SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTIONBureau of American EthnologyBulletin 119
Anthropological Papers, No. 4What Happened to Green Bear Who WasBlessed With a Sacred PackBy TRUMAN MICHELSON
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WHAT HAPPENED TO GREEN BEAR WHO WASBLESSED WITH A SACRED PACKBy Truman Michelson
IntroductionThis account of a Sauk sacred pack was written in the currentsyllabic script by a Fox Indian, now deceased, many years ago. TheEnglish translation is by myself; and I have purposely adhered closelyto the Indian original. Any marked deviations are enclosed in paren-theses. The songs are given in roman type but the principles of thesyllabary are followed. In 1924 Harry Lincoln told me that the sacredpack was among the Indians at Tama, Iowa, until 1897, when it wasreturned to the Sauks. He adds that the attached performance wassomething like the Thunder dance of the Bear gens. The ritualisticorigin myth is similar to Fox myths. "Green Bear," the name of theone blessed, in the Fox dialect is A'ckipAgimA'kwA. That a shamancan understand children before they know how to talk (p. 165) is acommon Fox belief. (See Fortieth Ann. Kept. Bur. Amer. Ethn,, p.343, note 29.) It is not many years ago when to my personal knowl-edge an ailing Fox infant was brought to a shaman by its parents tofind out what was the matter with it. This belief also occurs among theMenomini (see Bloomfield, Menomini Texts, PAES., vol. xii, p. 43)and Omaha (personal communication of the late Francis La Flesche)
;
it probably also occurs elsewhere. Speaking "to the rocks which hesaw" (p. 167) is quite conventional in narratives of this kind. (SeeBull. 89, Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 53; Bull. 95, pp. 31, 73; Bull. 105, p.131.) "He had fasted for 4 years" (p. 167) and "he looked at him thefourth time" (p. 167) is because 4 is the sacred niunber among theFoxes. (See also pp. 169, 176; compare Bull. 87, Bur. Amer. Ethn.,pp. 5, 6.) The expression "who looked gentle" ((a'ke*ca*^tcinagu'-sini'^tci) on page 168 is clearly intended as a prelude to the "GentleManitou" (Ke^camAuetowA) on page 168. On the "Gentle Manitou"see Bull. 105, Bur. Amer. Ethn., pages 17, 18. Thunder-Sauk-Sacred-Pack (p. 169) is Neneme^kiwi-^Sagiwi-Mi*cami. It may be well torecall the fact that (with the proper phonetic shifts) the Fox word forsacred pack (mi'cami) has precise equivalents in Sauk, Eackapoo, andShawnee, but, as far as is known, in no other Algonquian languages.163
164 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull, no
"Those who shall have the sane guardian spirit" (p. 169) is "wi'-wi'^tci'somA^tcigi" which may be freely rendered "those of your gens,your clansmen." In Fox this is a participial formation. Thus ithappens that wi'^tci*somaitci*i "his fellow clansmen" (p. 169) is whatis technically called an obviative. The speech (pp. 171, 172) containssome of the regular formulas (cf. Bull. 105, Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 3,footnote 8). On page 172 the English "Comanches" in the Indiantext is ko me tti a i, an obviative, the phonetic restoration of which isKoma''tci'a*i. This is a modern Fox word; the old term, in the generalcase of the singular, is Pato'ka'A. The Fox did not come in contactwith the Comanche until after the removal from Iowa into Kansas.And the fight with them occurred in 1854. The enmity is projectedbackward in time. Putting foes to sleep by singing songs (p. 172) isa common Fox idea. (See Jones' Fox Texts, p. 11; Bull. 105, Bur.Amer. Ethn., p. 3.) It may be noted that the Fox stem keto- "growl"(p. 173) has equivalents at least in Cree and Menomini. The Foxdid not come in contact with the Arapaho (p. 173) until after the formercame to Kansas. I do not know the exact phonetic