278 THE ORIGIN OF MEDICINE CEREMONIES OR POWER. 
performance the warrior told the boy to gather up his ponies and to 
go with him. The boy gathered the ponies and placed them in his robe. 
They went out of the lodge toward the creek, and when they got to the 
creek the warrior told the boy to throw the ponies into the water. When 
the boy had thrown the ponies into the water, they went home. The 
warrior never after this was known to have a pony. His power went 
from him and he became a poor man. Whoever it was that had given 
him the power had become displeased with him for throwing the ponies 
into the creek. He should have stood the mud ponies upon dry land 
in some cave. This ceremony of sleight-of-hand performance lasted 
several days, but finally it was over. Ever after that the people made 
great preparation for this ceremony. The participants were known as 
‘‘medicine-men,’’ or ‘‘stone-medicine-men. ”’ 
One summer the people went out hunting. The owner of the stone went 
and-took the stone with him. It was now covered with skunk’s hide, a 
handkerchief, calico, and cotton. The coverings were offerings the people 
had made to it. When they reached the head of the Republican River 
they were attacked on all sides by the enemy and were finally driven 
into a small ravine. One of them while out saw that all of his people 
were about to be killed, and rode east to the camp of the Potawatami. 
He went to their chief and told him that his people were surrounded by 
the enemy. The chief sent for the medicine-man and told him to select 
twenty young men, with their medicine-bags, and have them mounted 
on horses. The young men were selected and started. Soon they came 
to the place where the Pawnee were surrounded and were about to be 
killed. The twenty men rode in a line, and the enemy saw them coming 
and turned upon them. Ten Potawatami stepped forward and shot. ' 
Each shot brought down a man. The enemy rushed at them, but the 
other ten men went forward, took aim, and again each shot brought’ 
down a man. The other ten men had reloaded and they went forward, 
for the enemy had again made an attack. Again ten of the enemy were 
killed. The other ten went forward to meet the enemy. Finally they 
came to the dead bodies of the enemy. They took out their knives and 
cut out the hearts from the bodies and put them into their medicine- 
bags. Then they dipped blood and spread it upon their faces. They also 
rubbed some of the blood upon their guns. The enemy watched them 
and became scared. They let the Kitkehahki alone and turned upon 
the Potawatami, who kept making every shot count. Finally the enemy 
retreated. The Potawatami kept on after the enemy and saved what 
few Kitkehahki were left. The owner of the stone was alive. He went 
to the place where he had packed his pony to look for the bundle 
