White Calf opened the ceremony with a prayer. Then Bear Child took a hot ember from the fire with the prongs and laid it before White Calf; he placed sweet grass upon it to burn as incense and sang to the Morning Star. Then we all joined in singing seven songs to Morning Star and seven each to the Sun and Moon. There were seven songs for a sacred eagle feather; in the Sun Dance legend, the Sun God used an eagle feather to brush the scar from the face of Scarface. We also sang songs to the raven and songs to the sacred headdress, which was worn by the fasting woman. There was a song for everything that made up this bonnet—the white weasel-skin, the feathers and plumes, flint arrow-point, snipe, buffalo tail, and a small bundle filled with seeds of the tobacco. Then White Calf, the head-chief, prayed, saying: “Father, the Sun, I am praying for my people. May they be happy in the summer and live through the cold of winter. Many are sick and hungry, Pity them and let them live. May we go through this ceremony right, The way you taught our people to do in the days of long ago. If we make mistakes, pity us. Mother Earth, pity us, help us; may the grass and berries grow. Morning Star, shine into our lodge and give us long life. Father, the Sun, bless our children, relatives and visitors. May our trails lie straight through a happy life; may we live to be old. We are all your children and ask these things with good hearts.” During this prayer, the Indians sat silently and with heads bowed reverently; and at the close, they united in a long-drawn “ah-h-h-h-h-h” to express their approval, while some added a few words of prayer. This ceremony lasted until long after midnight; day was beginning to dawn when the company went away. But before they separated, White Calf as the “father” gave instructions for the important events of next day—the big day of the camp. Then the Sun Dance Bundle would be transferred to Mad Wolf and his wife; they would have the tribal feast, when the sacred tongues would be distributed; women would make their vows before all the people; and at sunset they would raise the center pole and finish the sun lodge. CHAPTER XLIII THE TRIBAL DANCING-LODGE Early the following morning, Elk Horn, the herald, rode around the camp circle beating a drum, and announced: “This is the great day; now we raise the sun pole; it is time to get ready; every band should send men to help; bring trees and branches from the river valley; all must do their share and take part in building the dancing-lodge.”