Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/10

 2 Now all Indian witches have one or more "poohegans," or guardian spirits, and the Giant Witch at once despatched one of his poohegans, "Little Allum-oosett," the Humming-bird, to the chief Hassagwāhq', to say that it would not be fair to send ten men to fight one; but if he would send one magician at a time he would be pleased to meet them.

The chief replied that the witches should meet him in battle one by one; and the next night they gathered together at an appointed place as soon as the sun slept, and it was agreed that Beaver should be the first to fight.

The Beaver had "Sogalun" or "Rain," for his guardian spirit, and he caused a great flood to fall and fill up the cave of the Giant Witch, hoping thus to drown him. But the Giant Witch had the power to change himself into a "Segnapp Squ' Hm," or Lamprey Eel, and in this shape he clung to the side of his cave, and so escaped.

The Beaver, thinking that the foe was drowned, swam into the cavern, and was caught in a "k'pagūtihigan," or beaver-trap, which the Giant Witch had purposely set for him. Thus Beaver, the first magician, perished.

The next to try his strength was "Mosque," or the "Wood-worm," whose poohegan is "Fire."

The "Wood-worm" told him that he would bore a hole into the cave that night, and bade him enter it next day and burn up the foe. He went to work, and with his sharp head, and by wriggling and winding himself about like a screw, he soon made a deep hole in the side of the mountain. But the Giant Witch knew very well what was going on, and he sent the "Humming-bird" with a piece of "chee-qwā-qu'-seque," or punk, to plug up the hole, which he did so well that the "Wood-worm" could not make his way back to the open air, and when Fire came to carry out his orders the punk blazed up and destroyed "Mosque" or the "Wood-worm," and thus perished the second sorcerer.

The next to fight was "K'tchī Atosis," the "Big Snake," who had "Amwess," the "Bee," for his poohegan. The Bee summoned all his winged followers, and they entered the cave in a body, swarming