restoration ofA ni la o ka i (Arapahos), the obviative plural. As long as the eatingof raw snapping turtles is mentioned on page 175 it may be addedthat among the Menomini eating a turtle's heart raw is supposed tomake a warrior brave. (See Bloomfield's Menomini Texts, p. 29.)General familiarity with the published Sauk and Fox "literature"is presupposed; hence the above notes are very brief. For the Saukit is sufficient to refer to the article Sauk by J. N. B. Hewitt, in Bull.30, Bur. Amer. Ethn., pt. 2; M. R. Harrington, Sacred Bundles of theSac and Fox Indians, Univ. Pa., Univ. Mus. Anthrop. Pub., vol. 4,no. 2 (reviewed by Michelson, Amer. Anthrop., n. s. 17, pp. 576,577; reviewed by Skinner, ibidem, pp. 577-579); Alanson Skinner,Observations on the Ethnology of the Sauk Indians, Bull. 5, nos. 1-3,Pub. Mus. City Milwaukee (reviewed by Michelson, Amer. Anthrop.,n. s. 26, pp. 93-100; 29, pp. 135-138), Michelson on Sauk socialorganization in the American Anthropologist, n. s. 37, p. 449, andM. R. Harrington, Old Sauk and Fox beaded garters, Indian Notesand Monographs, X, pp. 39-41, A bird-quill belt of the Sauk and Fox,Indian Notes and Monographs, X, pp. 47-50. A fairly full bibhog-raphy on the Fox Indians wiU be found in the Fortieth Ann. Kept.Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 30 et seq. This could be easily greatl}'^ expanded,but the following additions are probably the most important items:Annals of Iowa, Third Series, IV, page 196 et seq. (from Soc. Anthrop.N. A. ed. Eggan), XIX, p. 115 et seq., p. 221 et seq., p. 352 et seq.,XX, p. 123 et seq., p. 381 etseq.; Bulletins 85, 87, 89, 95, 105, 114 ofthe Bur. Amer. Ethn.; P. V. Lawson, Mission of St. Mark at theVniage of the Outagamis located at Manawa, Wis. (privately printed
;
Menasha, 1901); T. Michelson, The changing character of Fox
michelson) WHAT HAPPENED TO GREEN BEAR 165
adoption-feasts, Amer. J. Sociology, XXXIV, pp. 890-892, Sol Tax onthe Social Organization of the Fox Indians, American Anthropologist,n. s. 40, pp. 177-179, Miss Owen's "Folk-Lore of the MusquakieIndians," American Anthropologist, n. s. 38, pp. 143-145; Sol Tax,The Social Organization of the Fox Indians, apud Social Anthropologyof North American Tribes, Fred Eggan, editor, Chicago, 1937. [Newlinguistics are not cited; but an exception must be made in the caseof L. Bloomfield's remarkable paper on Central Algonquian phonology,Language, I, p. 130 et seq.l Finally, though Sauk and Fox areclosely related, nevertheless they are linguistically and ethnologicallydistinct.What Happened to Green Bear Who was Blessed with aSacred PackWhen he was 8 years old his father died. Thereupon his motherbecame a widow unreleased from death ceremonies; and she fasted.Moreover, he himself was made to fast. They both fasted the samelength of time.Now, when he was a boy, as soon as he was 10 years old, he under-stood Httle children who did not yet know how to talk. Soon it wasknown that he understood them. Whenever they were sick theywere brought to him, and he told what was the matter with them.Surely, it is said, he told exactly what ailed them. Every one wasvery fond of him. He went around the people in a circle when he toldthem what was going to happen to the children.And soon his mother took a husband. At the very time she took ahusband he ceased to understand children. Then, it is said, thepeople on aU sides wailed over him; and he himself felt as badly aspossible. Soon he informed his mother, "Well, mother, by marryingyou now have made the people wail everywhere. And you were fullygrown when you remembered marriage. Verily, you have made thepeople wail, not I," he said to her. "Verily, I shall stop staying herewhere you live. I shall cease living with you," he said to her."Wherever you go, I shall go" (she said).
