hoffman] THE BALL PLAY 127 



fully taking it up they carried it into the sacred wigwam, where they 

 set it dowu near the tire to warm. 



"The Rabbit was permitted to remain near the fire while the girls 

 went about the sacred wigwam to attend to their duties. The Rabbit 

 then hopped a little nearer the fire to endeavor to grasp a coal, but as 

 he moved the earth shook and disturbed the old man, who was slumber- 

 ing. The old man said, ' My daughters, what causes this disturbance!' 

 The daughters said it was nothing; that they were only trying to dry 

 and warm a poor little rabbit which they had found. When the two 

 girls were again occupied, the Rabbit grasped a stick of burning wood 

 and ran with all speed toward the place where he had left his canoe, 

 closely pursued by the girls and the old man. The Rabbit reached his 

 canoe in safety and pushed oft', hastening with all speed toward his 

 grandmother's home. The velocity of the canoe caused such a current 

 of air that the firebrand began to burn fiercely, so by the time he 

 reached shore Noko'mis, who had been awaiting the Rabbit's return, 

 saw that sparks of fire had burned his skin in various places. She 

 immediately took the fire from him and then dressed his wounds, after 

 which they soon healed. The Thunderers received the lire from Noko'- 

 mis, and have had the care of it ever since." 



Notes ox the Ceremonies 



The preceding meeting of the Mitii'wit added little to the ritual 

 obtained during the preceding years; but some information was gained 

 relating to the method sometimes followed in preparing for a future 

 meeting. 



When a mita' v feels that he lias been unmindful of the injunctions 

 and precepts taught through the ritual of the Mitii'wit by Mii'niibiish, 

 he must show regret and pledge future sincerity by giving a ball game. 

 A game is also sometimes given as an offering to Ki'shii' Ma'nido 

 when a member of the family is sick; this offering being equivalent to 

 giving to the poor. A feast is later on provided for the meeting of the 

 Mitii'wit, and this every giver of a ball game is obliged to furnish. The 

 following is a translation of remarks on this subject by Waio'skasit: 



"When anyone prepares to have a game of ball, he selects the cap- 

 tains or leaders of t\\e two sides who are to compete. Each leader then 

 appoints his own player, and the ball sticks to be used are deposited at 

 the ball ground on the day before the game is to occur. Then each of 

 the leaders selects a powerful and influential mitii' v , whose services are 

 solicited for taking charge of the safety of the ball sticks, and to pre- 

 vent their being charmed or conjured by the opposing mitii' v . The 

 mita' v is not expected to be present at the ground during the night, 

 because he is supposed to have the power to influence the sticks at any 

 distance. 



"Should one mita' v succeed in obtaining such necromantic power over 

 the sticks as to carry them away from the ground — that is, to carry 



