Once more they were called to a feast and entered the Badger chief’s lodge.  He taught the man the Badger song and dance and gave him the medicine.  It was a large rattle, ornamented with beaver claws and bright feathers.  They smoked two pipes in the Badger’s lodge, and then went home and slept.

Early next day, the man and his family took down their lodge, and prepared to move camp.  Many women came and made them presents of dried meat, pemmican, and berries.  They were given so much they could not take it all with them.  It was many days before they joined the main camp, for the people, too, had moved to the south after buffalo.  As soon as the lodge was pitched, the man called all the chiefs to come and feast, and he told them all he had seen, and showed them the medicines.  The chiefs chose certain young men for the different bands, and this man taught them the songs and dances, and gave each band their medicine.

ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE PIPE

Thunder—­you have heard him, he is everywhere.  He roars in the mountains, he shouts far out on the prairie.  He strikes the high rocks, and they fall to pieces.  He hits a tree, and it is broken in slivers.  He strikes the people, and they die.  He is bad.  He does not like the towering cliff, the standing tree, or living man.  He likes to strike and crush them to the ground.  Yes! yes!  Of all he is most powerful; he is the one most strong.  But I have not told you the worst:  he sometimes steals women.

Long ago, almost in the beginning, a man and his wife were sitting in their lodge, when Thunder came and struck them.  The man was not killed.  At first he was as if dead, but after a while he lived again, and rising looked about him.  His wife was not there.  “Oh, well,” he thought, “she has gone to get some water or wood,” and he sat a while; but when the sun had under-disappeared, he went out and inquired about her of the people.  No one had seen her.  He searched throughout the camp, but did not find her.  Then he knew that Thunder had stolen her, and he went out on the hills alone and mourned.

When morning came, he rose and wandered far away, and he asked all the animals he met if they knew where Thunder lived.  They laughed, and would not answer.  The Wolf said:  “Do you think we would seek the home of the only one we fear?  He is our only danger.  From all others we can run away; but from him there is no running.  He strikes, and there we lie.  Turn back! go home!  Do not look for the dwelling-place of that dreadful one.”  But the man kept on, and travelled far away.  Now he came to a lodge,—­a queer lodge, for it was made of stone; just like any other lodge, only it was made of stone.  Here lived the Raven chief.  The man entered.

“Welcome, my friend,” said the chief of Ravens.  “Sit down, sit down.”  And food was placed before him.

Then, when he had finished eating, the Raven said, “Why have you come?”