THE MONTAGNAIS INDIANS AND THEIR FOLK-LORE 325 



verbs. " Mitshui " (to eat) will serve as an example. 

 The imperative form, second person singular, is 

 " Mitshu." 



Present Indicative. 



Ni mitshon , I eat. 



Tshi mitsbon. Thou eatest. 



Mitsho He eats. 



Ni mitshonan We eat. 



Tshi mitshooou You eat. 



Mitshots They eat. 



Future Indicative. 



Nika mitshon I will eat. 



Tshika mitshon Thou wilt eat. 



Etc. 



Ni mitshon is one of several transitive verbs in Mon- 

 tagnais, which are modified in form according as they 

 have animate or inanimate objects. Many inanimate 

 things are endowed with life in the minds of the Ind- 

 ians, especially if they are of value to them. Bread 

 may be taken as an example. In the woods they can 

 seldom obtain it. They will therefore say ni muau 

 pokuejikan for " I eat bread," while ".I eat an onion " 

 is simply ni mitshon shikakushu. If it is fish, in 

 general, that they eat, or a poor variety of it, they 

 similarly employ the ordinary form of the verb ni 

 mitshon. If it be trout or ouananiche, on the other 

 hand, or any other tasty and valued species, the 

 form is ni muau. It is the same thing with them 

 in selling as in eating. "I sell a fish" is ntatauan 

 nameshe. "I sell a salmon" is ntitamau oucha- 

 choumac. Furs, to them, have value of course, and 

 so are animate ; and in speaking of them they will 



