XO. 12 



SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS. ICjl/ 



87 



children lest some harm befall them through neglect. She was told 

 that a set had already been obtained from another woman, an official 

 weaver, but that if she wovild give, with the loom, the wi'gie re- 

 cited at the ceremonial weaving of the rush mat for the making of 

 the shrine Mr. La Flesche would make the purchase. After some 

 reflection the old woman said she was willing to give the wi'gie, 

 but asked fur time in order to refresh her memory. 



In some mysterious way old Kuzhiwatse. though nearly stone 

 deaf, heard that \\'ako"'dahio"be was about to give away the 



Fig. 89. — Buffalo-hair case that forms tlie outer covering of the shrine. 



sacred loom anrl the wi'gie. lie immediately got into an auto- 

 mobile, hastened to the old woman's house where he harangued her 

 in vigorous manner on the sacrilege she was about to commit, and 

 warned her of the W'axijegthe. Wa.xpegthe is punisliiuent. 

 by supernatural means, that constantly hangs over the head of a 

 \^o"'ho"zhi"ga and drops on the person the moment an irreverent 

 act is committed. The old woman retorted that the W a\])egthe 

 applied only to the (obligations assumed by a candidate for initia- 

 tion; these obligations she hacl faithfully fullille<l. conse(|Uentl\" she 

 had nothing to fear. Ki'izhiwatse then, asstiniing a conciliatorv atti- 



