guard us through the night. We who are the eaters of

this good herb. Let this meeting be successful and the

little child have blessings for its whole life. May it

become old and successful."

Some of the members will circle the tepee on the out-

side sometimes. The altar is made of dirt and is in the

shape of a mound or mountain. That came about this

way. There was a woman long ago who had an only child

who became lost on the prairies. It was a very hard time

of famine in the tribe. The woman looked everywhere

for assistance to find her child. "When there is no help

and you are at the end then the spirits sometimes come."

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