Oct., 1903. Arapaho Traditions — Dorsey and Kroeber. 277 



the people said : "Now there will be plenty of buffalo. After we have 

 killed and cut them up, you can come, crow, but you will have only the 

 eyes." Then all the buffalo scattered to the south and to the north.' — K. 



123. — Man-Above and his Medicine. 



Whenever there ws a Sun-dance lodge in progress this man, Man- 

 Above, would have a separate tipi erected away from the camp-circle, 

 in which to fast for four days. Each time he fasted alone an animal, 

 insect or bird — such as a snake, lizard, otter, beaver, or even super- 

 natural beings — would take pity on him. Before he became a medicine- 

 man he was bewitched by another man. by means of a worm. This worm 

 is found in the pith of the sunflower. The head of the worm is dark, and 

 its body is white. The first time that he went out to fast in order to find 

 out what was the matter with him, the different insects camjg upon him, 

 among which was that black-headed worm, and at the same time he saw 

 plainly a man who had bewitched him. After the worm had crawled 

 over his ankle; it was healed up. Instead of doing harm to others by . 

 witchcraft, Man-Above was called upon by different parties to remove 

 troubles of others, i. e., he was gifted to heal such as were affected by 

 various poisonous insects. This Man- Above, who practiced witch- 

 craft, died soon after he did the deed. (Therefore medicine-men are 

 just as likely to fall into ill luck as others. When a medicine-man be- 

 <(ins to do injury to others by means of witchcraft, he injures his family 

 and relations. It has been shown by quite a number of families going 

 out of existence. One band of Indians can die in a short time by the sni 

 of their medicine-man. Some animal or supernatural doctrine is bene- 

 ficial, but most of it is bad.) 



Man-Above fasted many times during the Sun-dances, and after 

 special gatherings, for the sake of being a medicine-man. Because nc 

 was a good doctor among the tribe, healing the sick, cleansing the evil 

 spots on persons, and performing wonderful acts before the sick and 

 others, of which he was gifted, from the bull, lizard, otter, beaver, birds 

 and numerous animals and insects, he was called among the tribe, 

 "Man-Above." He would cause things to appear natural before the 

 people. When a person was affected by an evil spirit (ghost), he 

 would suck it out and show it to the friends. Each insect and animal 

 gives medicinal properties for his use in behalf of the sick, either from 

 the body of an animal or from a weed or herb. Each of the powers 



' Cf. Gros Ventre; Blackfoot (Grinnell, 145); Jicarilla Apache (Russell, Journ. Am. Folk Lore, 

 XI, 25q1, Hare (Petitot. Trad. Ind., 1886, 151); Chippewayan (ibid., 379). Among both Gros Ventre 

 and Blackfoot Nix'anf-Napi assumes the shape of a dog. The .Arapaho informant denied explicitly 

 that the dog was Nix'ancao. 



