Chapter III: Part 3

But he was so large he got tangled up in the thick woods. He soon smelt the hunters. They were all following his trail. Pau-puk-kee-wis jumped high. He broke down saplings. Then the hunters shot him. He jumped higher. He jumped over the tree tops. Then all the hunters shot him. So they killed him. Then they skinned him. When his flesh became cold, the spirit of Pau-puk-kee-wis went away.

Thus Pau-puk-kee-wis had many adventures. After a long time Manabozho killed him. Then he was really dead because he was killed in his human form. Manabozho said, "You shall not be permitted to live on the earth again. I will make you a war eagle."

Thus Pau-puk-kee-wis became a war eagle. He lives in the sky.

IAGOO, THE BOASTER[20]

_Ojibwa_

[20] From his lodge went Pau-puk-keewis,
Came with speed into the village,
Found the young men all assembled
In the lodge of old Iagoo,
Listening to his monstrous stories,
To his wonderful adventures.
. . . .
Homeward now returned Iagoo,
The great traveller, the great boaster,
Full of new and strange adventures,
Marvels many and many wonders.
--_Hiawatha_

Iagoo was a great boaster. Once he told the people of a water lily he had seen. He said the leaf was large enough to make garments for his wife and daughter.

One evening Iagoo was sitting in his wigwam, on the bank of the river. He heard ducks quack on the stream. He shot at them, without aiming. He shot through the door of the wigwam. Behold! His arrow pierced a swan flying by. It killed many ducks in the stream. The arrow flew farther. It killed two loons, just coming up from beneath the water. Then it killed a very large fish.

Iagoo went hunting. He followed the trail of the deer through the forest. He shot a deer and skinned it. He lifted the meat upon his shoulders. As he came from his hunting place, Iagoo saw a person on a prairie before him. He pursued that person. Iagoo ran half a day after that one. Then he remembered the meat upon his shoulders. He remembered he carried the body of the deer.

Iagoo had many adventures. He found mosquitoes in a bog-land. They were very large. The wing of one he used for a sail for his canoe, when the breeze blew. The nose of that insect was as large as his wife's digging stick.

One day Iagoo watched a beaver's lodge. He watched for the peering head of a beaver. Behold! An ant went by. She had killed a hare. She dragged hare's body on the ground behind her.

OJEEG, THE SUMMER-MAKER

_Ojibwa_

Ojeeg was a great hunter. He lived on the southern shore of Lake Superior. Ojeeg had a wife and one son.

Now the son hunted game as the father taught him. He followed the trails over the snow. For snow lay always on the ground. It was always cold. Therefore the boy returned home crying.

One day as he went to his father's wigwam in the cold and snow he saw Red Squirrel, gnawing the end of a pine cone. Now the son of Ojeeg had shot nothing all day because his hands were so cold. When he saw Red Squirrel, he came nearer, and raised his bow.

Red Squirrel said, "My grandson, put up your arrow. Listen to me."

The boy put the arrow in his quiver.

Red Squirrel said, "You pass my wigwam very often. You cry because you cannot kill birds. Your fingers are numb with cold. Obey me. Thus it shall always be summer. Thus you can kill many birds."

Red Squirrel said again, "Obey me. When you reach your father's wigwam, throw down your bow and arrows. Begin to weep. If your mother says, 'My son, what is the matter?' do not answer her. Continue weeping. If she says, 'My son, eat this,' you must refuse the food. Continue weeping. In the evening when your father comes in he will say to your mother, 'What is the matter with my son?' She will say, 'He came in crying. He will not tell me.' Your father will say, 'My son, what is the matter? I am a spirit. Nothing is too hard for me.' Then you must answer, 'It is always cold and dreary. Snow lies always upon the ground. Melt the snow, my father, so that we may have always summer.' Then your father will say, 'It is very difficult to do what you ask. I will try.' Then you must be quiet. You must eat the food they give you."

Thus it happened.

