THE LIGHTNING’S MEDICINE CEREMONY. 269 
away. These animals have never been friendly with people, but they 
have delighted in killing and eating them. Now they shall talk to you 
in their lodge this very night, and they will give you great powers. Arise, 
take me and carry me to the place where I told youto see me. You know 
the place where the bank was struck many times by lightning. There the 
entrance to the animals’ lodge has been opened to you. Go through the 
entrance to the animals’ lodge and stay near the animals’ lodge; they 
will call you themselves. They will ask you toremove me. Do not listen 
tothem. When they have taught you all their secrets then you may come 
and pick me up and carry me back to your tipi. Place me outside at the 
west. Hang up the things that the animals shall have given you.”’ 
The man arose and walked to the bank of the river. There he saw 
where the lightning had struck the bank. He even saw a tree. He 
went to the tree and beyond there was a hole. He went into the hole, 
_ and at the very entrance smoothed a place with his right foot where 
he placed the stone. He then crawled into the hole for some distance, 
until it began to grow larger, so that he could stand up. He went on 
until he heard the noises of drumming and of many Geese. At last he 
came to where the animals were. He sat down. He heard great noises 
and saw a small animal coming from the lodge, which was lighted by a big 
fire. The animal came and passed him and he saw thatit wasa Mink. The 
Mink went on to theentrance. Ina little while it came back and ran past 
the man. As soon as it went into the lodge the drumming and noises 
ceased. Ina little while there was a great noise among the animals, 
but there was no drumming. The man hearing the noise of the animals 
became scared and lay low. 
For some time the animals continued the noise, and when the noise 
ceased a man came forth, who, when he saw the man who had brought 
the stone to the entrance, sat up. He said to the stranger: ‘‘My brother, 
the animals have sent me to you. They want me to tell you that they 
want you to remove the stone at the entrance.’’ The stranger said: 
‘“My brother, how did you get in here? Why are you here?” The 
animal man said: ‘‘I ama fire-maker for the animals. I donotcareto be 
among our people any more. There is another man here who is also a 
fire-maker for the animals. Will you go away and remove the stone?” 
‘‘No,”’ said the stranger, ‘‘I will not remove the stone until the animals 
have taken pity upon me and given me the ceremony of the medicine- 
men.’? The man went back to the lodge and for a time there was silence 
in the lodge. Again the man came and said: ‘‘My brother, the animals 
have agreed to take pity upon you, for you can remove the stone. 
They are afraid to touch it. The stone is from the heavens, and the 
