ABSTRACTS. 517 
vision. After uncovering it he smokes to star and to root, addressing it as ‘‘father”’ 
and ‘‘mother.’’ As he prays to it water oozes from root, whereby he knows that it 
commands to be removed, for if it had burst he would know that it was angry and 
was turning its odor upon the people. Men sit in circle west of root, place their 
hands on it, and thank it. Women come with hoes, one standing in each direction. 
Men smoke to Mother Earth, saying that they are about to dig into her to remove 
root; that root is one of her children, and thanking her for having received root and 
for having preserved it for them. Women sing. Woman in west represents birth; one 
in east, power of young life; in north, chief or warrior, and in south, land of the dead. 
They dig, exposing root, and it is seen that it is in form of human being. Root is 
removed and laid on west side. Holeisfilledup. Allsitdown. Man fills his pipe, 
smokes to star in east, to Tirawa above four whiffs, to four gods of east, again to 
Mother Earth, four whiffs to head of root, one whiff each to right arm, right hand, 
left foot, and left hand, and one whiff tostomach. Drawing his hand over pipestem 
he then addresses root as ‘‘father,’’ saying that gods taught him how to remove it; 
that earth was willing for it to be removed, and that root itself signified its assent 
by shedding water; that they are to place it in their medicine bundle and feel that its 
Spirit is with them, Root is then carried to man’s tipi, which has been swept and 
new mats placed on ground. It is placed west of fireplace and people sing songs. 
Again man smokes as before, and root is cut up, being supplicated that it may 
not be angry. Man then asks each medicine-man from what part of root he desires 
piece. He himself retains central part, and tells medicine-men to guard carefully 
part which they have received. In night he sees woman clothed in black, with soft 
downy feathers. In her left hand she has clam shell, and in her right, powdered 
root. She sings song, dropping some of root into clam shell. Thus she teaches 
man how to use root in doctoring. He learns that he has been addressed by root 
herself. He becomes a great medicine-man, 
83. ORIGIN OF THE GEESE MEDICINE. 
Young man who often goes with war parties is in love and often visits spring to 
see girl, but she flees from him. He therefore tries to associate with other girls in 
order to provoke her jealousy, and thinks that thus he may win her, but all girls 
refuse to associate with him, and he decides to stay with an ugly young man who is 
favorite with girls. He goes to his tipi and stays with him many nights, asking him 
why it is that girls seem sofondofhim. Ugly young man tells him he got his power 
from antelope, and he, being requested, takes him to river that he may obtain this 
power. At river’s bank he ties lariat around his waist and suspends him from bank, 
tying other end of lariat to tree. He is then left for four days, seeing fire and water 
each night. On fourth night he faints and finds himself in animals? lodge. They speak 
to him and tell him they know why he has come; that elk is in charge of lodge, but 
that his companion should have entered lodge with him. They tell him what he 
must do in order to obtain power. On fifth night he finds himself again on bank. 
Ugly young man then takes him to fire, where they eat. They return home, and ugly 
young man takes down his sacred bundle, removing flute red painted, which is of 
root and strings of elk hide, which he gives to youngman. Tells him how to use it, 
warning him not to court married women or young girls. Handsome young man 
thereupon makes his home with ugly young man and he paints himself and goes 
