262 MYTHS OF THE CHKHOKEE [kth.axn.19 



dcK'triiio of reincarnation, according to wiiicli, as explained l)v the 

 !shanian.s, there is assigned to every animal a definite life term which 

 can not be curtailed by violent means. If it is killed before the expi- 

 ration of the allotted time the death is only temporary and the body 

 is immediately resurrected in its proi)er shape fi-om the blood drops, 

 and the animal continues its existence until the end of the predestined 

 period, when the body is finally dissolved and the liberated spirit goes 

 to join its kindred shades in the Darkening land. This idea appears 

 in the story of the bear man and in the belief concerning the Little 

 Deer. Death is thus but a temporary accident and the killing a mei'e 

 minor crime. By some priests it is held that there are seven succes- 

 sive reanimations before the final end. 



Certain supernatural personages, Kana'ti and Tsulkalu' (see the 

 mj^ths), have dominion over the animals, and are therefore regarded 

 as the distinctive gods of the hunter. Kana'ti at one time kept the 

 game animals, as well as the pestiferous insects, shut up in a cave 

 under ground, from which they were released by his undutiful sons. 

 The primeval animals — the actors in the animal myths and the pred- 

 ecessors of the existing species — are believed to have been much 

 larger, stronger, and cleverer than their successors of the present 

 day. In these myths we find the Indian explanation of certain pecu- 

 liarities of form, color, or habit, and the various animals are always 

 consistently represented as acting in accordance with their well-known 

 characteristics. 



First and most prominent in the animal myths is the Rabbit {T^idu), 

 who figures always as a trickster and deceiver, generally malicious, 

 but often beaten at his own game by those whom ho had intended to 

 victimize. The connection of the rabbit with the dawn god and the 

 relation of the Indian myths to the stories current among the southern 

 negroes are discussed in another place. Ball playei-s while in train- 

 ing are forbidden to eat the flesh of the rabbit, because this animal so 

 easily becomes confused in running. On the other hand, their spies 

 seek opportunity to strew along the path which must be taken by 

 their rivals a soup made of rabl)it hamstrings, with the purpose of 

 rendering them timorous in action. 



In a ball game between the birds and the fourfooted animals (see 

 story) the Bat, which took sides with the birds, is .said to have won the 

 victory for his party by his superior dodging abilities. For this rea- 

 son the wings or sometimes the stufl'cd skin of the bat are tied to the 

 iuiplements used in the game to insure success for the players. Accord- 

 ing to the .same myth the Flying Squirrel {2'ewa) also aided in securing 

 the victory, and hence both these animals are still invoked by the l)all 

 player. The meat of the common gray squirrel (sd/d'/t.) is forbidden 

 to rheumatic patients, on account of the squirrel's habit of assuming 

 a cramped position when eating. The stripes upon the back of the 



