258 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [eth. ann. 37 



jistega said, "I can also make some sugar. If you don't believe it, 

 give me some more flour." However, the trader said, "There is no 

 need of your proving it: I believe you now." However, he sent one 

 of his employees after some more flour and out of this Midjistega 

 made some maple sugar. He made it in the following way. He 

 sprinkled some water on the flour and said, "This shall be the size 

 of pheasants' dung." Then it formed into little round kunps. Then 

 the trader said, " Midjistega, my store is worth several times the value 

 of your furs, and j-ou have made me a poor man. However, I wish 

 to ask you for one thing — this sugar — so that I can eat some of it 

 once in a while." Then Midjistega gave it to him. Midjistega and 

 his friend carried the contents of the store home. They had to make 

 several trips. All the people at home got a blanket. 



Then the trader said, "Midjistega, there is not a white man living 

 who would believe that you can do this and if, therefore, I ever call 

 on you to do it again, I hope that you will come with your friends 

 (and do it). This is the only way I can ever win any of my money 

 back again." However, no one ever heard of the trader after that. 



Midjistega also made all the different varieties of corn at the 

 Potawatomi meeting. 



Old Lincoln had always heard of the reniarkable power the Winne- 

 bago were supposed to possess in these matters but lie had never 

 actually witnessed any exliibition of it until he saw Midjistega per- 

 form (these tricks). 



A man named Young Rogue, a brother of Robert Lincoln, could 

 roll up a piece of clay about tlie size of a marble and then roll it on 

 the ground and it would change into a toad and jump away. He 

 was also able to shoot a blade of grass right into a log. 



Lincoln's Grandfather 



Lincoln's grandfather was the leader of the medicine dance and 

 every time any relation of his died he would tell the daughters of 

 his relative to stop their crying and that he would avenge the death 

 of their father and kill four people. Shortly after he said this the 

 four whom he had picked out died. 



If there was a man with great wealth in the tribe he would make 

 a wooden snake and send it toward the man. Immediately after 

 this it always happened that the rich man would be bitten by a 

 snake. The latter would then send for the medicine man and give 

 him all that he possessed. Then the former would ask him, ' 'When 

 do 3'ou want to get well T' If the sick man said "In three to four 

 days,'' the medicine man would say, ''You must like to sufi'er." 



For this reason the children of Lincoln's grandfather always had 

 plenty of wealth. 



