MooNKv) NO'l'KS AND PARALLELS 4(»5 



Suck.' The Humiiiit of the l.imkuut mountain overlooks the whole country. And 

 to these who can he delighted with the view of an interminable forest, penetrated 

 by the windings of a bold river, interspersed with hundreds of verdant prairies, and 

 broken by many ridges and mountains, furnishes in the month of May, a landscape, 

 which yields to few others, in extent, variety or beauty." — Rev. Elias Cornelius, in 

 (Sillinian's) American Journal of Science, i, p. 22.'>, 1818. 



Bet even his life — The In<lian was a passionate gambler and there was absolutely 

 no limit to the risks which he was willing to take, even to the lo.ss of liberty, if not 

 of life. Says I^iwson (History of Carolina, p. 287): "They game verj' much and 

 often strip one another of all they have in the world ; and what is more, I have known 

 several of them play themselves away, so that they have remained the winners' ser- 

 vants till their relations or themselves could pay the money to redeem them." 



His skill wa.i rlea II — The idea of purification or cleansing through the efficacy of 

 the sweat-l)ath is very common in Indian myth and ceremonial. la an Omaha story 

 given by Dorsey the hero has been transformed, liy witchcraft, into a mangy dog. 

 He builds a sweat lodge, goes into it as a dog and sweats himself until, on his com- 

 mand, the people take off the blankets, when "Behold, he was not a dog; he was 

 a very handsome man" ("Adventures of Hingpe-agce," in Contributions to Xorth 

 American Ethnology, vi, p. 175). 



From the hollom — The choice of the most remote or the most insignificant appear- 

 ing of several objects, as being really the most valuable, is another common incident 

 in the myths. 



Honey-Iucnsl tree — The favorite honey-locust tree and the seat witli thorns of the 

 same species in the home of the Thunder Man may indicate that in Indian as in 

 Aryan timught there was an occidt connection between the pinnated leaves and the 

 lightning, as we know to be the case with regard to the European rowan or mountain 

 ash. 



All kinds of snakes— i.t will be remembered that the boy's father was a thunder 

 god. The connection between the snake and the rain or thunder spirit has already 

 been noted. It appears also in luunber 84, "The Man who Married the Thunder's 

 Sister." 



Elder brother — My elder lirother (male speaking), iolgini'll; my elder brother 

 (female speaking), ungidd'; thy two elder brothers (male speaking), te/S(i)i/''fi. 



Sunset land — The Cherokee word here used is WusiViihi'iii'i/l, "there where they 

 stay over night." The usual expression in the sacred formula is usmlhi'yl, "the 

 darkening, or twilight place"; the common word is urude'liglj.n'yt, "there where it 

 (the sun) goes down." 



Lightning at every stroke — In tlu' Omaha myth of "The Chief's Son and the Thun- 

 ders," given by Dorsey, some young men traveling to the end of the world meet a 

 Thunder Man, who bids the leader select one of four medicine bags. Having been 

 warned in advance, he selects the oldest, but most powerful, and is then given also 

 a club whii h causes thunder whenever flourished in the air (Contributions to North 

 American Ethnology, vi, p. 185). 



Strike the rock — This method of procuring water is as old at least as the book of 

 Exodus. 



The brass ruhbed off — The beautiful metallic luster on the ht^ad of Pluuueus carni- 

 /(?.r is thus accounted for. The common roller beetle is called "dung roller," but 

 this species is distinguished as the "horned, brass" beetle. It is also sometimes 

 spoken of as the dog of the Thunder Boys. 



Beavers gnaiv at the grapevine — Something like this is found among the Cheyenne: 

 "The earth rests on a large beam or post. Far in the north tliere is a beaver as 

 W'hite as snow who is a great father of all mankind. Some day he will gnaw through 

 the support at the bottom. We shall be helpless and the eartli will fall. This will 

 happen when he becomes angry. The post is already partly eaten through. For 



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