Yep, I've been digging on the shapechange stuff. I wasn't sure which were particular to which tribes--there's a ton of it up in the Tlingit area, but I don't just want to *assume,* you know?

Jacob and the Spotted Sticks?

I told Tom that I assumed, with the contrast here (devil vs. culture hero) that Hobbomock was probably a Trickster figure of some kind. Tom promptly resopnded that I dug Tricksters way too much and should maybe actually do more research before getting my mind set on that. :)

I'm also wondering if Hobbomock is a culture hero for one group but an evil giant for another (the people who had the Connecticut River stolen from them, for example). The Quinipiac (sp?) seem to have been organized into sachem-doms that were only loosely affiliated, and didn't entirely share language with the other Algonquin groups in the area (meaning they didn't share language at all with the Iriquois groups).

Figuring out the tribal relationships out here is a *lot* more difficult than it was in Michigan. ;)

I'd love to hear stories about the hill. Perhaps someday I should come visit you and tell it 'hello.'