6. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.
[Man Bear’s-Tail relates killing of buffalo cow by father, who calls old woman and keeper of bundle, and describes ceremony of untying bundle. Old man tells origin of bundle and of people.] Nesaru makes giants, but being displeased with them turns them into stones. Nesaru again makes people, small and wonderful. They displease Nesaru, who tells animals to hide. He is going to make water rise from earth. Animals give power to Bear to take people under ground, with assistance of Badger, Mole, and long-nosed Mouse. Fox acts as runner and errand man. People live under ground many years. Animals decide to dig upward for land. Bears, Badgers, Moles, and long-nosed Mice dig and Mole first to get his head through. Badger enlarges hole. Fox goes through and reports what he sees outside. Bear makes hole larger and animals go through, followed by people. Woman, who says she is grain of corn, tells man they are on island. People taken under ground by Mice were grains of corn and now turned to people. Mouse leader. They cross water by aid of woman, who becomes gar-pike. Some fall into water and become fish. People pick up stones to cut with. Mouse leads people through thick timber. Some turn to owls. Earthquake forms deep chasm, which Bear enables people to cross. Whirlwind makes pathway through thick timber. People come to muddy water in “Pawnee” country. They find things to wear and eat. First bow made. Long-nosed Mouse, Bear, Mole, Badger, and Fox die, and their skins with skulls are wrapped in bundles. They receive ceremony from Pawnee. Each bundle receives different ritual. Arikara dress ear of corn as woman and throw it into river. Many years afterwards strange woman comes into lodge where bundle ceremony. People take no notice of her and she goes to other bundle lodges. In last old man recognizes her and Muddy-River-Country ceremony performed. Woman says that four world-quarters are her father, and that she will come to them in dreams and tell them about things in bundle. They are to tie her on bundle and clothe ear of corn. She turns into ear of corn. They send for other old man and tie ears of corn upon the bundles.
7. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.
Arikara live under ground. Long-nosed Mouse, Mole, Badger, and Fox agree to take people to top of earth. Mole digs first. Arikara come out, Fox leading. Earthquake, and other people held fast. People journey west and come to chasm caused by earth shaking, but Badger makes pathway. Mother-Corn in heavens asking gods to let people live. Obstructions arranged by being known as Sickness. People come to deep river and Loon sent by gods. Loon flies across river and back and dives. River is open and people cross over. Waters come together again and some people left on other side. Mother-Corn stops and says Black-Wind is angry, but Black-Meteoric-Star will help them. Tells people to get under cedar tree. Black-Wind comes and takes many people. They go on and come to steep mountain bank. Bear digs steps on both sides and people go across. Dog comes up and says his meat shall be offered to gods. His father is Sun, who has given him power.
8. THE ORIGIN OF THE AWAHO-BUNDLE PEOPLE.
People come out of ground, but some are cut off by earthquake. Heavens hear crying and send Mother-Corn to them. Badger digs through earth. People come out and walk westward until they come to thick timber. Screech-Owl flies through and makes pathway. Owl and Whirlwind are enemies. People followed by “Cut-Nose,” an animal with long horns. People run until they come to chasm, which Badger enables them to cross. They then come to thick ice and deep water, which Loon enables them to cross. Mother-Corn teaches people ceremonies and rituals and gives them things to put in bundles. Mother-Corn disappears by ear of corn wrapped in her robe under bundle. Awaho last people to come out of ground, and where other bands have camped they find bits of meat offered to gods, which they use for food. They know all ceremonies and teach them to others. Nearly all are killed by enemies, but bundle hid under bank. Women go for bundle and contents are purified. Sacrifices of meat made the next day. Nesaru made animals to take kernels of corn under ground. They were people turned to corn by Nesaru. This is why animals brought them out of ground and why Mother-Corn was sent by gods in heavens, who had field of corn.
9. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.
Mother-Corn tells Arikara when journeying west to dress her up and put her in river. When Arikara make permanent village upon Missouri River old men think it time to send Mother-Corn down stream. She is taken from bundle, painted, and dressed. After reciting rituals, Mother-Corn, with children’s moccasins tied about her waist, is thrown by priests into river, her head up stream. Many years afterwards woman comes to village and is recognized by man as Mother-Corn. She teaches them ceremonies and songs and that night disappears.
10. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.
In olden times, old man made offerings to gods and Mother-Corn. Mother-Corn is pleased to have smoke with people and starts from east to visit them. She goes into medicine-lodge. She stays many days and teaches them many lessons, but people are hungry for meat. Mother-Corn asks woman to make moccasins for her. She puts on moccasins and they wear out when she walks slowly twenty steps. This takes place four times, but fourth pair brings her back to altar. Her walk means that she has walked long way off in west, and way very hard. She tells people she has seen buffalo and that they will be seen in four days. In morning of fourth day they kill many buffalo, but while they are away, enemies attack village and Mother-Corn is killed. They bury her and from place where she is laid, grass, etc., springs up.