Untitled - Smithsonian Institution

100 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 99
"whether he has a vocation for it," as we might say. If the bead
representing the applicant moves briskly, and gives ample proofs of
vitality, the divination is pronoimced to be in his favor. If, on the
contrary, it behaves in a sluggish, lazy way, or if it does not move at
all, ho is dissuaded from taking up the profession.
But lot us suppose that the professor in theology and medicine is
willing to coach the student, then the terms and the tiution fee are
discussed. Jle may tempt the vanity of Ins master by offering him
a new overcoat, or a gun, or a trunk, or even a sum of money.
If the candidate comes from a settlement a few miles distant, it
may be necessary for him to come and board with his master; or if
the latter is able and willing to spare the time he may go and stay
with the applicant. There is no rule as to the duration of this stay;
it depends solel}^ on the extent of the subject matter to be covered,
and on how quickly the candidate masters it.
He may merely want to know how to cure disease; or he may even
only intend to specialize in the cure of two or three ailments. On
the other hand, he may be so ambitious as to desire to know all about
love conjuring, hunting and fishing formulas, and even about man-
killing incantations and witchcraft.
If he wants to know all this he usually leaves after 10 daj^s or a fort-
night and comes back for a similar peiiod now and again, until he
knows all his tutor can teach huTi.
Whatever his intentions for later life and practice may be, he must
start out by mastering all the lore about disease, curing methods,
and simples. This is a preliminary course every beginner must go
through, even if he intends to later make his specialty in a totally
different field. (See p. 84.)
But it was emphatically stressed by all informants that the very
last formulas taught are those 'Svith which to harm people," i. e.,
the incantations. The medicine men are very circumspect in hand-
ing out this knowledge, and very few candidates attain this step
during the first few years of their "studies." Irascible or hottempered
individuals are barred from it, as already stated. "Before
they let you have that kind (i. e., incantations) they examine you,
and if they fmd that you are a bad character, that you 'get mad'
easily, that you are jealous and spiteful, they do not let you have them.
A bad character will use these (incantations) even if he is insulted
but once, whereas we (considerate old fellows) always wait three
times" before we would work against an enemy to kill him." (W.)
" See p. 95. It is probable that four insults were the limit before white influence
made itself felt. When I asked W. (the only one of my informants who
had had a partly white education) why it should be three times he said he thought
it was "because Christ had been in the gra\e three days, and Jonah was for three
da^-s in the fish."