"I shall not be where our fellow people are" (he said)."Wherever you die I shaU die, for I am ashamed that I married"(she said)."You will be that way for that reason. If you had not done so,I should not feel ruined in any way. That is what I say to you,mother. Verily, do not tliink of doing anytliing," he said to liismother.She wept. "In that way you will make me wretched there," hewas told. "No, mother, you and this husband of yours shall be fondof each other," he said to her.35729—38 12
166 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [buix. ii»Then, it is said, he started to go outside. He went in no particulardirection. And he was scolded by his friend. "Now, my friend, donot think of going some place and dying uselessly. Do not think ofabandoning your mother," he was told by his friend. Then he himselfdeparted, and he went off as far as possible in one day. When hehad gone off as far as possible on the eighth day he did not even carryanything to eat, but merely had his bow, his knife, and a stone ax.Precisely that, it is said, was the property he had.He built a lodge somewhere where there was a large valley. Thewater was fine. Later on he built a small bark house. He placed thebark house in a different location. Just as soon as he made it, hebecame hungry. Yet there was nothing for him to eat, as he couldnot hunt. When he was suddenly hungry he merely kept lying downinside. Finally, it is said, he was made mindful. "Now very hkelyI shall die," he thought. He merely kept lying down. But he didnot even remember his mother.Soon, it is said, he went outside as if crazy. "I shall stop to lookat the sun and sky," he thought. As he looked up above he saw some-thing. "What, pray, may it be?" he thought. It did not fly aroundat all. Finally he lay on his back. Once in a while it fell from thesouth. But it seemed to be of the same size, and the distance re-mained the same. Soon he thought, "Now, it appears, I shall die."He went inside. "I shall cease looldng at it," he thought, and laydown comfortably. "I shall place my body well," he thought, andlay down carefully.As soon as he lay down nicely he lay blinded. This is how hebecame blind; it was after he had seen it. As soon as it fell towardhim he surely saw it as he peeped. Surely he saw it. He saw throughhis dwelling. He indeed disUked looldng at it. Soon he thought,
"I shall probably cease to be conscious. Oh, if it should faU here,then very hkely I shall cease being conscious." He disUked lookingat it. As he lay down steadily the place by which he had enteredopened and someone came in and stood where his own head was ashe himself lay down comfortably. "I wonder who this is," he thought.In his sleep he did not examine it. And, it is said, he woke up earlyin the morning. He even had a headache. He felt dreadfully. Hewas hungry. Then he thought, "Who, pray, is this being? He willprobably eat me as soon as I am dead. That is why he has jumpeddown from the sky, that is, the manitou who resides there."And he departed. He went in no particular direction. He con-tinued to run back and forth. Soon he lay down comfortably some-where, for he was afraid of the spot when he came. Surely soon thatbeing came into view. "Why," he thought as the other came wherehe was lying down. And the other lay down with his head pointingto him as he lay down. As soon as the other lay down with his head
michelson) WHAT HAPPENED TO GKEEN BEAR 167pointing at him, he looked at him. Lo! It was a white hide tiedup in a bundle. He opened it. Lo, it was a cooked fish. He beganeating. When his belly was well filled he was strong and he departed.As soon as he arrived where he Uved, he began to be very attentive.
"I declare!" he thought. Then, it is said, he said, "Gad! I nearlydied. That would not have come to pass for no reason. Surely, itmust have been the manitou's thought," he thought. "Perhaps it isa fact that the manitou must have blessed me prodigally," he thought.Then, it is said, he began to fast. Every morning he painted hisface. He told everything which he saw, even the rocks which hesaw, "I am wretched, my grandfather," he said to them. He made agrandfather of all tilings. He always did thus. As soon as he hadfasted for 4 years, then the spot from which he came became a lake.It was a large lake.Soon he dreamed. "Well, tomorrow you will see the one whoblessed you, the one who gave wherewith to eat. 