If he be skilled in the magic rites of the sacred meda, or jesukewin, it
is but to call on these spirits, and his necromantic behest is at its
highest point of energy.
In reference to this spiritual creation, the word _mish_ signifies
great, or rather big, but as adjectives are, like substantives,
transitive, the term requires a transitive objective sign, to mark the
thing or person that is big, hence the term _michi_ signifies big
spirit, or "fairy"--for it is a kind of _pukwudjininne_, and not of
_monetoes_ that are described. The terms _nim_ and _auk_, dance and
tree, and the local _ong_, are introduced to describe the particular
locality and circumstances of the mythologic dances. The true meaning of
the phrase, therefore, appears to be, Place of the Dancing Spirits. The
popular etymology that derives the word from Big Turtle, is still
farther back in the chain of etymology, and is founded on the fact that
the _michi_ are turtle spirits. This is the result of my inquiries with
the best interpreters of the language.
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