174 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Legend of the chiefs initiation 



It is night, a night of darkness impenetrable. There is no sound 

 save the waterfall .and the river. In the forest the chief, patient 

 and listening, is waiting for the sign promised him. 



Will it be given? 



Yes. Birds and beasts do not lie. 



The chief trusts and waits until a strong voice that has come out 

 from the stillness and the darkness is saying: " Hast thou cleansed 

 thyself from mortal guilt and impurity? " 



The chief replies, " I have." 



" Hast thou ill will toward any of thy fellow creatures? " 

 " I have not." 



" Wilt thou trust and obey us, keeping thyself always chaste 

 and valorous? " 

 " I will." 



" Wilt thou hold this power with which we endow thee for thine 

 own people only? " 

 " I will." 



" Wilt thou endure death and torture in its cause? " 

 " I will." 



" Wilt thou vow this secret never to be revealed save at thy 

 death hour? " 

 " I will." 



" Thy death hour will be made known to thee, thou wilt be let 

 to choose thy successor, and at the end of thy journey thou wilt be 

 rewarded for thy faith and obedience! " 



There is a rustling as if a hurrying wind were flying through the 

 forest, and again the silence! 



Yet in the darkness something glows, flickers, disappears, re- 

 turns, fans sideways, wings to and fro near the chief, and at last 

 fitfully hovers over him, as a whip-poor-will with its night voice 

 softly sings, " Follow me! Follow me! " 



It is the promised sign. The winged light vanishes and the 

 believing chief follows. 



On and on through stretches of tangles that test his endurance, 

 through the shadowy horrors of endless swamps, the chief is guided 

 by the voice of the whip-poor-will, " Follow me! Follow me! " 



In the forest depths he is attended by all the night folk each of 

 whom reveals to him the secret of the portion it added to the 

 medicine, until he knows each of its (dements. His trail widens 

 as he speeds on and the' re are " stations " where he is permitted to 