'I declare,' you willthink. Tomorrow at noon, verily, you will come to him here. Youwill ask him for whatever you say to him," he was told in his dream.And later on he woke up. At exactly noon he arose. "Well, Ishall go and lie down," he thought, and departed. As soon as he got aview, lo, there was a being that kept standing upon one leg. Thelatter did not even see him. And as soon as he looked at him thelatter became less in size. As soon as he looked at him the thirdtime the latter became very much less in size. And as soon as helooked at him the fourth time the latter became very tiny. At thattime, it is said, he at once spoke to him, "Well, if you are the one whomI have made my grandfather, you must bless me, so I think. Yousurely will bless me? But you shall have the power to think of me inwhatever way you wish. I shall not know pity. But you are amanitou. That is why I say to you, 'You shall have the power overwhat you control.' Certainly, whatever I contrive to ask would notcome (if you willed otherwise)," he said to his grandfather. "Oh,my grandson, you surely speak nicely," he was told for the first timeby his grandfather. "Well, I bless you that you may live. At thetime you were hungry, verily, I fed you. That is how I fed you. Inperson I fed you my food. Verily it helped you. Today you aretruly in excellent health. And I think of you, my grandchild. Verily,I am proud. Verily, you must accompany me where I am going. Youalso shall go. You will come. I shaU tell my fellow manitous thatI bless you," he was told.The Indian accompanied him. They went up above. When theycame yonder the sky parted and they entered by this means andfollowed a road from there. Yonder they saw a lodge. They entered.This is how they entered. He felt as gentle as possible. He saw a
168 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [btjix. 119man who looked gentle. And the one by whom he himself had beenblessed began to speak, "Well, I bless this om- grandchild. This,verily, is why I bless him. He was extremely ill. Verily, I fed himwhat I eat. This is how I think of him, that he attain hoary old age,that he continue for a long time to be with his fellow mortals. I sobless him. And if he fights against his foes, he shall never be shot.And I shall give him songs, my very own songs of which I am fond.And this is why I give them to him, that he will be helped by themwhenever he thinks of anything. Whatever he thinks the same shallbe. That is why I give him my songs. If his body is in any way inperil, well, he shall merely sing. Exactly whatever he desires shallhappen to him. Nothing adverse shall happen to him. Even if hefalls down to die in a certain spot, it will not be possible. He shallsurvive. That is how the songs which I shall give him are to be.Moreover, I shall give him dancing songs. If he is at all happy heshall make the people dance. And if he kills many of his foes he shallmake the people dance. Well, anyone shall dance. Not only heshall dance, but everyone, a woman, a child, as many as are happy andmortal shall dance to my songs, That verUy is how I bless this ourgrandchild," he said to the Gentle Manitou.The Gentle Manitou spoke: "Well, you have surely gladdened meby what you have done. I am glad that you have blessed our grand-child. 'Now he really has pleased our grandchild by blessing him'(is what I think). Verily, I too shall bless him. Exactly as youblessed him; you merely blessed him in the manner I helped you.And in giving him these songs," he said to him, "you have also pleasedhim. Our grandchild will always remember you. Verily you shallgo and exist as a mortal with our grandchildren. You will place yourbody there. But those who live here on the earth shall accompanyyou," he was told. "Now you must continue to lead this our grand-child downward. As soon as you shall quietly come yonder, youshall give him something. He shall continue to take care of it. Itwill carry him. You will firmly tell him to remember it," the onewho blessed the Indian was told. "Oh, I shaU do exactly that," thelatter said and led the Indian downward. Then he brought himwhere he lived.Thereupon he told him, "I give you this my body." As soon as(the Indian) was told that this identical sacred pack was there, "Ishall go and think of you from there. I shall never forget what youtell me. Verily, at the time when ye shall have ceased to remember it,ye shall cease to think of me. But I shall go and speak to you at thedistant time when this earth is old, not before that time, surely notbeforehand. If you soon throw it away, at that time I shall surelytell you," he was told. "This, verily, is what will happen to you.You will know even the songs. I shall not tell you of them in detail
michelson] WHAT HAPPENED TO GREEN BEAR 169here. You will know them from your heart," that man was told.
"In the same way you shaU Imow what you are to continue to do andwhat you are to say if you worship," he was told. "And you shallname this sacred pack 'sacred pack.' You shall tell those who shallhave the same guardian spirit as you (i. e., those of your gens). Thisis what you shall name it for them, 'Thunder-Sauk-Sacred-Pack.'That is what you shall name it for them. For you shall tell the news.And now I shall tell you something else which you shall always do ifyou are first in great fights," he was told. "Verily, you shall lead awar party four times," he was told. "And you shall continue to healthose who are sick. Even if anyone breaks his bones, you will healhim. Even if he has tuberculosis, you will also cure him. No matterwhat his ailment may be, you will continue to cure him. You willnot even think those sick will be difficult to cure. Even if anyoneceases to be conscious you will restore him. That is how powerfulmy blessing is. That is the way you shall continue to do. Mymouth shall not speak falsely, not even one mouthful," he was told.
