🧚 The Feast of the Virgins., part 4 · page 2

Then glad as the robin in May was the voice of Winona exulting; And the crest-fallen brave turned away, and lonely he walked by the river; He glowered as he went and the fire of revenge in his bosom was kindled, But he strove to dissemble his ire, and he whistled alone by the Ha-ha.64

THE "WAKAN WACEPEE," OR SACRED DANCE.65 [81]66

Lo the lights in the "Teepee Wakán!" 'tis the night of the Wakán-Wacépee.67 Round and round walks the chief of the clan, as he rattles the sacred Ta-shá-kay; [81] Long and loud on the Chân-che-ga [81] beat the drummers with magical drumsticks, And the notes of the Chô-tánka [81] greet, like the murmur of winds on the waters.68 By the friction of white-cedar wood for the feast was a Virgin-fire [20] kindled.69 They that enter the firm brotherhood first must fast and be cleansed by E-neé-pee; [81] And from foot-sole to crown of the head must they paint with the favorite colors; For Unktéhee likes bands of blood-red, with the stripings of blue intermingled.70 In the hollow earth, dark and profound, Unktéhee and fiery Wakín-yan Long fought and the terrible sound of the battle was louder than thunder; The mountains were heaved and around were scattered the hills and the boulders, And the vast solid plains of the ground rose and fell like the waves of the ocean.71 But the god of the waters prevailed.72 Wakín-yan escaped from the cavern, And long on the mountains he wailed, and his hatred endureth forever.73

When Unktéhee had finished the earth, and the beasts and the birds and the fishes, And men at his bidding came forth from the heart of the huge hollow mountains [69] A band chose the god from the hordes, and he said "Ye are sons of Unktéhee; Ye are lords of the beasts and the birds, and the fishes that swim in the waters.74 But hearken ye now to my words, --let them sound in your bosoms forever.75 Ye shall honor Unktéhee and hate Wakínyan, the Spirit of Thunder, For the power of Unktéhee is great, and he laughs at the darts of Wakínyan.76 Ye shall honor the Earth and the Sun, --for they are your father and mother.77 [70] Let your prayer to the Sun be --_Wakán, Até: on-si-má-da oheé-neé_ [a] And remember the Táku Wakán, [73] all pervading in earth and in ether-- Invisible ever to man, but he dwells in the midst of all matter; Yea, he dwells in the heart of the stone --in the hard granite heart of the boulder; Ye shall call him forever Tunkán --grandfather of all the Dakotas.78 Ye are men that I choose for my own; ye shall be as a strong band of brothers, Now I give you the magical bone and the magical pouch of the spirits.79 [b] And these are the laws ye shall heed: Ye shall honor the pouch and the giver.80 Ye shall walk as twin-brothers; in need, one shall forfeit his life for another.81 Listen not to the voice of the crow.82 [c] Hold as sacred the wife of a brother.83 Strike, and fear not the shaft of the foe, for the soul of the brave is immortal.84 Slay the warrior in battle, but spare the innocent babe and the mother.85 Remember a promise;--beware, --let the word of a warrior be sacred.86 When a stranger arrives at the tee --be he friend of the band or a foeman, Give him food; let your bounty be free; lay a robe for the guest by the lodge-fire; Let him go to his kindred in peace, if the peace-pipe he smoke in the teepee; And so shall your children increase, and your lodges shall laugh with abundance.87 And long shall ye live in the land, and the spirits of earth and the waters Shall come to your aid, at command, with the power of invisible magic.88 And at last, when you journey afar --o'er the shining "_Wanágee Ta-chán-ku_," [70] You shall walk as a red, shining star, [18] in the land of perpetual summer."89

[a] "Sacred Spirit, Father have pity on me always"90

[b] Riggs' Tahkoo Wakan, p. 90.91

[c] Slander.92

All the night in the teepee they sang, and they danced to the mighty Unktéhee, While the loud-braying Chán-che-ga rang and the shrill-piping flute and the rattle, Till Anpétuwee [70] rose in the east --from the couch of the blushing Han-nân-na.93 And then at the dance and the feast sang the song of Unktéhee in chorus:94

"Wa-dú-ta o-hna mi-ká-ge!95 Wa-dú-ta o-hná mi-ká-ge!96 Mini-yâta ité wakândè makù, Atè wakán--Tunkánsidán,97

Tunkânsidán pejihúta wakán Micâgè--he Wicâgè!98 Miniyáta ité wakándé makú.99 Taukánsidán ite, nápè dú-win-ta woo, Wahutôpa wan yúha, nápè dú-win-ta too."100

TRANSLATION101

In red swan-down he made it for me; In red swan-down he made it for me; He of the water--he of the mysterious face-- Gave it to me; Sacred Father--Grandfather!102

Grandfather made me magical medicine That is true!103 Being of mystery,--grown in the water-- He gave it to me!104 To the face of our Grandfather stretch out your hand; Holding a quadruped, stretch out your hand!105

Till high o'er the hills of the east Anpétuwee walked on his journey, In secret they danced at the feast, and communed with the mighty Unktéhee.106 Then opened the door of the tee to the eyes of the day and the people, And the sons of Unktéhee, to be, were endowed with the sacred Ozúha [82] By the son of tall Wazí-kuté, Tamdóka, the chief of the Magi.107 And thus since the birth-day of man --since he sprang from the heart of the mountains, [69] Has the sacred "Wacépee Wakán" by the warlike Dakotas been honored, And the god-favored sons of the clan work their will with the help of the spirits.108