THE LIGHTNING’S MEDICINE CEREMONY. 271 
One by one the animals went to the stone and blew their breath upon it. 
The last to go was Skunk. Skunk said: ‘‘My son, I know lightning. 
I get my power from it. I can also make rainbows in the night.”’ The 
Skunks gave the stranger power to cleanse people from the lightning 
shock. 
After all the animals had given their breath, they said: ‘‘Take the 
stone with you. The power from the heavens and the animal power you 
shall have with you. This lodge shall be known as the Stone-Medicine- 
Lodge. When you decide to have the animals’ ceremony and perform 
the mysterious rites of the animals’ lodge, you shall set the stone in front 
of the altar. The other altar shall be of cottonwood and willows. Place 
the dead Beaver that we shall give you upon the second altar.’”’ The 
medicine-men’s power to do sleight-of-hand and songs were taught the 
strange man. When the animals had finished teaching him he was told 
_ to go home and bring them some tobacco, a black silk handkerchief, and 
a shell. He was also told to take the stone with him to his home. He 
was given many animal skins and soft downy feathers. He took the 
stone and placed it into the feathers; then he was guided out of the lodge, 
and it was evening. 
The man went on to find his camp. He could see clearly in the night. 
He came to his tipi and went in with the stone, which he set at the west 
side; then he hung his skins on the tipi poles above the stone. He lay 
down and went to sleep. In the morning one of the women arose and 
made a fire. She saw the things hanging upon the tipi poles, and also 
saw the stone and the man. She woke up some of the other women and 
pointed to where the man lay. The women were glad when they knew 
that he was back. They cooked some corn. They knew that the man 
would make an offering. He awoke and went out, taking with him his 
pipe and pouch. He went up on a high hill and filled his pipe, and 
said, ‘‘Now, Father Sun, you shall smoke.’’ The man filled the pipe 
and held it in his hand until the sun came up in the east, then lighted 
the pipe. He drew a few whiffs, then held the pipe, stem towards the 
east, where the Sun was coming up, and said: ‘‘Father, smoke, and 
make true all these things that I have heard and seen. The heavens took 
my daughter. She is dead, but I think she now stands in the heavens 
as astar. Give me your power so that I may understand mysteries.” 
He emptied the pipe and passed his hand over the pipestem, then made 
motions with his hand toward the Sun. He went home and took his 
seat by the stone and other sacred things. He again filled his pipe and 
smoked, giving a few whifis to the stone, then a few whiffs to the things 
that were hung upon the pole. 
