e-hé-e-hé! E-hé-hu+¢u-t he-¢é-a! Ya-a-hu! k- -¢e ha-a-é-a! 
Kig¢dda-biamé. Eca™qtci ahf-bi yi ugas‘i"-biama. Kgi¢e ca™yanga 
They crawled they say. Very near ved hey ar- when they peeped, they say. Behold big wolf 
up on him to- rive 
gether 
akaéma. 
he was, 
they say. 
NOTE. 
The beginning of each line in the wolf’s song is shown by the capital letter. 
TRANSLATION. 
The Dakotas went on the war-path. As they went, two went out as scouts. They 
heard a person singing. ‘‘Hé-a-he+¢e-hé-a! Hé-a-he+¢e-hé-a! Hé-¢e-hé-e-hé! A-hé-¢e- 
hé-a!l Hé-¢e-hé-e-hé! E-h4-hu+¢u-0 he-¢é-a! Y4-a-ha! Bi-¢e hé-a-é-a!” They crawled 
up on him together. When they arrived very close, they peeped. Behold, he was a 
big wolf. 
