M BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY rBuix.45 



Such is the story of the Mule', which the Chippewa believes that 

 he received from the manido' who came to him from the morning sky. 



Description of Diagram Representing the Path of Life 



In the explanation of this diagram" (fig. 3) the usual custom of 

 retaining the exact words of the interpreter has been followed. 

 The description is as follows: 



This diap;ram represents the path of life from youth to old age, the tangent which 

 appears at each angle representing a temptation. There are seven of these tempta- 

 tions. 



The first tangent represents the first temptation which comes to a young man. 

 If he yields to it he will not live long. 



The second tangent represents the second temptation, and the penalty for this also 

 is that he will not live long. 



With the third temptation the element of religious responsibility appears,, and the 

 man (supposedly a member of the Mide^wlwin) is asked: "How did you act when 

 you were initiated into the Mide'wiwin? Were you respectful to the older members, 

 and did you faithfully fulfill all obligations?" 



The fourth tangent is placed beyond the angle of the line. It represents a tempta- 

 tion coming to a man in middle life. 



Fig. .3. Mtde' diagram of the path of life. 



With the fifth temptation the man begins to reflect upon his own length of days, 

 and asks himself: "Have you ever been disrespectful to old age?" 



The sixth temptation returns to the religious idea, and asks whether all religious 

 obligations have l)een fulfilled. 



The seventh temptation is said to be the hardest of all, and if a man can endure 

 it he will live to the allotted age of man. At this time an evil spirit comes to him, 

 and if he has even so much as smiled during a Mide' ceremony, he must reckon 

 with it then. 



The word "temptation," as used in this connection, implies pri- 

 marily a trial of strength and motive. There seems a significance 

 in the fact that, with the exception of the first and last, these tan- 

 gents occur after an angle or turn in the line, suggesting that some 

 sharp turn in the life of the man is followed immediately by this 

 testing of his character. 



Initiation Ceremony of the First Degree 



The following description of an initiation ceremoii}^ is compiled 

 from statements made, by several members of the Mlde'vvlwln, all of 

 whom belong to the Mille Lac band of Chippewa, but are now living 

 on the Wliite Earth reservation. The entire account has been veri- 



a Drawn by the elder Maiii'ilns, the explanation being interpreted by Mr. John C. Carl, a graduate of 

 Haskell Institute. 