Ojeeg then said, "I must make a feast. I must invite my friends to go on this journey with me." At once Ojeeg killed a bear. The next day he had a great feast. There were Otter, Beaver, and Lynx. Also Wolverine and Badger were at the feast.

Then they started on their journey. On the twentieth day they came to the foot of a high mountain. There was blood in the trail. Some person had killed an animal. They followed the trail of that person. They arrived at a wigwam.

Ojeeg said, "Do not laugh. Be very quiet."

A man stood in the doorway of the wigwam. He was a great manito. He was a head only. Thus he was very strange. Then he made a feast for them. He made very curious movements, so Otter laughed. At once the manito leaped upon him. He sprang on him, but Otter slipped out from under him and escaped.

The manito and the animals talked all night. The manito said to Ojeeg, the Fisher, "You will succeed. You will be the summer-maker. But you will die. Yet the summer will come."

Now when they followed the trail in the morning, they met Otter. He was very cold and hungry, therefore Fisher gave him meat.

Then they journeyed on. On the twentieth day, they came to the top of a lofty mountain. Then they smoked their pipes.

Then Ojeeg, the Fisher, and the animals prepared themselves. Ojeeg said to Otter, "We must first make a hole in the Sky-cover. You try first."

Otter made a great spring. He did not even touch the Sky-cover. He fell back, down the hill, to the bottom of the hill. Then Otter said, "I will go home." So he did.

Then Beaver tried. He fell. Also Lynx and Badger fell.

Then Wolverine tried. He made a great leap and touched the sky. Then he leaped again. He pressed against the Sky-cover. He leaped a third time. The Sky-cover broke, and Wolverine went into the Sky-land. Fisher also sprang in quickly after him.

Thus Wolverine and Fisher were in the Sky-plain, in the summer land. There were many flowers and streams of bright water. There were birds in the trees, and fish and water birds on the streams. Many lodges stood there, but they were empty. In each lodge were many _mocuks_, many bird cages, with birds in them.

At once Ojeeg began to cut the _mocuks_. The birds flew out. They flew down through the hole in the Sky-cover to the Earth-plain below. They carried warm air down with them.

Now when the people of the Sky-land saw these strangers, and their birds escaping, they ran to their wigwams. But they were too late. Spring, and summer, and autumn had slipped down the hole in the Sky-cover. Endless summer was just passing through, but they broke it in two with a blow. Therefore only a part of endless summer came down to the Earth-plain.

Now when Wolverine heard the noise of the sky people, running to their lodges, he jumped down the hole and escaped. Fisher also tried to jump, but the people had shut the cover. Therefore Fisher ran and the people pursued him. He climbed a great tree in the north, and the people began shooting at him. Now Fisher was a spirit; he could not be hurt except in the tip of his tail. At last they shot him in his tail.

Fisher called to the Sky People to stop shooting. But they did not stop until darkness came. Then they went away. Fisher climbed down. He went towards the north. He said, "I have kept my promise to my son. The seasons will now be different. There will be many moons without snow and cold."

Thus Fisher died, with the arrow sticking in his tail. It can be seen there, even to this day.[21]

[21] He was telling them the story
Of Ojeeg the Summer-Maker,
How he made a hole in heaven,
How he climbed up into heaven,
And let out the summer-weather,
The perpetual summer-weather.
How the Otter first essayed it,
How the Beaver, Lynx, and Badger,
Tried in turn the great achievement,
From the summit of the mountain ...
--_Hiawatha_

RABBIT GOES DUCK HUNTING

_Cherokee_

Rabbit was very boastful. One day he met Otter. Otter said, "Sometimes I eat ducks."

"Well, I eat ducks, too," said Rabbit.

So they went up the stream until they saw several ducks in the water. They followed the trail softly. Then they stood on the river bank.

Rabbit said, "You go first." At once Otter dived from the bank. He swam under water until he reached a duck; then he pulled it under quickly so that the other ducks were not frightened. While he was under water, Rabbit peeled bark from a sapling and made a noose.

