ABSTRACTS. 529 
94. THE BUFFALO MEDICINE DANCE. 
People are on buffalo hunt and are attacked by bull, who enters sacred tipi and 
tears it to pieces. Man is sent for who understands spirits of buffalo. In after- 
noon dark clouds gather, rainstorm follows, and woman is blown away. After 
storm, people are addressed by buffalo, who tells them that their sacred belongings 
shall be restored. Buffalo disappears. Again buffalo appears and invites some of 
buffalo medicine-men to go with him to buffalo country. They travel until they 
come to steep bank, where they enter buffalo lodge, passing on way through deep 
water. In lodge they find bear and buffalo, who perform feats of sleight-of-hand. 
During performance animals arise, snort, and downy feathers fall from their mouths. 
One buffalo blows upon reed whistle and swallows it, throwing up feathers. He 
tells medicine-men that he gives them ceremony, that they shall have buffalo skull 
to which they shall make offerings, for spirit of buffalo will reside in skull, and that 
skull will inform them through dreams as to what they shall do in ceremony. 
People return to village and perform ceremony. 
95. THE WOMAN AND BUFFALO DANCE. 
Unmarried woman gives birth to child, and because people are angry at her 
they leave her behind when they goonhunt, Child cries, she tries in vain to stop it, 
starts west, and on hill finds buffalo bull, who blows smoke from his mouth and gives 
woman root with which to doctor child. He rolls on ground and robe appears, in 
which she is told to wrap child. Bull blowsand calls three other bulls. They blow 
their breath upon child. Buffalo cow comes. Child is placed by cow and sleeps. 
When it awakes it is well. Buffalo tell woman that root will drive away wild 
beasts and that she is to bathe child. She starts off, passes snake, and it dies on 
account of root. Man comes to her lodge and offers to be her husband. He 
learns of her power and they return west to thank buffalo, and he is taught 
buffalo dance. He finds rattle where buffalo rolls upon ground, which bears picture 
of buffalo skull. Heisto useitin doctoring. Buffalo rolls again and makes whistle, 
from each end of which hangs moon-shaped shell. In doctoring, man is to blow 
whistle, whereupon he will see bull’s shadow. If shadow does not appear, patient 
is to die. When boy grows up he becomes great medicine-man and is taught 
buffalo dance. 
96. THE BUFFALO MEDICINE DANCE. 
Boy meets old buffalo on hill who tells him that he is getting old. Buffalo takes 
pity on boy while boy feeds him. He hands boy little ball from his stomach, which, 
when he smells it, will enable him to see buffalo. He gives him whistle and some 
roots which he is to use in doctoring. In buffalo dance he is to chew piece of ball, 
eat of root, and paint his face with mud from buffalo wallow and eat piece of it, 
whereupon he will have buffalo spirit and people will give him many presents. He 
gives him power to heal wounds, but not sickness. Boy returns and tells his father 
of his adventure; they return to buffalo, which is now dead. Then, as he has been 
directed by buffalo, he cuts off its tail and piece of scalp. In next medicine-lodge, 
boy dances buffalo dance, using robe, which changes its color. ; 
