Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi and Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa, the two messengers, found on the still waters the water spider, the water beetle, the white leech, and the dark leech, of whom they asked for aid which they could not give, but promised to help the people to reach old age. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 163, lines 200 to 273.) The two messengers went on and they met O´-poⁿ-ṭoⁿ-ga, the Great Elk, and appealed to him for aid. The Great Elk threw himself upon the waters four times and splashed about until the ground was exposed and ready to receive men and animals. He then called to the four corners of the earth for the life-giving winds to come. Next he threw himself upon the ground and rolled about; then, as he arose, the hairs of his body clung to the soil and became the grasses of the earth. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 165-167, lines 274 to 354.)
The two messengers then led the people over the dry land of the earth, when suddenly Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi, The-one-from-the-stars, came upon Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga, the Puma. The messenger then changed his name from Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi to Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga. In like manner the Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa, the Radiant Star, came upon Wa-ça´-be, the Black Bear. The Radiant Star then changed his name from Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa to Wa-ça´-be, the Black Bear.
These were the first earth names of the two related gentes, the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga and the Wa-ça´-be. Wa-xthi´-zhi mentioned several other personal earth names of these two gentes but he suggested that the parts of the rituals given by himself and Wa-ṭse´-moⁿ-iⁿ (pl. 5), in which are mentioned the earth names, be referred to as authoritative, and so the following paraphrases of those parts of the rituals are here given.
The people spake to one another, saying: The little ones have nothing to use as a symbol of courage. Then, at that very time, The Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa (Hoⁿ´-ga-radiant-star), Went forth with hurried footsteps To the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga do-ga, (male puma), With whom he stood face to face and spake, Saying: The little ones have nothing to use as a symbol of courage, O, grandfather. The Male puma replied: I am a person whom the little ones may use as a symbol of courage. The brothers spake in low tones, Saying: He is a puma, O, younger brothers, Let us take personal names from him; Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga-ṭoⁿ´-ga, the Great-puma, Shall be our name, O, younger brothers; Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga-zhiⁿ-ga, the Young-puma, Shall be our names, as we travel the path of life.