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To the Parry Island Ojibwa, then, all nature is one, inasmuch as 
everything consists of a body, soul, and shadow; and all souls and shadows 
are alike in essence, though gifted with different forces and powers. Just 
as the soul of a witch (or the actual body, according to some Indians) 
can assume the form of a dog or an owl, so the souls of animals can 
take on human form and make themselves visible in that guise. Man 
does not know all the power that is imminent in the souls of animals, 
trees, and stones. 
“ You may see a log floating on the water yonder. Suddenly it disappears. 
Perhaps it was a water-snake, for you cannot tell what is around you ” (Pegah- 
magabow). 
Just before a puff of wind Pegahmagabow has often heard a thud 
as though something were pounding the earth. Sometimes, too, his house 
creaks before the wind comes. Evidently the “ power ” of the wind 
precedes it by a few minutes. It must be so, because the barometer 
registers it. 
The wind blows without man’s volition, the water is stirred up into 
great waves, the thunder peals, and the lightning flashes. The sun and 
the moon move daily across the sky uninfluenced by anything that man 
can do. They must all be sentient beings like himself, or else the 
manifestations of sentient beings. Their power is infinitely greater than 
man’s, who can only bow his head in awe and entreat their favour and 
assistance. They are among the greatest of the supernatural beings or 
manidos; but the world is full of others, most of them restricted, like 
man himself, to more or less definite localities, but many able to roam 
at will. Over them all is the Great Spirit, Kitchi Manido, from whom 
they first received their functions and their powers. 
“ There was the peace of the Great Spirit in the heaven above (i.e. a clear 
sky), 'but on earth the Indians were starving, because a gal© blew for nearly a 
moon about the time the wild berries were ripening. The berries would not ripen, 
and the Indians were unable to launch their canoes and spear fish. At last one 
man volunteered to visit the wind-maker. He travelled until he found a being 
in the form of a man who ceaselessly moved his hands from side to side creating 
the wind. The Indian drew near him, and commanded him to cease in so sharp 
a tone that the wind-maker abruptly jerked his hands, nearly puncturing the sky 
with a gust. The man cut off his arms. Instantly the wind ceased and the day 
was without sound. The sky 'became cloudless so that the horizon was visible far 
to the southward, although the heavy waves still rolled and surged against the 
rocks with a noise like thunder. Then a murmur of voices arose, voices of the 
hungry Indians who at last could go out to fish, and return gaily with full loads 
to feed their children. But soon the sea also became calm and undisturbed by 
any ripple, and dirt spread over its surface so that the Indians could no longer 
kill any fish, and starved as they had starved before. Then he who had killed 
the wind^making manido returned to restore him to life. He found the manido 
where he had thrown him, and entreated his forgiveness, saying that the Indians 
were starving again. He restored the arms to their position, and struck the manido 
on the head until he regained consciousness. Then the manido said ' So you have 
returned to undo your foolishness. Hereafter let all men beware of my anger, for 
I can destroy almost everything in the world; nor can any man withstand me. 
The Great Spirit appointed me to create the wind for the good of the world.' Then 
a gentle wind swept softly over the water and through the trees like a welcome 
visitor that was comforting and providing for all the creatures of earth. It laid 
its soft hands on the foreheads of the impoverished Indians and their starving 
children; it washed the dirt from the water, and piled it high up on the shore so 
4294—3 
