+ i | THE ORIGIN OF MEDICINE CEREMONIES OR POWER. 
The people lingered at Swimming-Mound for some time. The man 
disappeared nearly every day, and when he came home he brought roots 
and herbs. The man told the people not to pay any attention to him, 
for he would be taken care of by the animals. One day he went off and 
did not return for some time. When he did return he could not under- 
stand the people. He was under the influence of some mysterious power. 
When he went away the next day, the women watched him. They once 
saw him appear as a deer, then as a coyote, and again he flew like an eagle. 
They learned that by mysterious power he was guided to where there 
were herbs and roots which he dug up. For many days he was under 
this influence. When the man recovered, he said, ‘‘It is now time that 
we go to our people.’’ The women brought their ponies and packed 
their things upon them; then they all started for their home in the east. 
Each night, after the people had pitched the tipi, the man placed the 
stone in the west and hung the things upon the pole. Then he sat down 
and smoked. After he had smoked and eaten, he sang songs that the 
women had never heard. He kept up the singing nearly all night. At 
last they came to the village. ) 
The people were glad to see them and gave them many presents. In 
the night the man invited his male relatives and told them all that he had 
gone through, what he had seen in the animals’ lodge and what powers he 
had received. The man told his friends that he came after presents and 
native tobacco. The men soon gathered the things and gave them to 
him. He thanked them and went out, leaving the lodge. For some 
time he did not come in. When he did return he told the people that 
the animals had received the presents and were glad to get the smoke. 
He then told his friends that he wanted them to help him to build a lodge 
that winter; and they agreed to build a medicine-man’s lodge. 
In the fall several men went and cut the forks for the circle in the lodge. 
All of the timber was cut and brought to the village and piled up. The 
women brought elm-bark strips to tie it with. These strips were tied and 
hung up to dry. Willows were also brought and piled up. The people 
all went hunting buffalo. While on the hunt, winter set in. The people 
were successful; they found many buffalo and brought much meat 
home. Then the man invited his male relatives to his lodge, where he 
taught them the songs of the medicine-men. The men liked the songs. 
The man told them about the lodge that they were to build, and the men 
looked forward to the time when they should build the lodge. 
Early in the spring a place was selected in the center of the village 
for the new lodge. Ten forks were set in a circle to support the poles. 
The lodge was completed at about the same time the corn was planted. 
