Without Fires

In Crow belief, a supernatural world, beyond the tangible world, in which the beings are divided into two clans. One is called the "Without Fires." To this clan belong the sun, moon, stars, and thunder; all the animals that live in the water and on the earth, and the little whirl- winds that one frequently sees dancing over the prairies, but not the wind. This clan also includes the souls of the dead. The chief of the "Without Fires" is Old Man Coyote.

The "Without Fires" clan is itself divided into two clans, although the members of these clans are not specifically stated and
may vary from time to time. These clans are very fond of gambling and their stakes are those human beings whom they have adopted and who are called their children. When one of these supernatural beings loses, the life of his adopted child is forfeited, and the child is "eaten" by the winning clan. Their servant is Istseremurexposhe.

The other clan, or "Other Side Camp," is composed of the supernatural earth and everything that springs from it — all of the plants, flowers, trees and rocks. The Earth clan has four chief spirits, wind, fire, water and the earth itself.

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