"Surely you must do as much as I have told you. I am telling youthe truth in what I say to you," he was told.As soon as he was told that he only saw smoke rising upward.Then, it is said, he picked up the sacred pack on his way and broughtit inside his dwelling. And later on he went off. Eventually he wentwhence he had come. When he arrived yonder he merely saw old,scrubby grass. "WTiy," he thought. Then he went about carryinghis sacred pack on liis back. And he went off blindly. He lay downat night near the bushes. Then he was told by an owl where he wasto go. "My grandchild, this is where people of your own languagehave a town," he was told. "Here, to the north, not far off, theyhave their town. You will be on your way for several days. Thenyou vnW come there. And even your relatives will be lonely for you,"he was told. "Finally, my grandson, you will sing of me, as I pleaseyou this day. This is why I'tell you." As soon as he was told that,the other began to fly off.Now, when he went in that direction, sure enough he came to aMeskwakie town. Then he covered his sacred pack as he was carryingit on his back. He concealed it as he approached some old wigwam.Now it is a fact, it is said, it was exactly where his mother lived. Sohe went in. But, it is said, they did not recognize each other. Hewas surely told, "Hello!" by a man. He himself recognized the other,but he was not recognized. As soon as he was fed he began to speak.Then indeed the woman rose to her feet and went to kiss her son.Then in 4 days he held a gens festival. He summoned his fellow-clansmen. As soon as they were seated in a cluster he told what hadhappened to himself, that he was hungry, and how it was that hewas blessed. When he was fed he gave another speech. After he
170 BUREAU OF AMEBICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull, nohad spoken he said to the members of his gens, "Oh, the manitoudid not bless me for a short time when he took compassion upon me.This, verily, is how far he thought of me: at whatever time there shallcease to be a people is how far he thought of me. He, the one whoblessed me, gave me his songs; he did so in person so that he wouldnot fail to hear me. That is what he said to me ; that he would hearme, is what he said to me. You must carefully and thoroughlylearn by experience these songs which you are going to have. Re-member them firmly. Do not think, *I am not worthy to knowthem.' " He began to sing. But he blew the flute four times. Assoon as he had blown the flute he sang.This is how he sang the first song:Whosoever fails to remember me;Whosoever fails to remember me;Yo o o; my grandfather;Whosoever fails to remember me;Whosoever fails to remember me.[Wa wa ne ne mi ge ni;Wa wa ne ne mi ge ni;Yo o ; wi na yo ne me do me sa;Wa wa ne ne mi ge ni;Wa wa ne ne mi ge ni.]Wa ne ni no wa ne ni no wa ne ni no;They bless me, yo, the thunderers; my grandfathers;Wa ne ni no wa ne ni no wa ne ni no.[Wa ne ni no wa ne ni no wa ne ni no;Ne ke ne me ko ki yo ne ne me ki wa ki ne me do me sa ki;Wa ne ni no wa ne ni no wa ne ni no.]
I was made to go around; the one who goes around this;I was made to go around; the one who goes around this;He, this sky;I was made to go around; the one who goes around this;I was made to go around; the one who goes around this.[Ki yo sa i ki ki yo ki yo sa ta ma ni;Ki yo sa i ki ki yo ki yo sa ta ma mi;Wi na ki de ge ye;Ki yo sa i ki ki yo ki yo sa ta ma ne;Ki yo sa i ki ki yo ki yo sa ta ma ne.]I make the manitous sorrowful;I make the manitous sorrowful;I, my friend, was made to stand on this earth;I make the manitous sorrowful;I make the manitous sorrowful.[Ki wa ki wa tti na we A ke ma ne to wa ki;Ki wa ki wa tti na we A ke ma ne to wa ki;Ni na ni ka ne wi na A ki yo ne ma swi i ki;Ki wa ki wa tti na we A ke ma ne to wa ki;Ki wa ki wa tti na we A ke ma ne to wa ki.]
MiCHELsoN] WHAT HAPPENED TO GREEN BEAR 171And then they danced. And this is how the songs go:All the tree-men are dancing;All the tree-men are dancing;All the tree-men are dancing;All the tree-men are dancing;I; the tree-men bunch their heads together;All the tree-men are dancing;All the tree-men are dancing.[Tta ki me te gi ne ni A ki ui mi ni mi wa ki;Tta ki me te gi ne ni A ki ni mi ni mi wa ki;Ta ki me te gi ne ni A ki ni mi ni mi wa ke;Tta ki me te gi ne ni A ki ni mi ni mi wa ki;Ni na wa wa ne te ge se waki me te gi ne A ki;Tta ki me te gi ne ni A ki ni mi ni mi wa ki;Tta ki me te gi ne ni A ki ui mi ni mi wa ki.]
