REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 1923 57 
on bewitched islands. Like other monsters he has a brood of his 
kind, he having females as well. These sometimes lure men under 
water and seek to transform them by inducing them to put on the 
garments they wear. Horned Snake is hated by the Thunderer who 
spares no energy to kill him before he can dive. 
Monster Bear, Nia’ gwai’he’gowa, is the most feared of magic 
beasts and one of the most frequent among them to enter into the 
fortunes of men. He loves to race and in various forms which he 
assumes, seeks to induce men, and particularly boys, to bet their 
lives on the race which generally lasts from sunrise to sunset. He 
has a vulnerable spot on the bottom of one of his feet and unless 
some hero hits this, the monster does not die. His bones form im- 
portant parts of “magic medicine” and the dust from one of his leg 
bones if taken as a medicine, is reputed to make a runner invincible. 
White Beaver, Na™ga™nia” go", is an otgont beast who lives in 
magic waters. He seldom appears, but when he does, he means dis- 
aster. Usually he is represented as the transformed son of a great 
witch. He is sometimes called Diat’dagwit. 
Blue Otter is another magic beast whose home is in the water. 
His function is to poison springs. He has another function, that of 
inflicting disease by his magic, and in this way he secures offerings of 
tobacco. 
Blue Lizard, Djai’nosgowa, seems to be a beast looking something 
like an alligator. He lives in pools and is the servant of wizards 
and witches. 
Magic Manlike Beings 
The Stone Giants, or Stone Coats, Gé™no™’sgwa’, are commonly 
described in Seneca folk tales. They are beings similar to men, 
but of gigantic size and covered with coats of flint. They are not 
gods and are vulnerable to the assaults of celestial powers, although 
the arrows of men harm them not at all. The early Iroquois are 
reputed to have had many wars with them, and the last one is said 
to have been killed in a cave. 
Pygmies, Djogéo® are little people who live in caves. They are 
a tribe by themselves and live in houses as men do. They frequent 
deep gulches and the borders of streams. In some ways they are 
tricky, but in general they do not injure men. They are not suc- 
cessful hunters and are grateful for the fingernail parings of human 
beings. These are saved by the thoughtful and tied in little bundles 
which are thrown over cliffs for the Djogeon to gather as “hunting 
medicine.” They also require tobacco and when they need it, they 
will tap their water drums in their meeting places. The observant 
then make up little packages of tobacco which they throw to them. 