"Now, watch me," he said, when Otter came back. He dived in and swam under water until he was nearly choked. So he came to the top to breathe. He did this several times. The last time he came up among the ducks and threw the noose over the head of one.

Duck spread her wings and flew up, with Rabbit hanging to the end of the noose. Up and up flew the duck, but Rabbit could not hold on any longer. Then he let go and dropped.

Rabbit fell into a hollow sycamore. It was very tall, and had no hole at the bottom. Rabbit stayed there until he was so hungry he ate his own fur, even as he does to this day.

After many days, he heard children playing around the tree. He began to sing,

Cut a door and look at me,
I'm the prettiest thing you ever did see.

The children at once ran home to tell their father. He came and cut a hole in the tree. As he chopped away, Rabbit kept singing,

Cut it larger, so you can see me. I am very pretty.

So they made the hole larger. Then Rabbit told them to stand back so they could get a good look at him. They stood back. Then Rabbit sprang out and leaped away.

RABBIT AND THE TAR BABY

_Biloxi_

Rabbit aided his friend the Frenchman with his work. They planted potatoes. Rabbit looked upon the potato vines as his share of the crop and ate them all.

Again Rabbit aided his friend the Frenchman. This time they planted corn. When it was grown, Rabbit said, "This time I will eat the roots." So he pulled up all the corn by the roots, but he found nothing to satisfy his hunger.

Then the Frenchman said, "Let us dig a well." Rabbit said, "No. You dig it alone."

The Frenchman said, "Then you shall not drink water from the well."

"That does not matter," said Rabbit. "I am used to licking off the dew from the ground."

So the Frenchman dug his well. Then he made a tar baby and stuck it up close to the well. One day Rabbit came near the well, carrying a long piece of hollow cane and a tin bucket. When he reached the well he spoke to the tar baby; it did not answer.

"Friend, what is the matter? Are you angry?" asked Rabbit.

Tar baby did not answer. So Rabbit hit him with a forepaw. The forepaw stuck there.

"Let me go," said Rabbit, "or I will hit you on the other side."

Tar baby paid no attention, so Rabbit hit him with the other forepaw, and that stuck fast.

"I will kick you," said Rabbit. But when he kicked him the hindpaw stuck.

"Very well," he said, "I will kick you with the other foot." So he kicked him with the other foot and that stuck fast. By that time Rabbit looked like a ball, all four paws sticking to the tar baby.

Just then the Frenchman came to the well. He picked Rabbit up, tied his paws together, laid him down and scolded him. Rabbit pretended to be in great fear of a brier patch.

"If you are so afraid of a brier patch," said the Frenchman, "I will throw you into one."

"Oh, no, no!" said Rabbit.

"I will throw you into the brier patch," repeated the Frenchman.

"I am much afraid of it," answered Rabbit.

"Since you are in such dread of it, I will throw you into it," said the Frenchman. So he picked up Rabbit and threw him far into the brier patch. Rabbit fell far away from the Frenchman.

Then he picked himself up and ran off, laughing at the trick he had played on the Frenchman.

RABBIT AND TAR WOLF

_Cherokee_

Once the weather was dry for so long that there was no more water in the springs and creeks. The animals held a council to see what to do about it. They decided to dig a well, and all agreed to help, except Rabbit who was a lazy fellow.

Rabbit said, "I don't need to dig for water. The dew on the grass is enough for me."

The others did not like this, but they all started to dig the well. It stayed dry for a long while and even the water in the well was low. Still Rabbit was lively and bright.

"Rabbit steals our water at night," they said. So they made a wolf of pine gum and tar. They set it by the well to scare the thief.

That night Rabbit came again to the well. He saw the black thing there.

"Who's there?" he asked. But Tar Wolf did not answer. Rabbit came nearer. Yet Tar Wolf did not move. Rabbit grew brave and said, "Get out of my way."

Tar Wolf did not move. So Rabbit hit him with his paw; but it stuck fast in the gum.

Rabbit became angry and said, "Let go my paw!" Still Tar Wolf said nothing. So Rabbit hit him with his hind foot; that stuck in the gum.

