Now they went on until they came to muddy water, in what is known as “Pawnee” country. Here they found many things to wear and to eat. The first bow was then made. The long-nosed Mouse died and the people skinned it, leaving the skull in the skin. The Bear then died, and its skull was also taken from it. So also with the Mole, the Badger, and the Fox. These were wrapped up in a bundle and when the Pawnee invited them to attend the bundle ceremony they went and received their ceremony. Mother-Corn and also a ceremony were given to them. All the bundles received their rituals, each being different from the others.
While they had their village here the Arikara dressed the ear of corn as a woman. They went down to the River and threw it in, the old men singing, “Mother, you are going to the island in the big water, where we came out. Find out for us what we are to do, and how we are to live. Come back to us and tell us how it was that we came here.” The corn drifted down the stream and disappeared.
Many years afterwards the Arikara were living on the Muddy (Missouri) River, when, in the fall, there came a strange woman into the lodge where they were having a bundle ceremony. The people took no notice of the woman. The woman left the lodge and went to another lodge and took her seat under the bundle. The people in this lodge fed her, but they did not notice her any more than to feed her, as they would feed any other woman. She left and went to another bundle lodge, always taking her seat under the bundle. She went to all the bundles, but none of the people noticed her. She went to the last bundle, and as she entered, the people noticed her as a strange woman.
She went to the altar and sat down under the bundle. The 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 performed.
This woman was sitting in front of the bundle. When the ceremony was gone through, the woman spoke, and said: “I have returned. I 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. The 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.
FOOTNOTES:
[7] Told by Bear’s-Tail.