I am raising my hands up;(Repeat six additional times)[Tti tti ki ne ke sa ya ni;(Repeat six additional times.) ]From where I dance for the first time, to be sure;(Repeat five additional times)[We te ka i ya ni A tta wi na(Repeat five additional times.) ]A ta mo ya ni(Repeat four additional times)Ma ni yo ma ne to wi(''This mystic power")A ta mo ya ni(Repeat three times)A ta mo yaA ta mo ya ni.And the eating songs were:I go about eating;(Repeat seven additional times)A human being, a human being;The one whom I shall eat (i. e., kill);I go about eating;(Repeat five additional times)[Ki wi se ni ya ni;(Repeat seven additional times)Me to se ne ni A me to se ne ni A;Wi A mwa ke na;Ki wi se ni ya ni;(Repeat five additional times.)]That is as many as the songs are. When this is done, when worshipis held, this is what the one worshipping says:
"Oh, so be it, our grandfather, so be it, our grandfather who dwellsabove, so be it, is the one whom we worship. Verily that we may
172 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 119
exist as mortals for a long time is what we desire of him; oh, so beit, we shall think alike, so be it, so that we shall gladden, so be it,our grandfather.
"All of us who are mortals must always feel that toward him in orderthat we may make him merciful. We must always think steadfastlyof him so that he will make a donation to us, that he bless us with life.The reason why we are holding a gens festival is so that he in personshall listen to us here. That is how his nature is. That is why he sitshere. He is permitted to do so by his fellow-manitous. So that iswh}^ he is here. That is what he was told, that he should watch overus here whore our chief has a town. And if any one talks against us,he shall not speak truthfully (i. e., be unsuccessful with his impreca-tions). And that moreover we be not customarily sick is what wedesire of him, so be it. You must always, so be it, sit and think in oneday as long as we worship. Think exactly that, men, and you, too,women."That is how the speech is when there is worship, when this holy hideis worshipped.And a long time ago the Meskwakies were surrounded by theComanches. Eleven was the number of the families. And the onewho made this sacred pack was there. They were surrounded. Thatthey all would be killed, is what they thought. At night they held agens festival. "You are not to sing: you are merely to dance once.As soon as 1 stop singing we shall depart. But you must dancevigorously. You must open my sacred pack. You shall make anoffering to our grandfather," he said to them when it seems that theywere surrounded. It was impossible for them to go out, it seemed.And at midnight he gave a dance. "I shall use one song," he said,A te mo ya ni(Repeat three additional times)Ma ni yo ma ne to wa ki(This, yo, the manitous)A te mo ya ni(Repeat three additional times.)Thus he sang, and the Comanche all slept. And they themselvesescaped. They were not, it is said, seen by any one; nor was it knownwhither they continued to go. Their dwellings were all burned.And as soon as he came yonder, he forthwith held a gens festival.He held a gens festival when it was daylight. 'T shall burn them outso that they who nearly killed us shall come toward us," he said."You verily will see how many there are. Do not think that they willget the better of you. You shall slay them all. That is the way youwill treat them. They will wake up here at the end of the village.While they are fast asleep you shall begin to strike them down," theyouths were told.
