122 LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS 



who was always at hand tempting children to disobey and vex their 

 parents, and who, whenever he succeeded in his wicked endeavors 

 made all sorts of faces to them, though they did not see him, rejoicing 

 for having gained victory over them ; but as often as they resisted him 

 successfully, he went away skulking, covered with shame and confusion, 

 whilst the Great Spirit was pleased. 



The children were also taught to show respect to old people ; that as 

 it was not in the power of man to prolong his life, it was by special 

 favor that some people lived longer than others ; that if such cursed 

 those who despised and illtreated them in their old age, their petition 

 would be heard by the Absolute Master of life ; on the contrary their 

 good wishes would be attended with happy results. 



As regards the inferior divinities : some were supposed to dwell in 

 the sky and clouds, some in mountains, and others in lakes, rivers, 

 and in the subterranean passages which were said to lead from the 

 deep parts of lakes into the bowels of the earth. Some of these in- 

 habiting the watery caverns were supposed to be extremely malicious, 

 always seeking to destroy the human beings who might happen to be 

 on the water in the time of storms, instead of protecting them. 



The Thunders, conscious of their irresistible strength, were consid- 

 ered to be generous, always ready to afford their strong protection to 

 mankind ; consequently the dreadful water monsters, and the terrible 

 gods in the clouds were/ represented to be at perpetual enmity. The 

 Thunders, of course, by fiery darts, always vanquished their opponents 

 in the water, but they had to slay them eight times before they could 

 finally kill them. If any person was killed by lightning it was said 

 to be merely accidental, seeing that when the hideou.s monsters in the 

 earth and water were ro-ited and hotly pursued, they usually took 

 refuge and hid themselves in the subterranean passages directly under 

 the spot inhabited by men, and in their endeavors to dislodge them, 

 the Thunders missed sometimes their aim and thus struck their own 

 friends. When overtaken by a hurricane in the water, the Indians 

 invoked some sea god to interfere in their behalf, throwing a piece of 

 tobacco into the water at the same time, or a little dog with a stone tied 

 to its neck. In dry seasons, they called upon the Thunders to bring 

 down rain ; also when they were surrounded and reduced to great 

 straits in war, that the rain might slacken the bow strings and render 

 them useless, when of course both parties would be obliged to cease 

 fighting. 



To the Thunders and other inferior deities they occasionally offered 

 sacrifices, but instead of consuming the victim by fire or otherwise 



