_Osage_
There are people who come from under the water. They lived in the
water weeds that hang down, all green, into the water. They have
leaves upon their stems. Now the water people lived in shells. The
shells were their houses and kept the water out.
There were other animals who lived under the earth. Cougar lived under
the earth, and bear, and buffalo. These creatures came up out of the
ground. Then the shell people came up to the earth also; and the sky
people came down. So all these three peoples lived together. They are
the fathers of the people who live on the earth today.
[Illustration: WOMAN'S COSTUME
(Omaha)
_Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution_]
[Illustration: AN ELDERLY OMAHA BEAU
_Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution_]