So Tar Wolf held Rabbit fast until morning. Then the other animals came for water. When they found Rabbit stuck fast, they made great fun of him for a while. At last Rabbit managed to get away.

RABBIT AND PANTHER

_Menomini_

Rabbit was a great boaster. He wanted a medicine lodge and to have people think he was a great medicine man.

Now one day, Wabus, the Rabbit, and his wife were traveling. They came to a low hill covered with poplar sprouts. They were green and tender. Therefore Rabbit decided to make his home there.

Rabbit went first to the top of a hill and built a wigwam. He made trails from it in all directions, so he might see anyone who approached.

When the wigwam was finished, Rabbit told his wife he was going to dance; but first he ran all about the hill to see if anyone was watching him. He found no trail. Then he returned and began his song.

Now just as Rabbit returned to his wigwam, Panther reached the base of the hill, and he found Rabbit's trail. He followed it until he reached the place where Rabbit and his wife were dancing. Here he hid to watch Rabbit.

Now Rabbit told his wife to sit at one end of the lodge while he went to the other. He took his medicine bag. Then he approached her four times, chanting,

Ye ha-a-a-a-a Ye ha-a-a-a-a
Ye ha-a-a-a-a Ye ha-a-a-a-a

Then he shot at his wife, just as a medicine man does when he shoots at a new member. Then Rabbit's wife arose and shot at him. Thus they were very happy.

Then Rabbit began to sing a song which meant this: "If Panther comes across my trail while I am biting the bark from the poplars, he will not be able to catch me for I am a good runner."

When he had finished his song, Rabbit told his wife he would go out hunting. Panther waited for his return.

Now as Rabbit started home again he was very happy. But when he reached Panther's hiding place, his enemy sprang on his trail. Rabbit saw him and started back on his trail. Panther raced after him. He caught him and said,

"You are the man who said I could not catch you. Now who is the fastest runner?" And before Rabbit could answer Panther ate him up. But Rabbit was such a boastful man.

HOW RABBIT STOLE OTTER'S COAT

_Cherokee_

All the animals were of different sizes and wore different coats. Some wore long fur and others wore short fur. Some had rings on their tails; others had no tails at all. The coats of the animals were of many colors--brown, or black, or yellow, or gray.

The animals were always quarreling about whose coat was the finest. Therefore they held a council to decide the matter.

Now everyone had heard a great deal about Otter, but he lived far up the trail; he did not often visit the others. It was said he had the finest coat of all, but it was so long since they had seen him that no one remembered what it was like. They did not even know just where he lived, but they knew he would come when he heard of the council.

Rabbit was afraid the council would say that Otter had the finest coat. He learned by what trail Otter would come to the council. Then he went a four days' march up the trail to meet him. At last he saw Otter coming. He knew him at once by his beautiful coat of soft brown fur.

Otter said, "Where are you going?"

"They sent me to bring you to the council," answered Rabbit. "They were afraid you might not know the trail."

So Rabbit turned back and they traveled together. They traveled all day. At night Rabbit picked out a camping place. Otter was a stranger in that part. Rabbit cut down bushes for beds and made everything comfortable. Next morning they started on again.

In the afternoon, Rabbit picked up pieces of bark and wood, as they followed the trail, and loaded them on his back.

"Why are you doing that?" asked Otter.

"So that we may be warm and comfortable tonight," said Rabbit. Near sunset they stopped and made camp. After supper Rabbit began to whittle a stick, shaving it down to a paddle.

"Why are you doing that?" asked Otter again.

"Oh," said Rabbit, "I have good dreams when I sleep with a paddle under my head."

When the paddle was finished, Rabbit began to cut a good trail through the bushes to the river.

"Why are you doing that?" asked Otter.

"This is called 'The Place Where It Rains Fire,' and sometimes it does rain fire here," said Rabbit. "The sky looks a little that way tonight. You go to sleep and I will sit up and watch. If you hear me shout, you run and jump into the river. Better hang your coat on that limb over there, so it will not get burned."

