THE   ODEGIHA  LANGUAGE
 

By J. Owen Dorsey.
 

PART   I.

MYTHS, ST0RIE8, AND LETTERS.

INTRODUCTION.

The myths, stories, and letters in the present volume have been
obtained directly from Indians. They were dictated in (|Jegiha, and
written in that language by the collector.

A brief account of each of the Indian authorities for these texts may
not be considered out of place.

1. Joseph LaFl^che is a gentleman to whom I am indebted, not only
for myths in (pegiha and j^oiwere, but also for a knowledge of the latter
tongue, a collection of ethnological notes, etc. I regard him as my best
authority. By bii'th he is a Ponka, but he has spent most of his life
among the Pawnees, Otos, and Omahas.. He has acquired a knowledge of
several Indian languages, and he also speaks Canadian French. While
Frank, his younger brother, has remained with the Ponkas, and is now
reckoned as a chief in that tribe, Mr. LaFl^che has been counted as an
Omaha for many years Though debarred by Indian law from member¬
ship in any gens, that did not prevent him receiving the highest place in
the Omaha governmental system. He has some influence among the Paw¬
nees, and when the Yankton Dakotas wished to make peace witli the
former tribe, it was effected through the instrumentality of Mr. LaFlfeche,