a-dhin a-ton-he.]

STORY AND SONG OF THE BIRD'S NEST.[3]

[Footnote 3: An old priest of the rite gave me the story and song
through Mr. James R. Murie, an educated Pawnee, and they are here for
the first time made public.]

Scattered through an elaborate ritual and religious ceremony of the
Pawnee tribe are little parables in which some natural scene or
occurrence serves as a teaching to guide man in his daily life. The
following is an example.

The words of the song ("the sound of the young") are purposely few, so
as to guard the full meaning from the careless and to enable the
priest to hold the interpretation as a part of his sacred treasure.
They are sufficient, however, to attract the attention of the
thoughtful; and such a one who desired to know the teaching of the
sacred song could first perform certain initiatory rites and then
learn its full meaning from the priest.

* * * * *

"One day a man whose mind was open to the teaching of the gods
wandered on the prairie. As he walked, his eyes upon the ground, he
spied a bird's nest hidden in the grass, and arrested his feet just in
time to prevent stepping on it. He paused to look at the little nest
tucked away so snug and warm, and noted that it held six eggs, and
that a peeping sound came from some of them. While he watched, one
moved; and soon a tiny bill pushed through the shell, uttering a
shrill cry. At once the parent birds answered, and he looked up to see
where they were. They were not far off, and were flying about in
search of food, chirping the while to each other and now calling to
the little one in the nest.

"The homely scene stirred the heart and the thoughts of the man, as he
stood there under the clear sky, glancing upward toward the old birds
and then down at the helpless young in the nest at his feet. As he
looked, he thought of his people, who were so often careless and
thoughtless of their children's needs; and his mind brooded over the
matter. After many days he desired to see the nest again. So he went
to the place where he had found it; and there it was, as safe as when
he left it. But a change had taken place. It was now full to
overflowing with little birds, who were stretching their wings,
balancing on their small legs, and making ready to fly; while the
parents with encouraging calls were coaxing the fledglings to venture
forth.

"'Ah!' said the man, 'if my people would only learn of the