Otter did as Rabbit told him; then both curled up and Otter went to sleep. But Rabbit stayed awake. After a while the fire burned down to red coals. Rabbit called to Otter; he was fast asleep. Then he called again, but Otter did not awaken.

Then Rabbit rose softly. He filled the paddle with hot coals, threw them up into the air and shouted, "It's raining fire! It's raining fire!"

The hot coals fell on Otter and he jumped up.

"To the river," shouted Rabbit and Otter fled into the water. So he has lived in the water ever since.

Rabbit at once took Otter's coat and put it on, leaving his own behind. Then he followed the trail to the council.

All the animals were waiting for Otter. At last they saw him coming down the trail. They said to each other, "Otter is coming!" They sent one of the small animals to show him the best seat. After he was seated, the animals all went up in turn to welcome him. But Otter kept his head down with one paw over his face.

The animals were surprised. They did not know Otter was so bashful. At last Bear pulled the paw away. There was Rabbit! He sprang up and started to run. Bear struck at him and pulled the tail off his coat. But Rabbit was too quick and got safely away.

RABBIT AND BEAR

_Biloxi_

Rabbit and Bear had been friends for some time. One day Rabbit said to Bear, "Come and visit me. I live in a very large brier patch." Then he went home.

When he reached home he went out and gathered a quantity of young canes which he hung up.

After a while Bear reached a place near his house, but was seeking the large brier patch. Now Rabbit really dwelt in a very small patch. When Rabbit found that Bear was near, he began to make a pattering sound with his feet.

Bear was scared. He retreated to a distance and then stopped and stood listening. As soon as Rabbit saw this, he cried out, "Halloo! my friend! Was it you whom I treated in that manner? Come and take a seat."

So Bear went back to Rabbit's house and took a seat. Rabbit gave the young canes to his guest, who swallowed them all. Rabbit nibbled now and then at one, while Bear swallowed all the others.

"This is what I have always liked," said Bear when he went home. "Come and visit me. I dwell in a large bent tree."

Not long after, Rabbit started on his journey. He spent some time seeking the large bent tree but he could not find it. Bear lived in a hollow tree, and he sat there growling. Rabbit heard the growls and fled for some distance before he sat down.

Then Bear called, "Halloo! my friend! Was it you whom I treated in that manner? Come here and sit down."

Rabbit did so.

Bear said, "You are now my guest, but there is nothing for you to eat." So Bear went in search of food.

Bear went to gather young canes, but as he went along, he gathered also the small black bugs which live in decayed logs. When he had been gone some time, he returned to his lodge with only a few young canes. He put them down before Rabbit and then walked around him in a circle. In a little while, he offered Rabbit the black bugs.

"I have never eaten such food," said Rabbit.

Bear was offended. He said, "When I was your guest, I ate all the food you gave me, as I liked it very well. Now when I offer you food, why do you treat me in this way?" Then Bear said, also, "Before the sun sets, I shall kill you."

Rabbit's heart beat hard from terror, for Bear stood at the entrance of the hollow log to prevent his escape. But Rabbit was very nimble. He dodged first this way and then that, and with a long leap he got out of the hollow tree. He went at once to his brier patch and sat down.

Rabbit was very angry with Bear. He shouted to him, "When people are hunting you, I will go toward your hiding place, and show them where you are."

That is why, when dogs hunt a rabbit, they always shoot a bear. That is all.

WHY DEER NEVER EAT MEN

_Menomini_

After Rabbit had decided about light and darkness, he saw Owasse, the Bear, coming.

Rabbit said, "Bear, what do you want for food?" Bear said, "Acorns and fruit."

Then Rabbit asked Fish Hawk. He said, "Fish Hawk, what will you select for your food?"

Fish Hawk said, "I will take that fellow, Sucker, lying in the water there."

Sucker said at once, "You may eat me if you can, but that has still to be decided."

