﻿IIOFFXAK.1 
  

  

  INDIAN 
  SONGS. 
  

  

  291 
  

  

  The 
  big 
  tree 
  in 
  the 
  center 
  of 
  the 
  earth. 
  

  

  [It 
  is 
  not 
  known 
  whether 
  or 
  not 
  this 
  relates 
  to 
  the 
  first 
  destruction 
  

   of 
  the 
  earth, 
  when 
  Mi 
  nabo'zho 
  escaped 
  by 
  climbing 
  a 
  tree 
  which 
  con- 
  

   tinued 
  to 
  grow 
  and 
  to 
  protrude 
  above 
  the 
  surface 
  < 
  if 
  the 
  Hood. 
  One 
  Mide' 
  

   thought 
  it 
  related 
  to 
  a 
  particular 
  medicinal 
  tree 
  which 
  was 
  held 
  in 
  

   estimation 
  beyond 
  all 
  others, 
  and 
  thus 
  represented 
  as 
  the 
  chief 
  of 
  the 
  

   earth. 
  1 
  

  

  I 
  will 
  float 
  down 
  the 
  fast 
  running 
  stream. 
  

  

  [Strangely 
  enough, 
  progress 
  by 
  water 
  is 
  here 
  designated 
  by 
  foot- 
  

   prints 
  instead 
  of 
  using 
  the 
  outline 
  of 
  a 
  canoe. 
  The 
  etymology 
  of 
  the 
  

   Ojibwa 
  word 
  used 
  in 
  this 
  connection 
  may 
  suggest 
  footprints, 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  

   Delaware 
  language 
  one 
  word 
  for 
  river 
  signifies 
  " 
  water 
  road." 
  when 
  

   in 
  accordance 
  therewith 
  " 
  footprints 
  " 
  would 
  be 
  in 
  perfect 
  harmony 
  

   with 
  the 
  general 
  idea.] 
  

  

  The 
  place 
  that 
  is 
  feared 
  I 
  inhabit, 
  the 
  swift-running 
  stream 
  I 
  inhabit. 
  

  

  [The 
  circular 
  line 
  above 
  the 
  Mide 
  deni 
  ites 
  obscurity 
  , 
  i. 
  e., 
  he 
  is 
  hid- 
  

   den 
  from 
  view 
  and 
  represents 
  himself 
  as 
  powerful 
  and 
  terrible 
  to 
  his 
  

   enemies 
  as 
  the 
  water 
  monster. 
  ] 
  

  

  You 
  who 
  speak 
  to 
  me. 
  

  

  I 
  have 
  long 
  horns. 
  

  

  [The 
  Mide' 
  likens 
  himself 
  to 
  the 
  water 
  monster, 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  malevo- 
  

   lent 
  serpent 
  man'idos 
  who 
  antagonize 
  all 
  good, 
  as 
  beliefs 
  and 
  practices 
  

   of 
  the 
  Mide'wiwin.] 
  

  

  A 
  rest 
  or 
  pause. 
  

  

  I, 
  seeing, 
  follow 
  your 
  example. 
  

  

  You 
  see 
  my 
  body, 
  you 
  see 
  my 
  body, 
  you 
  see 
  my 
  nails 
  are 
  worn 
  off 
  in 
  

   grasping 
  the 
  stone. 
  

  

  [The 
  Bear 
  man 
  ido 
  is 
  represented 
  as 
  the 
  type 
  now 
  assumed 
  by 
  the 
  

   Mide'. 
  He 
  has 
  a 
  stone 
  within 
  his 
  grasp, 
  from 
  which 
  magic 
  remedies 
  

   are 
  extracted.] 
  

  

  