HOFFMAN 



MYTH OF THE GREAT FISH 125 



care of the little one that it recovered. Then, to make amends for the 

 past, the neighbor gave to the young warrior the second daughter as a 

 wife to take the place of her faithless sister." 



Ceremonies of ls'.i- 



The animal meeting of the Mita'wit in 1892 was held in June, and was 

 called for the purpose of initiating a little girl named Da'tewiata'nio 

 ("Bumbling Noise"), 8 years of age. She had been selected by her 

 father, Wa'naqko"she (The Little Apex), usually designated '-John 

 Smith." The meeting was held in a smaller structure than usual, 2 

 miles west of the village. The attendance numbered about <!() male 

 and female shamans. At the northwestern corner of the mita'wiko'- 

 mik a canvas tent was built against it so as to afford ready entrance to 

 the interior, where, the ceremonies were held. Plate xn represents 

 a view of this structure, which differed in some respects from those 

 already described. During an interval in the ceremonies, some myths 

 were obtained from the officiating priests, including Shu'uien, Nio'pet, 

 Shawaq'ka, and Ni'aqtawa'pomi. 



The following version of the encounter between Ma'nabush and the 

 Water Monster, Ma'sheuo'mak (also given as Ma'shekfne'bik), was 

 related by Nio'pet. It is more complete than that given by Shu'uien, 

 although that recited by the latter is claimed to be exactly as he had 

 been taught it when he was prepared for the degree of the Mita'wit. 



Ma'sheno'mah, tin' (heat Fish 



"The people were much distressed about a water monster, or giant 

 fish, which frequently caught fishermen, dragging them into the lake 

 and there devouring them. So Ma'nabush asked his grandmother to 

 hand to him his singing sticks, and told her he was going to allow 

 himself to be swallowed that he might be enabled to destroy the inou- 

 ster. Ma'nabush then built a small raft and floated out on the lake, 

 singing all the while, 'Ma'sheuo'mak, come and eat me; you will feel 

 good.' Then the monster, Ma'sheno'inak, saw that it was Ma'nabush, 

 and told his children to swallow him. When one of the young Ma'she- 

 uo'mak darted forward to swallow Ma'nabush, the latter said, 'I want 

 Ma'sheuo'mak to swallow me.' This made the monster so angry that 

 he swallowed Mii'iiabush, who thereupon became unconscious. When 

 he recovered, he found himself in company with his brothers; he saw 

 the Bear, the Deer, the Porcupine, the Baven, the Pine-squirrel, and 

 many others. He inquired of them how they came to meet with such 

 misfortune, and was very sad to find that other kinsmen also were 

 lying dead. 



"Then Ma'nabush prepared to sing the war song, during which it is 

 customary to state the object of making the attack and the manner in 

 which it is to be attempted. He told his brothers to dance with him, 



