120 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 99 



There is no doubt but there is some symboHc significance attached 

 to the method of selecting the ingredients — roots, barks, stems, 

 tops. No information could be gained to elucidate this, even though 

 all the informants agreed that there must be some cause underlying 

 it. It may point to a symbolic way of presenting life from birth to 

 growth, an interpretation which sounds quite orthodox in the light of 

 what we know of Cherokee symbolism and belief. 



As stated, this decoction is drunk at home prior to going down to 

 the river; when standing near the water, the woman induces vomit- 

 ing. This medicine is not only thought to be beneficial to parturi- 

 tion, but it also cleanses the woman from all disease germs that may 

 be latent in her, and induces the throwing off of any "spoiled saUva." 

 (See p. 15.) 



PREGNANT WOMAN's TABOOS 



When with child, a woman not only has to be very careful lest any 

 harm befall her; she herself is extremely dangerous to her relatives, 

 friends, and neighbors. Beliefs relating to the latter conception 

 have been discussed elsewhere. (See p. 35.) 



As to the restrictions she herself is subjected to, there are first of 

 all the food taboos: 



She should not eat squirrel (sa'b'liO, because if she does, the child, 

 when about to be born, will not come down, but will "go up," as a 

 squirrel, when frightened, climbs up a tree (Del,; O.); or because 

 squirrels have a hump, and if she eats any squirrel meat the baby 

 would lie in the womb in a humped position, which would make 

 delivery very difficult (W.). 



Nor should she eat t*Q''°dfsti' ("pheasant"; ruffed grouse), as her 

 child would not live (Mooney, Myths, p. 285). 



Nor raccoon (k'o°'H'), as this would give the child the GQ''°wantGis'ti 

 disease (see p. 67). 



Nor speckled trout (a't.tsaO, as the child would have birthmarks, 

 black spots on the face (Del.; O.); or because this would cause undue 

 bloodshed during partus (W.). 



Nor rabbit (tcrstu'), as the child would sleep with its eyes open 

 (Del.; O.); or because it would have ridiculously large eyes. 



Nor crawfish (tct'stg'na'), which runs backward, as the child would 

 obstinately refuse to come down at the time of delivery. 



No animals are to be eaten that have been shot, either by gun or 

 bow and arrow; in other words, *no animals killed \vith bloodshed. 

 But the same animals that are tabooed if killed by bullet or arrow may 

 be eaten if caught in traps and snares, or if stunned and killed by 

 club or adze. 



There are, so to speak, no taboos with reference to plant foods. 

 The only one I could find was the nuts of scti' {Juglans nigra L., 



