From among the various songs given by my preceptor are selected and presented herewith those recognized by him as being part of the ritual. The greater number of songs are mere repetitions of short phrases, and frequently but single words, to which are added meaningless sounds or syllables to aid in prolonging the musical tones, and repeated ad libitum in direct proportion to the degree of inspiration in which the singer imagines himself to have attained. These frequent outbursts of singing are not based upon connected mnemonic songs preserved upon birch bark, but they consist of fragments or selections of songs which have been memorized, the selections relating to the subject upon which the preceptor has been discoursing, and which undoubtedly prompts a rythmic vocal equivalent. These songs are reproduced on Pl. IX, [A,] [B,] [C]. The initial mnemonic characters pertaining to each word or phrase of the original text are repeated below in regular order with translations in English, together with supplemental notes explanatory of the characters employed. The musical notation is not presented, as the singing consists of a monotonous repetition of four or five notes in a minor key; furthermore, a sufficiently clear idea of this may be formed by comparing some of the Midē´ songs presented in connection with the ritual of initiation and preparation of medicines. The first of the songs given herewith ([Pl. IX, A]) pertains to a request to Ki´tshi Man´idō that clear weather may be had for the

day of ceremonial, and also an affirmation to the candidate that the singer’s words are a faithful rendering of his creed.

Each of the phrases is repeated before advancing to the next, as often as the singer desires and in proportion to the amount of reverence and awe with which he wishes to impress his hearer. There is usually a brief interval between each of the phrases, and a longer one at the appearance of a vertical line, denoting a rest, or pause. One song may occupy, therefore, from fifteen minutes to half an hour.

Plate IX.a. Mnemonic Song.

Ki-ne´-na-wi´-´in mani´-i-dō´-ye-win. I rock you, you that are a spirit. [A midē’s head, the lines denoting voice or speech—i.e., singing of sacred things, as the loops or circles at the ends of each line indicate.]
Kí-zhĭk-ki-wĭn´-da-mūn´. The sky I tell you. [The otter skin medicine sack, and arm reaching to procure something therefrom.]
O-we-nen´; hwīn´. Who is it, who? The mī´gis shell; the sacred emblem of the Midē´wiwin.
Wi´-dzhĭ-i-nan´. The man helping me. A man walking, the Midē´ Man´idō or Sacred Spirit.
Nu-wan´-ni-ma´na nin-guĭs´? Have I told the truth to my son? The bear going to the Midē´wigan and takes with him life to the Ani´shinâ´bēg.
Rest.
Ni´-nīn-dē´, ĕ´, ō´, ya´. My heart, I am there (in the fullness of my heart). My heart; knows all Midē´ secrets, sensible one.
A´-ni-na´-nĕsh-mi´-ĭ-an ni´-na´-wĭ-tō´. I follow with my arms. Arms extended to take up “medicine” or Midē´ secrets.
Man´-i-dō´-wi-an´ nĭ-me´-shine´-mi´-an. Knowledge comes from the heart, the heart reaches to sources of “medicine” in the earth. [A Midē´ whose heart’s desires and knowledge extend to the secrets of the earth. The lines diverging toward the earth denote direction.]
We´-gi-kwō´ Kĕ-mī´-nĭ-nan´? From whence comes the rain? The power of making a clear sky, i.e., weather.
Mi-shŏk´ kwōt´, dzhe-man´-i-dō´-yan. The sky, nevertheless, may be clear, Good Spirit. Giving life to the sick; Dzhe Man´idō handing it to the Midē´.
Wi´-ka-ka-nŭn´-ĕ-nan. Very seldom I make this request of you. The Good Spirit filling the body of the supplicant with knowledge of secrets of the earth.

In the following song ([Pl. IX, B]), the singer relates to the candidate the gratitude which he experiences for the favors derived from the Good Spirit; he has been blessed with knowledge of plants and other sacred objects taken from the ground, which knowledge has been derived by his having himself become a member of the Midē´wiwin, and hence urges upon the candidate the great need of his also continuing in the course which he has thus far pursued.