Men-a-Mooks, The Otter Spirit

The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends, by W.L. Webber, [1936], at sacred-texts.com

p. 34

Men-a-Mooks, THE OTTER SPIRIT

Nearly every woman was supposed to possess the Otter Spirit and some of them had more than one. The more she had the greater would be her dignity. To possess none at all would be to command very little respect, therefore few women were willing to admit the absence of this spirit. It was supposed to be a good omen although at times it was known to cause death. The Otter Spirit lived within the woman, just above the stomach, making itself known by a peculiar sound and sometimes it rose with n the mouth, but it was never seen. However, some say it has been seen and, when taken out of the mouth. it is a small dark object. The women having this spirit are always conscious of its presence. It was not good for a man to acquire the Otter Spirit and it was hard for him to get rid of it unless he would seek out a Klootchman Doctin (Woman Doctor) and allow her to suck it from him through his lips.

If a woman who harbored the spirit mentioned to any other, she was ungrateful and it would cause the Spirit to do her a grievous bodily harm.

The Land Otter from which this spirit arises, was always regarded with much reverence and was considered sacred. Its flesh was never eaten or its meat burnt as offering to the Klatawa Tumtum (Departed Souls).