Plate IX.b. Mnemonic Song.

Na-witsh´-tshi na-kŭm´-i-en a-na´-pi-an´? When I am out of hearing, where am I? The lines extending from the ears denote hearing; the arms directed toward the right and left, being the gesture of negation, usually made by throwing the hands outward and away from the front of the body.
We´-nen-ne´ en´-da-yan. In my house, I see. Sight is indicated by the lines extending from the eyes; the horns denote superiority of the singer.
Mo-kī´-yan-na´-a-witsh´-i-gūm´-mi. When I rise it gives me life, and I take it. The arm reaches into the sky to receive the gifts which are handed down by the Good Spirit. The short transverse line across the forearm indicates the arch of the sky, this line being an abbreviation of the curve usually employed to designate the same idea.
Wen´-dzhi-ba´-pi-an´. The reason why I am happy. Asking the Spirit for life, which is granted. The singer’s body is filled with the heart enlarged, i.e., fullness of heart, the lines from the mouth denoting abundance of voice or grateful utterances—singing.

Rest.
Zha´-zha-bui´-ki-bi-nan´ wig´-ĕ-wâm´. The Spirit says there is plenty of “medicine” in the Midē´ wig´iwam. [Two superior spirits, Ki´tshi Man´idō and Dzhe Man´idō, whose bodies are surrounded by “lines of sacredness,” tell the Midē´ where the mysterious remedies are to be found. The vertical waving lines are the lines indicating these communications; the horizontal line, at the bottom, is the earth’s surface.]
Ya-hō´-hon-ni´-yŏ. The Spirit placed medicine in the ground, let us take it. The arm of Ki´tshi Man´idō put into the ground sacred plants, etc., indicated by the spots at different horizons in the earth. The short vertical and waving lines denote sacredness of the objects.
Ní-wo´-we-nī´-nan ki´-bi-do-nan´. I am holding this that I bring to you. The singer sits in the Midē´wiwin, and offers the privilege of entrance, by initiation, to the hearer.
Midē´ nĭ-ka´-năk kish´-o-wĕ´-ni-mĭ-ko´. I have found favor in the eyes of my midē´ friends. The Good Spirit has put life into the body of the singer, as indicated by the two mysterious arms reaching towards his body, i.e., the heart, the seat of life.

In the following song ([Pl. IX, C]), the preceptor appears to feel satisfied that the candidate is prepared to receive the initiation, and therefore tells him that the Midē´ Man´idō announces to him the assurance. The preceptor therefore encourages his pupil with promises of the fulfillment of his highest desires.

Plate IX.c. Mnemonic Song.

Ba´-dzhĭ-ke´-o gi´-mand ma-bis´-in-dâ´-ă. I hear the spirit speaking to us. The Midē´ singer is of superior power, as designated by the horns and apex upon his head. The lines from the ears indicate hearing.
Kwa-yăk´-in dī´-sha in-dâ´-yan. I am going into the medicine lodge. The Midē´wigân is shown with a line through it to signify that he is going through it, as in the initiation.
Kwe´-tshĭ-ko-wa´-ya ti´-na-man. I am taking (gathering) medicine to make me live. The discs indicate sacred objects within reach of the speaker.
O´-wi-yo´-in en´-do-ma mâk´-kwin-ĕn´-do-ma´. I give you medicine, and a lodge, also. The Midē´, as the personator of Makwa´ Man´idō, is empowered to offer this privilege to the candidate.
O-wē´-nĕn bĕ-mī´-sĕt. I am flying into my lodge. Represents the Thunder-Bird, a deity flying into the arch of the sky. The short lines denote the (so-called spirit lines) abode of spirits or Man´idōs.
Na-nī-ne kwe-wē´-an. The Spirit has dropped medicine from the sky where we can get it. The line from the sky, diverging to various points, indicates that the sacred objects occur in scattered places.
Hē´-wōg, ē´, ē´. I have the medicine in my heart. The singer’s body—i.e., heart—is filled with knowledge relating to sacred medicines from the earth.

[ MIDĒ´ THERAPEUTICS.]