“I do not give you away, my child (beaver), because I am tired of you, but because the child of this woman is ill. May it be restored to health!”
Catches-Two-Horses who received the skin prayed: “I take you, my child (beaver), that my husband and children may be from sickness; may they live to be old!”
She danced once round the tepee, with the skin across her shoulders. Each of the other women took the skin in turn, and then it was returned to the bundle.
The women held up two winter-skins of weasels. The [[61]]weasel, that great hunter, was included in the bundle, because of its power as a provider of food to its family. Mad Wolf began the Weasel Song; the beaver men beat with their rattles and joined in the song. White Calf, the venerable head-chief, rose and took one of the skins. He held it to his breast with a prayer, and then danced round the tepee. He blew on his medicine whistle to represent the cry of the weasel, and imitated its actions hunting for food. Finally he stopped in front of me and held up the snow-white skin, so that all could see. There was silence as he looked straight at me, and said earnestly:
“This is the white weasel, one of the sacred animals of our Beaver Bundle. We name you ‘Á-pe-ech-e-ken’ (White-Weasel-Moccasin), because your color is light and your eyes are blue. We pray this name may bring you long life and good luck.”
Mad Wolf approved of this name, and moved to one side, so that White Grass, the medicine man, might take the leader’s seat. The face of White Grass was painted red. In the center of his forehead was a black mark to represent the thunder bolt, from which extended yellow zigzag lines for lightning. He prayed:
“Father, the Sun, bless us all, men, women, and children.
Sacred Beaver Bundle, help us to lead straight lives.
Sacred Pipe, bless us, the rivers, mountains, prairies, birds, and animals.
—Mother Earth, give us food until we die.”