442 A STUDY OF SIOUAN CULTS. 



earth, wbicli is supposed to be a circular plain surrounded by water, is 

 a his'li mountain, on the summit of which is a beautiful mound. On this 

 mound is the dwelbng of the Wakinyan gods. The dwelling opens 

 toward each of the four quarters of the earth, and at each doorway is 

 stationed a sentinel. A biatterfly stands at the east entrance, a bear 

 at the west, a reindeer [sic, probably intended for a deer. — j. o. d.] at 

 the north, and a beaver at the south [the beaver seems out of place 

 here as a servant of the Wakinyan gods, for, judging fi-om analogy, 

 lie ought to be the servant of the Unktehi (see § 108) — j. o. D.]. 



Except the head, each of these wakan sentinels is enveloped in scar- 

 let down of the most extraordinary beauty.' 



§117. The Teton texts of Bushotter state the belief that " some of 

 these ancient people still dweU in the clouds. They have large cur^•ed 

 beaks resembling bison humps, their voices are loud, they do not open 

 their eyes except when they make lightning, hence the archaic Teton 

 name for the lightning, Wakinyan tunwaupi, " The thunder-beings 

 open their eyes." They are armed with arrows and " maza wakau " or 

 "mysterious irons" (not "guns"), the latter being of difl'erent kinds. 

 Kaijgitame, stones resembling coal, are found in the Bad Lands, and 

 they are said to be the missiles of the Thunderers. When these gods 

 so desire they kill various mysterious beings and objects, as well as 

 human beings that are mysterious. Their ancient foes were the giant 

 rattlesnakes and the prehistoric water monsters (Uijkcegila: see §§ 108, 

 114, 115). 



§118. Long ago the Teton encamped by a deep lake whose shore 

 was inclosed by very high cliffs. They noticed that at night, even 

 when there was no breeze, the water in the middle of the lake was con- 

 stantly roaring. When one gazed in that direction, he saw a huge 

 eye as bright as the sun, which caused him to vomit something resem- 

 bling black earth moistened with water, and death soon followed. 

 That very night the Thunderers came, and the crashing sounds were 

 so terrible that many people fainted. The next morning the shore was 

 covered with the bodies of all kinds of fish, some of which were larger 

 than men, and there were also some huge serpents. The water mon- 

 ster which the Thunderers had fought resembled a rattlesnake, but he 

 had short legs and rusty-yellow fur. 



§119. The Thunderers are represented as cruel and destructive in 

 disposition. They are ever on the war path. A mortal hatred exists 

 between them and the family of the TJnktelii. Neither has power to 

 resist the ton wan of the other if it strikes him. Their attacks are never 

 open, and neither is safe except he eludes the vigilance of the other. 

 The Wakinyan, in turn, are often surprised and kiUed by the Unktehi. 

 Many stories are told of the combats of these gods. Mr. Pond once 

 listened to the relation, by an eyewitness (as he called himself), of a 

 story in substance as follows : A Wakinyan measuring 25 to 30 yards 



I Pond, Minn. Hist. Soc. Coll., Vol. ii, pt. 2, 4142. 



