THE SQUASH MEDICINE. 299 
ing for you to be removed. You let us know by the water from the top 
that you were willing to be removed. We removed you from the earth 
so that we might use you to heal the sick. We are not to place you near 
the sick. We are not to place you near the entrance of our lodges 
where people will step on you. We are to place you in our medicine 
bundles and we shall feel that your spirit and power is with us always. 
Take pity on us and help us to cure the sick.’’ Then the man said, 
“Help me to carry this root into my tipi.”’ 
Word had been sent to his people that the root was to be brought to 
their tipi. The tipi had been swept out and new mats placed on the 
ground. The root was placed on the west side of the fireplace, and there 
the people sang songs. While they were singing, other medicine-men 
came in and sat in the lodge. When they were through singing the man 
filled his pipe again and gave a few whiffs to the Big-Black-Meteoric-Star, 
_ then one to the root, and gave a few whiffs to the head, and said: ‘‘I am 
now about to cut you up, so that these medicine-men who have entered 
may be allowed to break pieces off of you, so that they may have some 
in their bundles. Do not be angry because they are near me. Take 
pity on all of us and help to drive away diseases from the camp.’’ Then 
the man sat down and said to the medicine-men: ‘‘From what part of 
the root do you wish a piece?’’ Some said they would take a piece from 
the arm; some said they would take it from the feet, ankles, or knees. 
The man himself took the part around the hips. Healso had the chest, 
for nobody had chosen it. The man then said: ‘‘Now, the root is 
divided among us. Its power is with every medicine-man in the tipi. 
Let us think ofit. Let us not treat it roughly, but hang it upon the wall 
where the children and the women will not touchit. Every night let us 
give it a few whiffs of smoke so that it may remember that we believe 
that it has wonderful power. Each of us will now go to our place and 
there pray to the root and put it away.’’ All of the medicine-men left. 
That night the man had a dream, and he saw a woman clothed with 
a black dress and covered with soft downy feathers. This woman had 
in her left hand a clam shell. In her right she held powdered root. She 
sang a song, then she took some of the root and dropped it into the clam 
shell, which contained water. Then she said: ‘‘When you are doctor- 
ing a sick person sing this song, hold the shell and the dust of the root; 
drop it into the shell; when you have finished singing give it to the 
_ patient and he will become well.’”” When the man awoke he reached for his 
pipe, filled it, lighted, smoked, and said: ‘‘My mother, I shall do as you 
have told me in my dream. Let your spirit always be with me in my 
dreams, so that I may learn your powers, and I shall always be ready to 
