III. CONCLUSION. 



In presenting a resume" of the more important points contained 

 in the foregoing pages, we may first examine the myths, with the 

 special idea of seeing how far they account for the rites of the cere- 

 monies. The first myth, called the Origin of the Cheyenne, is in 

 reality not an origin myth at all; for not only is the origin of any- 

 thing not explained, but there is no statement of the facts of begin- 

 nings. The myth rather may be termed a tale of migration, and 

 as such presents nothing which may be held to bear directly upon 

 the social organization. One point in the tale, however, is worth 

 noting, namely, that which relates to the belief in a hairy race of 

 men who lived in the Southwest in the caves and cliffs. Such refer- 

 ences are rather common in the plains mythology. One other inter- 

 esting fact may be noted in this tale, namely, the distinction implied 

 between medicine-men as physicians or healers, and medicine-men as 

 wonder-workers or magicians; a distinction which the Cheyenne still 

 maintain. 



In the second myth presented, also entitled an origin myth, the 

 scene of the early Cheyenne is again laid in the Far North, across 

 a body of water. Being hard pressed by an overwhelming body of 

 the enemy, they are led out of their difficulties by a medicine-man 

 who makes use of the gaming wheel. Their movement is directed 

 by fire, which precedes them until they come to a body of water, 

 whereupon the medicine-man makes a dry path and leads them 

 south into a country of abundant game. At this time the tribe was 

 physically strong, but weak minded. The country was infested with 

 the usual monsters. While continuing southward they were over- 

 taken by a flood, part of the tribe being cut off and supposed to 

 exist still in the North. It is impossible from the tale itself to asso- 

 ciate the culture hero with Motzeyouf, or Standing-Medicine, but it 

 is not unreasonable to suppose that he was the same. 



In the next tale, which explains the origin of the buffalo and 

 corn, we have presumably the same tale as that which is sometimes 

 told to explain the origin of the Sun-Dance lodge. Two young men, 

 dressed alike, encounter each other at a wheel and javelin game. 

 They compare notes and find that each has visited a spring that 



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