HOW THE WORLD IS TO COME TO AN END. 137 
that Mother-Corn would look down on him and give him power. The man 
was helped up by two other warriors. They walked out of the lodge 
with the man and there he stood with the pipe in his left hand. The 
otter-skin collar was upon his breast and the ear of corn was upon his 
left shoulder; the hawk skin on his right shoulder. The downy feathers 
were placed upon his head. As he stood outside of the lodge he looked 
around through the heavens and said, ‘‘ Brothers, where is Mother-Corn ?”’ 
The other two said: ‘“The Moon has turned black. It was bright 
moonlight a little while ago and now it is dark.’’ Then the three men 
went back into the lodge. When they entered, the two other warriors 
said to the priest, ‘‘The Moon has turned black.’’ Other warriors went 
out to see the Moon and sure enough the Moon had turned black. The 
priest then said: “Leader, take the things off which you have upon you. 
Mother-Moon has disappeared in the heavens and it is a warning to you 
to stay at home. We know that the old people used to say that when+ 
- ever the Moon disappeared and it was dark some big chief or some great 
watrior was going to die.’’ But the warrior said: ‘“‘No; 1 am dressed ina 
wartrior’s costume. Mother-Corn’s path into the country of the enemy 
is plain. I will follow that path. The gods will look down and see me 
carrying the Mother-Corn and the hawk. They will help me to overcome 
the enemy.’’ Some of the young warriors backed out and remained at 
home. Several of the great warriors and chiefs joined the war party. 
They went out and in a few days they met the enemy, who were on their 
way to attack the village. They were surrounded and only one man 
got away. Hecame home and told us that all of the rest of the warriors 
and chiefs were killed. This was one of the signs that the old people 
spoke of, and although they saw the sign plainly the men went out any- 
way and nearly all were killed. Now, my grandchild, go to sleep and 
think no more of what I have told you, for you are young yet and must 
not think about these things. | 
36. THE TALKING MEMBRUM VIRILE.' 
When the Indians were upon the plains hunting buffalo, one young 
man was selected as a scout to look for buffalo. He went away off 
from the others, and as he climbed up a high hill he saw many buffalo 
in the valley. Then the man began to talk to himself about seeing the 
buffalo. He wanted to urinate. When he was through he held up his 
_membrum and said, ‘‘Do you seethem?”’ The man would hit his mem- 
1Told by Thief, Kitkehahki. The interest in the tale is due to its moral 
teaching, which has added emphasis in the fact that the man who thus suffered 
misfortune was sent out from the priests’ lodge to look for buffalo which were to 
be offered during the ceremony. ) 
