6 King, Folk-lore of the North American Indians. 



naked sword and slashes it about so furiously that the sweat comes out in 

 great drops all over his body and he froths like a horse. Thereupon the 

 spectators, being already intimidated, he, with a frightful and truly demoniac 

 voice, redoubles his roars and threats that they must take care, that Satan is 

 furious and that there is great peril. At this cry the poor dupes turn pale as 

 death, and tremble like the leaf upon the tree. At last this imposter cries 

 out in another and more joyous tone : " Tliere is the accursed one "jvith the 

 ho7-n : I see him extended there at bay and panting within the ditch. But 

 courage, we must have him all and exterminate him entirely." Now the 

 audience being relieved, all the strongest with great joy rush for the cord to 

 raise Satan, and pull and pull. But they are far from getting him, as the 

 Antmoin has fastened the stick too well. They pull again as hard as they 

 can, but without success, while the Pilotoys goes, from time to time, to utter 

 his blasphemies over the hole ; and, making as if to give great thrusts to the 

 diabolical enemy, little by little uncovers the stick which, at last, by hard 

 pulling, is torn out, bringing with it some rubbish, which the charlatan had 

 fastened to the end, such as decayed and mouldy bones, pieces of skin 

 covered with dung, etc. Then they are all overjoyed ; wicked Lucifer has 

 been killed. Nepq. Nepq. Stop, do you see his tracks? Oh victory ! 

 You will get well, sick man ; be of good cheer, if the evil is not stronger 

 than you, I mean if the Devil has not already given you your deathblow. 



For this is the last Scene of the farce. The Autmoin says, that the 

 Devil being already killed, or seriously hurt, or at least gone away, whether 

 very far or not, I do not know, it remains to be seen if he has given a death 

 wound to the patient. To guess this he will have to dream ; indeed he is in 

 great need of sleep, for he has worked hard. Meanwhile he gains time to 

 observe the crisis of the disease. Having slept well and dreamed, he looks 

 again at the patient and, according to the symptoms which he observes, he 

 declares that he is either to live or to die. He is not so foolish as to say 

 that he will live, if the symptoms are not encouraging. He will then say, 

 for instance, that he will die in three days. Hear now in what a fine fashion 

 he verifies his prophecies. In the first place the sick man, since he has been 

 thus appointed to die, does not eat, and they no longer offer him anything. 

 But if he does not die by the third day, they say that he has something of 

 the Devil in him, I know not what, wliich does not permit him to die easily, 

 so they rush to his aid. Where ? To the water. What to do ? To bring 

 kettles full of it. Why? To pour the cold water over his navel, and 

 thus extinguish all vital heat, if any remain to him. He is indeed obliged 

 to die the third day, since if he is not going to do it of himself, they kill 

 him. (iii., 119 ff.) 



The object of the dancing, singing, and the like, is to 

 work the soothsayer up to a state of possession in which 

 he can employ his skill.*^ Father Pijart (xii., 26) reports 



* Tvlor, Ftiiii. Cnlture, ii., 130. 



