fast as he could, and told one of his wives to hurry and get a skin
of water to cook it. She started down to the river for water, and as
she was going along she heard a beautiful song. She looked all
about, but could see no one who was singing.

The song seemed to come from a big cotton-wood tree near the trail
leading down to the water. As she looked closely at this tree she
saw a queer stone jammed in a fork where the tree was split, and
with it a few hairs from a buffalo which had rubbed against the
tree. The woman was frightened and dared not pass the tree. Soon the
singing stopped and the I-nis´kim said to the woman, "Take me
to your lodge, and when it is dark call in the people and teach them
the song you have just heard. Pray, too, that you may not starve,
and that the buffalo may come back. Do this, and when day comes your
hearts will be glad."

The woman went on and got the water, and when she came back she took
the stone and gave it to her husband, telling him about the song and
what the stone had said.

As soon as it was dark, the man called the chiefs and old men to his
lodge, and his wife taught them the song that she had heard. They
prayed too, as the stone had said should be done. Before long they
heard far off a noise coming. It was the tramp of a great herd of
buffalo. Then they knew that the stone was powerful, and since that
time the people have taken care of it and have prayed to it.