Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/623

 Some Items of Algonkian Folk-Lore. 275

! word seems to be composed of opikwan, " its back," with ic, suffix I used with the names of certain celestial phenomena.

36. Pakesiwin, " the so-called ' dish game ' or jeu du plat of the Indians" (p. 321). So-called because played with a plate or bowl and "plum-stones" (pakesanak). / 37. Pakwatcininins, "the little man of the woods" (p. 325). A sort of Indian elf or fairy. The word is derived irompakzjatc, " be- longing to the woods" and ininins (diminutive of inini), "little man." These creatures figure much in myth and legend.

38. Panabe, "a water creature of Algonkian mythology" (p. 327). The word signifies literally " quasi-ma.n," or " not-quite man," from pan, "almost, quasi" and abe, "man." It is said to be half-man half-fish.

39. Pipakice, "his ears tingle" (p. 344). The Indian saying is: Ni pipakice, ta sokipo — " My ears tingle, there is going to be snow." See No. 34.

40. Piskwatawin, "a former national game of these Indians" (p. 347). It received its name from the fact that one of the great intestines {piskwat — rectum) of the bear or deer was employed in the game, and the players cried : Aiabe opiskwat ! aiabc opiskivat I— "The male, his piskwat ! the male, his piskwat ! " Cuoq vouchsafes no more than this about the game.

41. Sasakiwidjigan, " sacrifice in the old pagan fashion, immola- tion of a victim " (p. 363). Cuoq gives also sasakiwidjiganatik, " tree of sacrifice," — the pagan Indians suspend on a tree certain objects to obtain the good-will of the manitou. See No. 1.

42. Sipingon, "tears" ("river of the eyes"). Cuoq points out (p. 370) that "the Sauteux attribute life to 'tears,' saying [in the animate form] ni sipingweiak ; while the Nipissings leave the word in the inanimate form, saying sigisen ni sipingon =" my tears run," " I shed tears."

I 43. Tcipaimikan, "the way of the dead" (p. 391), — from tcipai, } "corpse," and mikan, "path, road." The name given to the "Milky \ Way," the path by which the dead pass to the other world.

44. Tcipeiwak, "part of the leg a little above the knee" (p. 392). Cuoq informs us that "these Indians formerly believed wounds in this part of the body to be incurable, and most often fatal." The word is derived from tcipai, " corpse," and iwak, " flesh, muscle."

45. Tcipesak, "the rotten wood from which comes the will-of-the- wisp" (p. 392), —literally " wood of the dead " (from tcipai, "cor] and sak, " wood "). Cuoq says the name was given " because it is in or near graveyards especially that the Indians have noticed this phenomenon."

46. Tesanaivi, "to live in celibacy " (p. 398). This word signifies

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