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[1 ] Hah-ah-ooh-lah (also pronounced Hah-ah-lawh and Hah-hwa-ulah). Variously translated as: "Evil Spirit of the Earth," "Evil of the Earth," and "Wicked Crawler." Like the other interior Northwest tribes, the Okanogan believe that rattlesnakes have strong magic power, and they treat the reptiles with the utmost respect. Meeting a rattler, an Indian will address it with placating and ingratiating words, to "keep on its good side." However much they may detest and dread the rattlesnake, they never talk about him save in a most respectful manner, because, they say, his power enables him to hear what is said, regardless of how far distant he may be from the speaker. And they will not kill a rattlesnake except as a matter of necessity--to save a life or ward off an attack--or for the sake of revenge, if the snake has attacked or injured someone.

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