Long ago there lived a man who had a vision. In his dream each of the four Island Weights came to him. Each in succession brought him a song. First the Island Weight of the east came to him and taught him a song; then the Island Weight of the north did the same; then the one from the west; and finally the Island Weight that they call "Down Stream" came to him. After this, the man composed a song that told of the extraordinary things that had happened to him in his vision.

These songs were so powerful that if the man had wished to poison someone, all he had to do was sing one of the songs and his enemy would die. These are the songs that are used by the North Band in the Medicine Rite. [1]

Commentary. "Island Weights" -- spirit beings located at each of the cardinal points whose task it is to keep the earth stationary.

"Down Stream" -- the identity of the south with downstream comes from the fact that the Mississippi River runs due south.

Links: Island Weights.

Stories: mentioning Island Weights: The Creation of the World, South Enters the Medicine Lodge, East Shakes the Messenger, East Enters the Medicine Lodge, North Shakes His Gourd, Wolves and Humans, Cûgepaga, Traveler and the Thunderbird War (v. 2), The Lost Blanket, Thunderbird Clan Origin Myth (v. 1), The Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, Hare Secures the Creation Lodge, South Seizes the Messenger, Earthmaker Sends Rucewe to the Twins, The Messengers of Hare, Paint Medicine Origin Myth, Four Steps of the Cougar, The Petition to Earthmaker; pertaining to the Medicine Rite: The Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, The Journey to Spiritland, Holy Song, Maize Origin Myth, The Necessity for Death, Hog's Adventures, Great Walker's Warpath, see also Other Stories from Jasper Blowsnake's account of the Medicine Rite.

Stories from Jasper Blowsnake's account of the Medicine Rite (The Road of Life and Death) in notebook order: The Shell Anklets Origin Myth, V 1, Keramanic'aka's Blessing, The Woman's Scalp Medicine Bundle, The Blessing of Kerexûsaka, Historical Origins of the Medicine Rite, Hare Secures the Creation Lodge of the Medicine Rite, Lifting Up the Bear Heads, East Enters the Medicine Lodge, V. 1, The Creation of the World, V. 12, The Creation of Man, V. 8, Otter Comes to the Medicine Rite, The Journey to Spiritland, V. 4, East Enters the Medicine Lodge, V. 2, Testing the Slave, South Enters the Medicine Lodge, V. 2, The Descent of the Drum, V. 1, The Commandments of Earthmaker, The Coughing Up of the Black Hawks, The Animal Spirit Aids of the Medicine Rite, The Arrows of the Medicine Rite Men, V. 2, East Shakes the Messenger, The Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, V. 4, The Messengers of Hare, V. 2, North Shakes His Gourd, Grandmother's Gifts, South Seizes the Messenger, Four Steps of the Cougar, The Messengers of Hare, V. 1, The Petition to Earthmaker, A Snake Song Origin Myth, The Completion Song Origin, Great Walker's Medicine, V. 2, Great Walker and the Anishinaabe Witches, The Diving Contest, The Sweetened Drink Song, The Plant Blessing of Earth, Tobacco Origin Myth, V. 3, The Tap the Head Medicine, The Claw Shooter, Tobacco Origin Myth, V. 4, Peace of Mind Regained, The Journey to Spiritland, V. 5, A Wife for Knowledge, The Shell Anklets Origin Myth, V. 2, The Descent of the Drum, V. 2, South Enters the Medicine Lodge, V. 1, Death Enters the World.

Themes: a spirit blesses a man with knowledge of sacred songs: Earthmaker Blesses Wagícega (Wecgícega), Holy Song, Buffalo Dance Origin Myth, A Snake Song Origin Myth, The Completion Song Origin, The Sweetened Drink Song, The Blessing of a Bear Clansman.

Notes:

[1] Paul Radin, The Road of Life and Death: A Ritual Drama of the American Indians. Bollingen Series V (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1973 [1945]) 119-120.