.MTM1OA.MTE0OTU4

195 Folk Lore Manibojou Stories.

  The Ojibway tribes all reverence and hold in high esteem the Demigod Manibojou and like the ancient people of history they are pessessed [sic] of much mythology that is fast melting  and fading from the memory of the "old men" and the young ones never learn it as the old coucil fires are out and such stories are related only in the winter and at night about a council fire.  To tell them at other times would be "bad medicine" and very much displease the Manito (or Manido).  so with the incroachments of civilization disappear the old indian traditions a few are left. however and no doubt more might be gleaned if the council fires could be again lighted. as we have been told that the Ojibway have a great store of such stories. recounting the exploits of Manibojou.

Manibojou "This Maniboujou is a mythical character half Manito and half man. His time is spent partly in playing pranks upon the indian. that is the mean side and the rest in teaching them arts and thinking over things and inventing different things for the benefit of the indian. He is fond of amusing himself and at such times he does it at the expense of the indians or some of the animals. His origin is this [?] a Manito came to the earth: then the world was young and fresh. and he saw and loved and married an indian maiden after a long courtship for she was shy of this Manito but finally yielded to his advances. She did not know that he was a Manito he was so well disguised as a man. In due time however the squaw gave birth to four goodly sons * and died "Maniboju" was the eldest. he was the friend of the human race. The second was "Chibiabos" who has charge of the dead. and presides over the city of souls The third was "Wabasso" who as soon as he saw the light fled away to the north, where he was changed into a white rabbit. and in this form is a great spirit. The fourth or youngest was "Cho-kan-in-pok." or "the Man of Flint," or the firestone. When Manibojou grew up he made war upon his brother "Chokanipok" because he was as the alleged the cause of his Mother's death. They fought fierce battles. and when ever they had an encounter the face of nature [?] it as all the fragments of the body of Chokanipok

• That this is not an improbable tale see, "Nielman History of the Jews."