THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 27 
quarters. Hoes made of the shoulderblade of a buffalo were given 
them. The four men were also placed by the women, and these men 
were given bow and arrows. The four old men now took up the 
gourds and the four men and women danced. This was continued 
until all the songs were sung. The women and men placed their im- 
plements at the altar, then went out. 
Before the ceremony, many presents were given—such as ponies, 
blankets, buffalo robes, calicos, guns, etc. Some of these things were 
given to the old men, who sat on each side of the entrance. Most of 
the presents were given to the priest, who made offerings of willow 
sticks to the gods. After this, he told us the origin of the bundle and 
of our people: 
A long time ago, Nesaru made people. They were giants. They 
displeased Nesaru, and the sent mighty heat upon these people, so that 
they turned into stones—such as we now find in the earth. This is 
why we call stones our grandfathers, for stones really are people, 
who were once wonderful and powerful. 
Again, Nesaru made people. This time they were small, but were 
wonderful. Tihey also displeased Nesaru, ‘so that he sent word to all 
the animals to hide; that he was going to make the water rise from 
the earth. The animals held a great council, and it was decided to 
take most of the people under the ground with the assistance of the 
Badger, the Mole, and the long-nosed Mouse. The Fox was to act 
as runner and errand man. 
The people lived under the ground for many years. These animals 
did not like to see the people live under the ground, so the Badger, 
the Mole, the long-nosed Mouse, and the Fox assembled. This means, 
not one Bear, one Badger, one Mole, one Mouse, and one Fox, but many 
of each kind. The animals decided to dig through the earth upwards, 
and see what kind of land there was above. So the Bears dug, but 
they all gave out. The Badgers dug and they gave out. The Moles 
then dug and they gave out. The little Mice then dug until they dug 
through the earth. Then they went back, for their noses were worn 
sharp. 
When the Mouse came back the other animals saw that his nose 
was worn sharp. The Mouse said: “From this day on, my people 
will have long, sharp noses on them, so that people will know that 
through the long-nosed Mouse they came out from the ground.” 
The Mole was the first one to stick his head out and see the bright 
sun. He was blinded. He went back into the ground, and to the 
animals. He told of the brightness outside of the earth, that he had 
