THE SQUASH MEDICINE. 297 
were very sensitive; that the roots contained power; that if dug, the odor 
of it would get onto the people and they would not like them on account 
of the odor, for it was something like that from a person’s armpits. The 
Big-Black-Meteoric-Star explained all that had happened to the large 
people, and how they had turned into roots; that the roots were the 
large people who had been on the earth and had been destroyed; that 
before digging they must sing songs and give an offering of smoke from 
the pipe, so that they would not become angry at them and so that they 
could easily dig them. The songs were taught to the people by the 
Big-Black-Meteoric-Star. The smoke offering was also explained by the 
Star, who told the man to go and dig for roots; that in digging he must 
dig up the whole root; that it was in the shape of a human being; that if 
it was a man it would havea root upon it, but if it was a womanit would 
have none. The curative power of the root was also explained. 
After the Big-Black-Meteoric Star had talked to this man about the 
root, it disappeared. The man knew that the root was one that the 
people were afraid of; that when they saw the vine, they moved away and 
would not go near on account of the odor which they might receive from 
it. Some had tried to dig the roots, but they had received the odor and 
would have nothing to do with them. They thought that the roots 
meant evil fortune to the people who received the odor. One day they 
saw the man who had had a vision sitting down near a plant. The 
people ran away from the place, and it happened that the people were 
making their camp close by. This man sat down near the root and began 
to sing songs. When the men in the camp heard the songs they knew 
that they were entirely new ones. Some of the men went and sat down 
neartheman. After awhile several men came and sat down with the man. 
The man then said to them that the Big-Black-Meteoric-Star had spoken 
to him. He told the people that he was going to dig the root; that he 
was told to dig it, as it had power to cure the sick. The other men were 
afraid, but when the man began to sing they knew that he must have 
learned the songs from some one other than a human being. After this 
man was through singing he filled his pipe and stood near the plant. 
He gave a whiff in the east to the Big-Black-Meteoric-Star. Then he knelt 
down and gave four whiffs to the place where the vines grew from the root. 
He said, ‘‘ You, our father, our mother, I ask you to permit me to remove 
you from where you now stand.’’ As he spoke he noticed water oozing 
from the top of the root. By this he knew that the root had given its con- 
sent to be removed. While he knelt, he said: ‘‘I thank you. I am to 
remove you, so that you may remain in the medicine-man’s bundle, and I 
am to use you for the sick.’”” When he saw the water coming from the top 
