126 THE MENOMINI INDIANS [eth.axn.M 



and all joined in singing. The Pine-squirrel alone bad a curious voice 

 and hopped around rapidly, singing, ' Sek-sek sSk-sek,' which amused 

 the rest, even in their distress. As the dancers passed around the 

 interior of the monster it made him reel, and when Ma'nabttsh danced 

 past his heart he thrust his knife toward it, which caused the monster 

 to have a convulsion. Then Ma'nabush thrust his knife three times 

 toward the monster's heart, after whiehhe said, 'Ma/sheno'mak, swim 

 toward my wigwam,' and immediately afterward he thrust his knife 

 into the heart, which caused the monster's body to quake and roll so 

 violently that everyone became unconscious. How long they remained 

 in this condition they knew not, but on returning to consciousness 

 Mii'niibush found everything motionless and silent. He knew then 

 that the monster was dead, and that his body was lying either on the 

 shore or on the bottom of the lake; to make sure, he crawled over the 

 bodies of his brothers to a point where he could cut an opening through 

 the monster's body. When he had cut a small opening, he saw bright 

 daylight, and immediately closed the hole, took his singing sticks, and 

 began to sing: 



• Kr-'-sik-in-ni'i -ruin, kr'-sik-in-na -iniii.' 

 ' I sec the sky ! I see the sky ! ' 



"As Mii'niibush continued to sing his brothers recovered. The Squir- 

 rel alone was the one who hopped around singing the words ' .Sek-sek, 

 sek-sek, sek-sek, sek-sek.' When the dance was concluded, Mii'niibush 

 cut a large opening in the monster's belly through which they emerged. 

 As the survivors were about to separate to go to their respective wig- 

 waiiis, they all complimented the Pine-squirrel on his tine voice, and 

 Mii'niibush said to him, ' My younger brother, you also will be happy, 

 as you ha ve a good voice.' Thus Mii'niibush destroyed Ma/sheno'mak." 



The following myth is sometimes chanted by the mitii'wok as part of 

 the ritual, especially that portion which relates to the origin and source 

 of the things needed by mankind. At no meeting of the Mita'wit had 

 it been rendered; so on my special desire Nio'pet chanted it for my 

 instruction. This was done, however, during a short recess and when 

 but a few confidential mitii'wok were present. The myth is called " The 

 Origin of Fire and the Canoe," of which the following words are a 

 translation : 



"Mii'niibush, when he was still a youth, once said to his grandmother 

 Noko'mis, 'Grandmother, it is cold here and we have no fire; let me go 

 to get some.' Noko'mis endeavored to dissuade him from such a per- 

 ilous undertaking, but he insisted; so he made a canoe of bark, and, 

 once more assuming the form of a rabbit, started eastward across a 

 large body of water, where dwelt an old man who had fire. As the 

 Rabbit approached the island it was still night; so he went on shore 

 and traveled along until he came in sight of the sacred wigwam of the 

 old man. This old man had two daughters, who, when they emerged 

 from the sacred wigwam, saw a little Rabbit, wet and cold, and care- 



