The Fashioning of the Children (Osage)

The Path on the Rainbow, edited by George W. Cronyn, [1918], at sacred-texts.com

THE FASHIONING OF THE CHILDREN

OSAGE

CHANT OF THE RED EAGLE CLAN

The First of the Race
Was saying, "Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies.
"We shall seek bodies for our children.
"Ho, younger brother! you shall attend to it."
They reached one upper world and stood.
There they were not human beings.

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"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must seek bodies for our children."
They reached the second upper world and stood.
There they were not human beings.
"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must seek bodies for our children."
They reached the third upper world and stood.
There they were not human beings.
"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must seek bodies for our children."
They reached the fourth upper world and stood.
There they became human beings.
Still, the children were without (human) bodies.
"We must continue to seek bodies for our children."
They returned to the third upper world and stood.
The children were really without bodies.
"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must continue to seek bodies for our children."
They returned to the second upper world and stood.
The children did not find bodies for themselves.
"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must make an examination awhile longer."
They returned to the first upper world and stood.
They came to red oak and were standing on it.
On a very fine day they came hither and stood.
Kaxe-wahü-sa (the Black Bear), who was then moving,
Came directly to them and stood.
"Ho, elder brother!" (said the Black Bear.)
"You shall continue to burn my feet for me."
"Ho, Kaxe-wahü-sa!" was he (the Tsicu) saying.
Kaxe-wahü-sa went to the star Watse-tuka.
"Ho, grandfather!" he was saying.

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"The children have no bodies."
Watse-tuka replied, "Can I give the children bodies?
"I have an everlasting road in which I must keep.
"I am not the only mysterious one;
"You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then Kaxe-wahü-sa went to the star Watse-mika.
"Ho, grandmother!" he said;
"The children have no bodies."
She replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I have an everlasting road in which I must keep.
"I am not the only mysterious one!
"You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the mysterious one of day.
"Ho, grandfather!" said he;
"The children have no bodies."
Said he, "Can I give the children bodies?
"I have an everlasting road in which I must keep.
"I am not the only mysterious one;
"You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the mysterious one of night.
"Ho, grandfather!" said he;
"The children have no bodies, grandfather!"
The Moon replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I have an everlasting road in which I must keep.
"I am not the only mysterious one;
"You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the Pleiades, saying,
"Ho, grandfathers!
"The children have no bodies."
One of these replied, "Can I give bodies to the children!
"I have an everlasting road in which I must keep.
"I am not the only mysterious one;
"You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the constellation called Three Deer.
"Ho, grandfather," said he;
"The children have no bodies."
The latter replied, "Can I give the children bodies?

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"I have an everlasting road in which I must keep.
"I am not the only mysterious one;
"You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the Morning Star, saying,
"Ho, grandfather!
"The children have no bodies."
The star replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I have an everlasting road in which I must keep.
"I am not the only mysterious one;
"You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the Small Star, saying,
"Ho, grandfather!
"The children have no bodies."
The star replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I have an everlasting road in which I must keep.
'I am not the only mysterious one;
"You shall attend to it awhile longer."
The female Red Bird, who had been moving, was sitting on her nest.
To her he came, saying,
"Ho, grandmother!
"The children have no bodies."
She replied, "I can cause your children to have (human) bodies from my own.
"My left wing shall be a left arm for the children.
"My right wing shall be a right arm for them.
"My head shall be a head for them.
"My mouth shall be a mouth for them.
"My forehead shall be a forehead for them.
"My neck shall be a neck for them.
"My throat shall be a throat for them.
"My chest shall be a chest for them.
"My thighs shall be thighs for them.
"My knees shall be knees for them.
"My heels shall be their heels.
"My toes shall be their toes.
"My claws shall be their toenails.

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"You shall live forever without destruction.
"Your children shall live as human beings.
"The speech of children I will bestow on your children."

THE CHILD IS INTRODUCED TO THE COSMOS AT BIRTH

OMAHA

Ho! Ye Sun, Moon, Stars, all ye that move in the heavens,
    I bid you hear me!
Into your midst has come a new life.
    Consent ye, I implore!
Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the first hill!
Ho! Ye Winds, Clouds, Rain, Mist, all ye that move in the air,
    I bid you hear me!
Into your midst has come a new life.
    Consent ye, I implore!
Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the second hill!
Ho! Ye Hills, Valleys, Rivers, Lakes, Trees, Grasses, all ye of the earth,
    I bid you hear me!
Into your midst has come a new life.
    Consent ye, I implore!
Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the third hill!
Ho! Ye Birds, great and small, that fly in the air,
Ho! Ye Animals, great and small, that dwell in the forest,
Ho! Ye insects that creep among the grasses and burrow in the ground—
    I bid you hear me!
Into your midst has come a new life.
    Consent ye, I implore!

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Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the fourth hill!
Ho! All ye of the heavens, all ye of the air, all ye of the earth:
    I bid you all to hear me!
Into your midst has come a new life.
    Consent ye, consent ye all, I implore!
Make its path smooth—then shall it travel beyond the four hills!