FOOTNOTES:
[9] Told by Hawk.
9. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.[10]
Many, many years ago the Arikara, according to their traditions, were journeying west, when they were told by Mother-Corn, who had led them out of the ground, that in time they must dress her up and put her into the river; and, as they should put her into the river, the priest should say, “Mother, make haste and return to us.” For many years the Arikara continued to journey west, until at last they made a permanent village of earth-lodges upon the Missouri River, opposite the city of Washburn.
The old men thought that it was now time to send Mother-Corn down the stream. She was to go to the place from whence the Arikara originally had come, and if there were rituals and ceremonies or medicines that had been left behind, Mother-Corn was taken from the bundle and painted. A dress of tanned buffalo hide was wrapped and tied about the middle of the Mother-Corn.
While the painting and dressing of Mother-Corn was going on, the crier went through the village, telling the people that Mother-Corn was going to leave them for a period of time; and that she was going to the place from whence their forefathers had come; and that the Arikara people must all bring old moccasins for their little children; and that these must be placed with Mother-Corn, so that she might carry the old moccasins to the place whence the people had come, so that the young ones might grow up in life as the Arikara people had grown through their journey, meeting different obstacles, and finally settling down into a village; that the children might grow up; that although difficulties might beset their daily walks, they might overcome them by the power of Mother-Corn, and grow up to be strong men and women.
[Rituals were now recited by Standing-Bull, which were the same as those recited when they were painting the chief.] After the reciting of the rituals the people took up Mother-Corn and took her down to the river. All the people turned out to witness the act. But before the priests threw Mother-Corn into the river, her head upstream and her feet downstream, the children’s moccasins were tied about her waist. The people offered their prayers to Mother-Corn, and after praying they all began to cry. But Mother-Corn had disappeared in the Missouri River, and had gone with the current.
Many years afterwards, a woman returned to the village of the Arikara, and as the bundle ceremonies were being given the woman visited these ceremonies. At last, when she visited one ceremony, a man recognized her as Mother-Corn. He placed her under the bundle. She let them know that she was Mother-Corn, and she taught them many ceremonies and songs that night, and she said that she always would be present with them; that she would never forget them; and that the gods in the heavens had promised her and her people length of life. That night Mother-Corn disappeared, and she has never been seen since.