Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-04
QUEER STORIES TOLD BY INDIANS.
How Tobacco First Came Into Use
The Hunter Who Melted the snow.

The Hunter Who Melted the Snow.
Take cigar" said the ethnologist to The
Star reporter, pushing over the box, ',and
smoke n few puffs, while tell you how to-
bacco was first obtained by man, accord
ing to the traditions of the Menominee In
dams.
One day the god-hero Manabozo was on
journey, when he perceived a delightful
cdor. 1t seemed to come from a crevice in
the cifs high up on a mountain side. On
gong closer, he found a cavern which was
occupied by a giant. In fact, the giant
was the tenant of the mountain, and from
the mouth of the cave a passage led down
into the very center Of the hill, where there
was a large chamber. Around the cham
Ter were STACKED great. quantities OF bags
filled with curious dried leaves. From the
leaves proceeded the delicious fragrance
These leaves were tobacco. Once a
year. the giant explained. all of the spirits
came to the mountain for the purpose of
smoking this exquisite weed But il was
not possible to give any of 1t away. Never
theless, Manabozo watched for an oppor-
tunity, and snatching up one of the bags,
lied, closely pursued by the giant The
thief leaped from peak to peak, but the
giant followed SO fast as finally to overtake
nm. so Manabozo turned upon him, and
upbraidinG him for his stinginess, trans
formed him into a grasshoppar
mat is the reason why the Srasshooper
is always chewing tobacco. Manabozo took
the bag-fuIl of leaves and distributed them
among his friends, the ancestors of the
Indians of today Since then they have
haI the use and enjoyment of the plant
The tradition among the Menomfnee as
10 thelr hrSt meeting with the whites is
quite interesting. AT that time they lived
on the shore of Lake Michigan, and one
day, while looking out upon the water. they
saw some huge and wonderful boats. All
at once there was terrific explosion as of
thunder, which startled them greatly
FROM the boats light-skinned men alighted
They had hair on their faces and carried
heavy sticks ornamented with shining
metal They approached the Indians who
S SUI mat the leader was great spirit.
The strangers appeared friendly, and Of
Tered vessel containing a liquid
, me warriors were afraid TO drink of the
nquld; out four of the oldest and most use
less members of the tribe were selected to
make the experiment. If they died. il
would not matter much. They partook of
the stun, and soon began to act strangely.
laughlhs a great deal, walking about as Il
DIZZY, and finally becoming unconscious
Then the Indians said to one another: Now
they are dead: see what we escaped by not
drinking! But soon the four old men re-
covered and declared that they had eniov-
ed themselves very much.
50 the chief of the strangers gave to
them some hour and gun, showing them
how to use both. Then he brought out some
Kettles and explained how to boil water in
them. But the kettles We're too larre ani-
heavy TO carry about, SO the Indians asked
for small ones as big as fist as they would
grow TO be large ones by and by. They got
what they asked for, but singular To reIate
the cups never grew TO be kettles
The MenCminee folk lore embraces many
curious stories. One of these tells OF hunt
er whose feet were frozen one day by Kon,
the snow. To get revenge he took a ouan-i,
ty of snow and buried It in a deep bole
covering the hole with sticks and leaves in
order 10 Keep the snow prisoner TIL sum-
mer. Nhen summer came he removed the
leaves ana SUCKS and permitted the sun to
shine upon the snow. Thus the snow being
unable TO run away, melted and was pun
ished. But kon on his side was determined
TO get satisfaction. though he had to wait
until the next winter.
TT was very cold night ami the hunter
was looking out az the door of ais wigwam
when he saw stranger approaching. The
latter mad a very large head and an i'm
menSe white beard. He entered on being
invited, but it seemed strange that he woull
not go near the fire. This puzzled the host
and he kept pokirg the fire. observing al
the same time that persplrstlon broke out
on the guests forehead and trickled down
through his beard. Soon the strangers head
ana body began to diminish in size. because
ne was thawing. So the hunter kept I'D the
IRE until he had entirely melted kon, the
snow; for IL was he who had come to destroy
the hunter and his family. But man IS
more powerful than the snow, and thus
kon persisted.
"A tradition states that the Menominee
were at one time much distressed by a
water monster or giant fish (which frequent
~ caught fishermen, dragging them into the
lake and there devouring them So Mama
bozo, the god hero. built a small raft and
hoated out upon the lake singing all the
whlle: ID. monster, come and eat ne; YOU
Will find me good" Then the giant fish
swallowed ManaboZo. On reaching the
monsters belly. the hero found himself in
company with the bear. the deer the po~-
cupine the raven, the squirrel and many
ether living animals. But Manabozo thrust
his knife into the heart of the fish, which
was afterward thrown up on shore. so that
ne was able to make his escape by cutting
his way out.
an the direction of the place where the
north wind dwells. the Menominee say, live
grants OF an amiable and peaceful race.
They are great hunters ami fishermen. and
whenever they are out with their torches
10 spear fish. il is known hv a bright light
in the sky. This light is called by the white
man the aurora borealis."