20 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 
“You have done right. The animal that is speckled represents the 
heavens, and the white spots represent the stars. So you will bring it 
and we will make an offering.” The Prairie-chicken went and brought 
the animal. 
When it came time to offer the smoke the people found that they 
had not the pipe with which to form the smoke. There were three 
Stars in the heavens, and they saw the pipe was lacking. They said, 
“Mother-Corn, we will get you the pipe.” So the three Stars went 
and found a stone, and brought it to Mother-Corn. They said, “We 
are the three Stars that come up in the East. We know the pipe smoked 
tous.” They were Red-Star, Yellow-Star, and the Big-Black-Meteoric- 
Star. So Mother-Corn had the stone made into a pipe. 
When the pipe was made and filled with native tobacco Mother- 
Corn called the Prairie-chicken, and said, “You must carry this pipe to 
the God in the Southeast.” So the Prairie-chicken took the pipe and 
flew to the Southeast. It was gone for some time, and when the Prairie- 
chicken came back it said, ‘“The God in the Southeast received the pipe 
and smoked.’ Mother-Corn again filled the pipe with native tobacco 
and called on the Prairie-chicken again, gave it the pipe, and told it to 
go to the God in the Southwest with it. The Prairie-chicken flew away 
again and was gone for some time. When it came back it said to 
Mother-Corn, “The God in the Southwest has received the pipe and 
smoked.” ‘Then Mother-Corn took the pipe again and filled it with 
native tobacco, called the Prairie-chicken, and said, “Take this pipe to 
the God in the Northwest.” The Prairie-chicken took the pipe and 
flew away again to the Northwest. When it came back it told Mother- 
Corn that the God in the Northwest had received the pipe and smoked. 
Again Mother-Corn filled the pipe, gave it to the Prairie-chicken, and 
it flew away to the God in the Northeast. The Prairie-chicken came 
back, and said, ‘“Mother-Corn, the God in the Northeast has received 
the pipe and smoked.” Then the pipe was filled again and the Prairie- 
chicken was called to carry it to Nesaru, which it did. The Prairie- 
chicken flew up into the heavens, and said, “Nesaru has received the 
pipe and smoked. Other animal gods also smoked with Nesaru.” 
Then Prairie-chicken said, ‘“Mother-Corn, these journeys were very 
hard. The wind was blowing hard, sand-stones were thick, the little 
stones struck upon my feathers and made white spots upon them. 
Flying through these hard winds gave me power to fly through 
storms. The stones hit upon my feathers and made white spots upon 
them. I wish to remain as I am now.” Mother-Corn said, “It is 
well. You shall be as you are always.’ (This is why the Prairie- 
