30 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA, 
She went to the altar and sat down under the bundle. Tihe old 
man was told that a strange woman had come in. The old man took 
notice of her and recognized her. The old men were gathered and 
the ceremony that the people got from Muddy-River country was per- 
formed. ie 
This woman was sitting in front of the bundle. When the cere- 
mony was gone through, the woman spoke, and said: “I have re- 
turned. JI found out that you people came out from the ground. You 
met obstacles. You came through by the aid of the animals. You 
went to a strange country. You met difficulties. You overcame them 
by the power of the animals. It was all done through me, for the four 
world quarter gods are my father. I prayed to the gods and to Nesaru 
for help for you, so that your people would live. You threw me into 
the river and asked me to return. I have come to you again. I shall 
hereafter come to you in dreams, and tell you about these things that 
are’in this bundle. I will be present with you always. I shall leave 
you words. Now, before I go to my fathers in the heavens, I want 
to tell you to tie me upon the bundle and give presents to it by clothing 
the ear of corn. In all of your ceremonies, always offer it some corn 
and meat. It will always gladden me to receive anything you people 
eat. I must go.” 
The woman disappeared, and there, where she sat, lay an ear of 
corn. People saw the corn. Other old men were sent for, so that 
they might also get an ear of corn to tie upon their bundles. But the 
people all blessed themselves with the corn that the woman had turned 
into. ‘Ihe people tied ears of corn upon their bundles. Some tied 
hides upon the corn and hung them up on the walls. This was done 
for the people who had given buffalo meat to the bundles. 
So the old woman disappeared; but the old men in the tribe 
claimed that the woman came to them in their dreams and taught 
them songs and how to make sacrifices of dried or fresh buffalo meat, 
and also the smoke ceremony. 