MicHELsoN] WHAT HAPPENED TO GREEN BEAR 173Sure enough, early in the morning while many were lying asleep in aheap the others began clubbing them to death. At last there was(but) one. They were about to slay him when the Comanche turnedinto a grizzly bear. He began to growl and rushed to attack them.And one man who was unable to begin to flee was told, "Stand andfear (i. e., fight) him." Soon he was rushed with an attack. And herushed against the other. Soon the grizzly bear was held fast. Hewas wounded as soon as he was properly held. As soon, it is said, ashe was properly held, he was made to cry. "That's the way I make awoman bawl," he was told. "Lo, it must be a female grizzly bear.If it were a male he could not have been made to bawl," he said to him.And indeed, it is said, he killed him. And as soon as (the Meskwakie)had killed him that grizzly bear became an Indian.Many Comanche were killed. Not even one was saved. All werekUled.And moreover, when there was a war party this sacred pack wastaken along. Many youths and men accompanied the party. Andthe one who carried this sacred pack on his back was always the leader.He always traveled all day long. Finally it was 8 days since they hadeaten. "Well, now we shall eat," he said on the eighth day. "Buttomorrow early in the morning is when we shall eat," he said to thosewho accompanied him. "What will I eat now?" thought some onewho, it seems, did not bring anything wherewith to eat. The nextday their heads were where the bundles were. And the one who car-ried this sacred pack on his back said, "Untie each one at the sametime." When they untied the bundles there were cooked fishes. Allhad their bellies filled. After they had eaten, he said to them, "Well,men, this very one who fed us is the one who is in my sacred pack.He is the very one we eat. So finally you must begin to hunt. Now,as long as you are on your way, do not fear anything. You will killsomething and we shall eat. After we fight against the foe, then wemust keep up a fast pace on our way home. Today, however, wemust continue slowly on our way," he said to the men. "That iswhat I say to you," he said to them.Then he put his sacred pack on his shoulder and went off. Finallythey continued to hunt for game animals and killed many. As soon asthey had camped they did much roasting and ate bounteously.Then, it is said, they soon came where the Arapahos were. Therewere many lodges. "Well, when it is after midnight, then we shallbegin striking them down," the Meskwakies said. As soon as it waspast midnight they began to strike them down. They killed most ofthem in a hurry. Soon it was learned how few they were, and theywere surrounded. They stood in the middle bunched together. Theybegan to shoot arrowheads in a lively manner. Soon they were told,"They wiU not hit us" ; so they were told by the leader of the war party.
174 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. U9Soon they were told, "Well, perhaps now you have had enough offighting. We shall all jump up at the same time. Let no one fail tojump up. You must jump up. We shall depart. I shall be reallywhite; wherever I shall continue to go, you shall go. Hold your bowsand arrows in your mouths," he said to his friends. That is exactlywhat they did. As soon as all had them in their mouths then he hadhis sacred pack in his mouth. "Now," he said to them. They alljumped up at the same time and they traveled from there at highspeed. All got out and they flew around mixing with each other.
"Void faeces upon the foe," they said to each other. They voidedfaeces upon them. They escaped and all were carrying somethingin their mouths as they flew up above. When they arrived up aboveas far as it was possible then they went to the earth. Then indeed, it issaid, they lay down.As soon as they ceased coming out they were very tired; that is,their wings were. Well, they lay there for 2 days. On the second daythey began to feel like smiling. They were told how they had voidedfaeces upon the foe. It is said faeces fell upon the heads of some ofthe Arapahos. And some were struck on their faces. That, verily,it is said, is why the Meskwakie laughed. And they urinated on somefrom there.And after they had given fuU explanations, they departed. "Well,now we shall go home," he said to them. "We must go a little faster,"he said to them. Then he put his sacred pack on his back and startedto begin to run. Then indeed they all started to run. They alwayshad the same rate of speed while running. Finally early at night hehalted in his running. Immediately they camped. "Hunt," he saidto them. The men hunted at night. They killed many turkeys andthen they roasted them. All ate one turkey apiece. "You musteat all of them" (they were told). They slept for a little while. Earlyin the morning they were told by the one who had the sacred pack,"Men, wake up, we must depart." They all woke up suddenly."We must go on a little faster," he said, and started off. Surely theyran fast. At noon he halted running at a big mountain. "Well, youmust all stop to urinate and void faeces," he said. They urinatedand voided faeces mightily. The length of time it takes for one whourinates and voids faeces slowly to do so is the exact length of timethey halted.And, it is said, after they had gathered, they were instructed,"Now, men, do not think, 'we are going at a fast pace for fun.' Amanitou is pursuing us. That is why I want you to hurry," he saidto them. The men were afraid. They were all afraid. And so,it is said, they went at full speed. They halted for a short time atnight.
