Where The Waters Begin The Traditional Nisqually Indian...

There is a legend called â€Å" The Land of the Dead of the Nisqually† collected by Cecelia Svinth Carpenter and has been put in her book â€Å"Where the Waters Begin: The Traditional Nisqually Indian History of Mount Rainier†: â€Å"The Squally-absch believed the world to be flat, and beneath its surface is the home of the dead, ‘Otlas-skio.’ Constant communication was maintained between this and the underground world by the spirits of the dead, as well as by the shamans or ‘medicine man,’ The country of Otlas-skio is filled with waving forests, grassy plains and running streams. Villages after the ancient type occupy the most beautiful places; the woods are filled with game and singing birds; brilliant flowers enliven the landscape and perfume th†¦show more content†¦It is thus that they explain a case of suspended animation. â€Å"The Squally neither expect favor or reward, nor feared punishment after death. During life, however, he worshiped the benificent forces of nature and appealed to them for aid and assistance; he feared the evil forces represented by a multitude of demons. Whom he attempted to propitiate that he might escape their attacks. His ceremonial appea ls to the good forces, and his attempt to allay the evil one, consituted the ritual of Nisqually theology. (Wickersham: 1898, 346)† Another legend is from â€Å"Indian Legends of the Pacific Northwest† by Ella E. Clark, called â€Å"Mason Lake and the Crying Loon†: â€Å"On the east side of the Olympia Peninsula is a small lake, Mason Lake, which the Indians said was the home of evil spirits. â€Å"Not far from the lake lived a litte boy, a very good swimmer. He spent much of his time in the salt water and on the shore of what is now called Hood Canal. His mother often told him that he must never swim in the haunted lake. It he should swim there, he would anger the evil spirits and they would punish him. But this little boy sometimes did what his mother told him not to do. â€Å"One warm day he disobeyed her and went swimming in the lake of the evil spirits. He could see no demons, but he did see many trout swimming about in the clear water. He swam and dived and had much fun all afternoon. He