UTILIZATION OF OLD MYTHOLOGICAL MATERIAL IN 
THESE TEXTS. 
That the myth contained in the principal text is a systematic 
account and has incorporated old material torn from its original set- 
ting is made abundantly clear by the episode (p. 59) of the manitou 
who upsets the canoe as he objects to talking occurring while going by. 
The same incident (and in connection with the same culture hero, 
Wi'sa'kii'*") occurs in a totally different setting among the Pota- 
watomi (Michelson, unpublished Potawatomi myths and folk-tales). 
Accordingly, page 210 of the Journal of the Washington Academy of 
Sciences, volume vi, should be corrected. To this extent also (aside 
from innate improbabilities) we can definitely say that this myth in 
its present form is not a true historic record. This problem was 
broached in the said Journal, ibidem, page 211. 
ETHNOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF THESE TEXTS. 
In discussing ritualistic origin myths of the Fox Indians I have 
said, ‘‘In so far as the actual ceremonies can rarely, if ever, be wit- 
nessed in their entirety, owing to the conservative character of Fox 
Indians, these myths are extremely valuable for strictly ethnological 
studies’”’ (Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, vi, 209). 
The myth contained in the principal text is not as typical as some 
others in that the information to be gleaned is not as great as in the 
case of certain others. Nevertheless the information which it con- 
tains is very valuable. It is patent that we have reflections of what 
obtains to-day, or very recently. The extraordinary powers attrib- 
uted to the hero of this myth, such as his success in doctoring (pp. 53, 
157, 205), his restoration of the dead (pp. 163, 207), the effect of his 
curse (p. 142), his dispelling a storm (p. 189), and his victory over the 
tribal enemy (p. 155), show us what qualities are expected of a man 
who introduces ceremonials. The hero’s transformation into a 
buffalo who then attacks the Sioux (p. 63) is a religious conception 
based on the belief that the buffaloes killed the Sioux (p. 49). The 
expression ‘‘he must have turned into a buffalo”’ shows the mental 
attitude of the Fox Indians. The fastings and visions of the hero 
undoubtedly conform to normal religious experiences among the 
Foxes. Incidentally the Fox scheme of orientation comes out (pp. 
67,71, 73,75, 77,133). Welearn that fasting with the face blackened 
with charcoal is a prerequisite to obtaining supernatural power 
(pp. 49, 65). Fasting after the death of a relative and friend is 
37 