MiCHELsoN] WHAT HAPPENED TO GREEN BEAR 175Very early in the morning they were told, "Now, men, we mustdepart. We must run faster," he said. Surely they ran at fullspeed. They were again told at noon, "Stop to hurriedly attend tonature." They hurriedly attended to nature. As soon as they hadattended to nature they traveled on.Much later, at night, he halted in his run where a creek flowed by.Then, it is said, some were hungry. "Now, men, hunt for snappingturtles," they were told. "You must all eat hurriedly one apiece.That is the exact amount you must eat, men," they were told. Theyate the snapping turtles raw. They were exactly of the same size(i. e., the snapping turtles). As soon as they had eaten them, theone who had the sacred pack said, "Now is the last time. But wemust go as fast as we can. If we come to a stony mountain, then themanitou will not slay us. Then we shall as if overpower him," hesaid. "You shall be strong. As soon as it is midnight then we shalldepart. If, however, we discover (the pursuing manitou), then Ishall save you," he said to them.They started off after midnight. At first they traveled slowly, andas it got toward morning they continued on their way at full speed.Soon they were going as fast as they could. Then, it is said, somewere tired. Now, at noon, it is said, they saw a stony mountain."Yonder really is where we are going," he said to his friends. As soonas they ran close by, as they looked backward they surely saw a whiteotter. It was very white. "There he is. Go fast," they were toldby the one who had the sacred pack. As soon as he arrived in personthe men ran up the hill. "Now indeed we are ahead of him," he saidto his friends. Then, it is said, the white otter became much smaller.Soon it cried out loudly and began to go away. "Now, men, hunt.You must now cease to be afraid of anything," he said to them. Andthe men had a great hunt. Well, they killed two deer. As soon asthey had killed them they began to roast them on spits; and theyroasted them. Well, it is said, they ate those two deer.They stayed there several days. As soon as they had eaten heartilythey went on. And, it is said, they came yonder from where they haddeparted. All the people were glad.And the one who took care of the sacred pack began to doctor hisfellow-Indians a good deal. Surely he continued to cure tliem. Hecured very hard cases. Even, it is said, when they had broken boneshe cured them. He was able, it is said, to make the bones growtogether. And, it is said, he was loved by all the people, and he wasfeared. And even when he became an old man he did not marry.He always remained a bachelor. Yet, it is said, he was repeatedlygiven maidens, but, it is said, he did not desire to marry. And hisname was Green Bear. That was his name. And, it is said, he began
176 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY tBULL. 119to be ill. He became ill very quicldy as he was an old man. Hebecame worse, and, it is said, he was doctored by any one, as he wasan old man. Soon, it is said, he doctored himself. As soon as heknew how he had been treated, he told the news when he was well.
"Well, I declare, a long time ago the manitou must have begun tobless us. One blessed by a manitou is the very one who nearly kUledme, one who knows an evil medicine. He is the very one whom youwill call 'witch.' One who does that will always be with you. Onewho does that shall never disappear. He is the one who will continueto kill us. Also he has the nature of a manitou. But he will neverhave any mercy upon us. He will always continue to kill us. He willnot even have mercy upon a child. He will kill it, that is, tlie one whodoes so, the one who knows an evil medicine. Such a one is not evenfearful of me. He has tried to witch me. So I have full knowledge ofa person who acts like that when he is blessed by a manitou. At nighthe surely has the nature of a manitou. I am not just talking. Verily,bUndly fear him, people," he said to them. "Thus you shall continuein succession to tell each other of him. And let no one of you acceptfrom him whatever he may give you. You wdll make yourselveswretched if you do that, if you accept it from him. That is how it is.That is the message I give to you. You shall merely remember firmlythis sacred pack of ours," he said to his fellow clansmen.And soon he again instructed them later on when he was an old man."Clansmen of mine, you know that I have now reached an old age.Surely the manitou blessed me. If I die, I am not to be buried. I shallsit in the open. But wherever there is a separate mountain, you shallbury me (in that position). In 4 days I shall disappear. You will notsee me. Now I must depart. I shall go to the land of the manitous.But you must firmly remember this sacred pack. You must alwayshold gens festivals with due solemnity. This is what you must do.You must never establish a new way. And these nine songs: exactlythat shall be their munber. There never must be more. But youmust always remember our future boys. You must tell them to keepthis up. Do not think of changing the rules in any way. You musttell (our boys) exactly what I have been telling you. This day I shallas if go somewhere for a while. It is certaia that as soon as I finishspeaking I shall die," he said. As soon as he finished speaking he died.After he had been dead for 4 days they went to look where he was.There were merely marks on the ground. He had disappeared. Allthe people waited, and lamented Green Bear. That is the end of thestory of a sacred pack called "Thunder-Sauk-Sacred-Pack."