MouNEY] NOTKS AND rAKAM-KI.S 4(i.'5 



that liciK-. Tliat will lir my Inniu-, t'i>r thai is tlic house of the snakes." Having 

 i^till a niair s niiinl, he continiu's to talk as the iiietamorphosis exten<1s upward, until 

 at last his head changes to that of a snake, when his brother takes him U]) and carries 

 him to iho hole. The relatives make frecjuent visits to the place to visit the snake, 

 who always conies out when they call, and the brother brings it a share of his war 

 trophies, including a horse and a woman, and receives in return tlie ])rotection 

 of the snake man (Pawnee Hero .'Stories, ]ip. 171-181). .V close Omaha variant is 

 given by Dorsey ("The warriors who were changed to snakes," in ("ontributions to 

 North American Ethnology, vi). 



58. Thk R.vitlesn.vkk's venge.wce (p. :iO.")): This stc^ry, told liy Swimmer. e.\eni- 

 jililies the Indian reverence for the rattlesnake and dread of offemling it already 

 exi)hiined in number 49, "The Snake Tribe," and the accompanying notes. 



Praijer soiiff—See other references under nuud)er 3, " Kana'ti and Selu." Many of 

 the Indian ceremonial prayers and invocations are in the form of songs or chants. 



59. The sii.\ller reptiles, kishes, .v.nd i.sskcts (p. 306) : (!i'(ja-t!<nh<i''l'i — Tliis 

 lizard is probably the PleiMoihin rriithrocrpliahiK, which is descril>ed in Ilolbrook's 

 "Herj)etology " as being about 11 to 13 inches long, with bright red head, olive- 

 brown body and tail, a:id yellowish- white throat and abdomen. "The Pleistodon 

 ery(/(/vvcep7i«f!(s chooses his residence in deep fore.sts, and is commonly found about 

 hollow trees, often at a height of 30 or 40 feet from the ground, sometimes taking up 

 his aVjode in the last year's nest of the woodpecker, out of which he thrusts his Ijright 

 red head in a threatening manner to those who would disturb his home. He never 

 makes his habitation on or near the ground, and in fact seldom di-sivnds from his 

 elevation unless in .search of food or water. Though shy and timid, he is very fierce 

 when taken, and liites severely, owing to the great strength of his jaws, as well as the 

 size and firmness of the teeth. The bite, however, though sharp and painful, is not, 

 as is commonly supposed, venomous." ' 



Large horned beetle — This beetle, variously called by the Cherokee crawfish, deer or 

 buck, on account of its branching horns, is probably the "flying stag" of early trav- 

 elers. Says Timberlake: " Of insects, the flying stag is almost the only one worthy 

 of notice. It is about the shape of a beetle, but has very large, beautiful, branching 

 horns, like those of a stag, from whence it took its name " (Meiuoirs p. 46). Lawson, 

 about 1700, also mentions "the flying stag.s, with horns," among the insects of east- 

 ern Carolina. 



60. Why the Bullfrog's he.\i> is striped (p. 310): The first version is from .lohn 

 Ax, the second from Swimmer, who hail forgotten the details. 



61. The Bullfrog lover (p. 310): The first amusing little tale was heard from 

 several story-tellers. The warning words are sometimes given differently, but always 

 in a deep, gruff, singing tone, wliich makes a very fair imitation of a bullfrog's note. 

 The other stories were told by Tsesa'ni (Jessan) and confirmed l)y Swinuner. 



In a Creek variant of the first story, in the Tuggle collection, it is a pretty girl, 

 who is obdurate until her lover, the Rabbit, conceals himself in tlie same way near 

 the spring, witli a blowgun for a trumpet, and frightens her into consent by singing 

 out: "The girl who stays smgle will die, will die, will die.'' 



62. The K.vrvDiD's warnmxg (p. 311) : Told by Swinuner and .lames BIythc. 



63. UxTS.MVi', THE G.VMBLER (j). 311): This story was obtained from Swinuner and 

 John Ax (east), and confirmed al.so by .James Wafford (west), who remeniliered, 

 however, only the main points of the i)ursnit and final capture at Kaguii'yl. Tlie 

 two versions corresponded very closely, excepting that Ax sends the boy to the 

 Sunset land to play against his brothers, while Swimmer brings them to meet him 



' J. E. Holbrook, Korlli .Vmerii'aii Herpelology, uru Description of the Reptiles niJiiiljiiin^ iiic Lnited 

 States, n. p. 119; Pliila., 1842. 



