40 THE MENOMINI INDIANS [etb.ann.14 



decided to call to himself KinS'u*, the Eagle, and said, " Eagle, come 

 to me and be my brother." Thereupon the eagle descended, and also 

 took the form of a human being. While they were considering whom 

 to call upon to join them, they perceived a beaver approaching. The 

 Beaver requested to be taken into the totem of the Thunderers, but, 

 being a woman, was called Nama'kuklu' (Beaver woman), and was 

 adopted as a younger brother of the Thunderer. (The term younger 

 brother is here employed in a generic sense, and not specifically.) The 

 totem of the Beaver is at present termed the Powa'tinot'. Soon after- 

 ward, as the Bear and the Eagle stood on the banks of a river, they saw 

 a stranger, the Sturgeon (NIoma'eu), who was adopted by the Bear as a 

 younger brother and servant. In like manner Omas'kos, the Elk, was 

 accepted by the Tliunderer as a younger brother and water-carrier. 



At another time the Bear was going up Wisconsin river, and becom- 

 ing fatigued sat down to rest. Near by was a waterfall, from beneath 

 which emerged Moqwai'o. the Wolf, who approached and asked the 

 Bear why lie had wandered to that place. The Bear said that he was 

 on his way to the source of the river, but being fatigued and unable to 

 travel farther, he had come there to rest. At that moment Ota'tshia 

 (the crane), was Hying by, when the Bear called to him and said: 

 "Crane, carry me to my people at the head of the river, and I will 

 take you for my younger brother." As the Craue was taking the Bear 

 on his back, the Wolf called out to the Bear, saying, " Bear, take me 

 also as a younger brother, for I am alone." The Bear answered, " Come 

 with nie Wolf, and I will accept you also as my younger brother." This 

 is how the Crane and the Wolf became younger brothers of the Bear; 

 but as Moqwai'o, the Wolf, afterward permitted Aniim', the Dog, and 

 Aba/shush, the Deer, to join him, these three are now recognized as a 

 phratiy, the Wolf still being entitled to a seat in council on the north 

 side and with the Bear phratry. 



Ina'maqkI'u T (the Big Thunder) lived at Winnebago lake, near Fond 

 da Lac. The Good Mystery made the Thunderers the laborers, and to 

 be of benefit to the whole world. When they return from the south- 

 west in the spring, they bring the rains which make the earth green and 

 cause the plants and trees to grow. I* it were not for the Thunderers, 

 the earth would become parched and the grass would wither and die. 

 The Good Mystery also gave to the Thunderers corn, the kind commonly 

 known as squaw corn, which grows on small stalks and has ears of 

 various colors. 



The Thunderers M'ere also the makers of fire, having first received it 

 from Ma'nabush, who had stolen it from an old man dwelling on an 

 island in the middle of a great lake. 



The Thunderers decided to visit the Bear village, at Mi'nika'ni, and 

 when they arrived at that place they asked the Bear to join them, 

 promising to give corn and fire in return for rice, which was the prop- 

 erty of the Bear and Sturgeon, and which abounded along the waters of 

 Mi'nika'ni. The Bear family agreed to this, and since that time the 



