314 THE ORIGIN OF MEDICINE CEREMONIES OR POWER. 
lodge, who was a Beaver, said: “‘My boy, it is time to go home. The 
animals will show you the way. The Owl, Buffalo, and two Crows will 
be the ones to lead you to your home. ‘They will stop outside the village. 
Enter the village, but do not let the people know that you are there. The 
next day after you arrive, take the man who tried to poison you to the river 
and swim with him. Our animals will go up the stream and they will 
bewitch him.’’ When the Beaver finished speaking, the Crow came near 
to the boy and touched him and the boy found himself outside of the 
lodge of the animals. Then he was told to try to fly, and he arose in the 
air and flew like a crow. 
They left the boy just outside of his village. In the night the boy 
went into the village to the lodge of his father and spoke to him. The 
father did not believe that his son, whom he had mourned for as dead, 
could have returned. He made his wife make a fire and then he saw that 
it was his son and he was glad. The next day the people heard that the 
boy had returned. They came from all directions to see the boy and to 
give him presents. Then the boy sent for the man who had injured him, 
and when the man came the boy picked up a bucket and said, ‘‘Come 
with me down to the creek.’’ When the boy was dipping water the other 
man touched the water. Assoon as he touched the water he was dragged 
under. The man disappeared and was never seen again. When the 
boy came up he told the people that the man was a witch, but for them 
not to be afraid, as he had disposed of him and that he would never 
return to trouble them. 
87. THE THUNDER-BIRD CEREMONY.’ 
A long time ago when the Kitkehahki lived upon the Republican 
River, near Swimming-Mound, there were two people who were half 
women and half men. These two people once took up their hoes and 
sacks made of buffalo hide and went to a place where there had been 
artichokes. They found none and so they went farther down the river 
until they came to a bank where there were many artichokes. One of 
the hermaphrodites straightened up from digging artichokes and saw a 
man sitting near. He showed no sign of fear, but went on digging. As 
he dug he whispered to his companion: ‘‘There is a man sitting near 
_ 1 Told by Mouth-Waving-in-Water, Kitkehahki. The ceremony described in 
this tale is sometimes known as the Elk medicine, because of the great feather 
appendages placed on the bird which stands on the altar and which bear a super- 
ficial resemblance to the antlers of the elk. The ceremony is no longer given by 
nS Pawnee, as none of the medicine-men who belonged to this society are now 
iving. 