Sucker at once swam out into the deepest part of the river, where Fish Hawk could not reach him. Then Fish Hawk rose into the air to a point where his shadow fell exactly on the spot where Sucker lay. Now as Sucker lay there, he saw the shadow of a large bird on the bed of the stream. He became frightened. He thought, "It must be a manido," so he swam slowly to the surface. At once Fish Hawk darted down on him and carried him into the air. Then he ate him.

Rabbit looked about him again. He saw Moqwaio, the Wolf. He cried, "Ho, Wolf! What do you wish for food?"

Wolf said, "I will eat Deer." Deer said, "You cannot eat me, because I can run too swiftly." Wolf said, "We will see about that." So they had a race. Deer started ahead and ran very swiftly. Wolf ran swiftly, too, but his fur robe was too heavy. At last he thought, "This robe is too heavy. I will slip it off." So he threw it off. Then he bounded ahead and caught Deer and ate him.

Then Rabbit asked another Deer, of the same totem, "Deer, what will you select as food?"

Deer said, "I will eat people. There are many Indians in the country. I will eat them."

At once all the animals began to talk. They said to Deer, "The Indian is too powerful. You can never eat him."

Deer said, "Well, I will plan to eat Indians, anyway." Then he walked off.

Now one day an Indian was out hunting. He saw deer tracks to the right and so followed them. They went in a large circle until they brought him back where he had started. Then he saw deer tracks to the left. So he followed those, until they also brought him back, in a large circle, to the point where he started. Then the Indian saw that Deer was following him.

Deer was determined to eat the Indians, because there were many of them. It would not be difficult to hunt for food. But first he wanted to frighten the hunter. So he pulled two ribs from his sides, and stuck them into his lower jaw. They looked like tusks. Deer looked very fierce. Then Deer came walking along, looking for an Indian. But the hunter raised his bow and shot Deer. He carried the deer meat back to his wigwam.

The shade of Deer at once went to the council of birds and animals. He told Rabbit all about it.

Rabbit said, "I told you that you could not eat people. You see how it is? Now you will have to live on grass and twigs."

And so they do, even to this day.

HOW RABBIT SNARED THE SUN

_Biloxi_

Rabbit and his grandmother lived in a wigwam. Rabbit used to go hunting every day, very early in the morning. But no matter how early he went, a person leaving long footprints had passed along ahead of him. Each morning Rabbit thought, "I will reach there before him." Yet each morning the person leaving long footprints passed before him.

One morning Rabbit said to his grandmother, "Oh, Grandmother, although I have long wished to be the first to get there, again has he got there ahead of me. Oh, Grandmother, I will make a noose, and I will place it in the trail of that one, and thus I will catch him."

"Why should you do that?" asked grandmother.

"I hate that person," said Rabbit. He departed. When he reached there, he found that the person had already departed. So he lay down near by and waited for night. Then he went to the trail where the person with long feet had been passing, and set a snare.

Very early the next morning he went to look at his trap. Behold! Sun had been caught. Rabbit ran home very quickly.

"Oh, Grandmother, I have caught something but it scares me. I wished to take the noose, but it scared me every time I went to get it."

Then Rabbit took a knife and again went there. The person said, "You have done very wrong. Come and release me."

Rabbit did not go directly toward him. He went to one side. He bent his head low and cut the cord. At once Sun went above on his trail. But Rabbit had been so near him that Sun burned his fur on the back of his neck.

Rabbit ran home. He cried, "Oh, Grandmother, I have been severely burned."

"Alas! My grandson has been severely burned," said grandmother.

WHEN THE ORPHAN TRAPPED THE SUN

_Ojibwa_

Animals and men lived on the earth in the beginning. The animals killed all the people except a girl and her tiny brother, who hid from them. The brother did not grow at all. Therefore when the sister collected firewood, she took him with her. She made him a bow and arrow.

One day she said, "Now I must leave you for a while. Soon the snowbirds will come and pick worms out of the wood I have cut. Shoot one of them and bring it to me."

The boy waited. The birds came and he shot at them with his arrows. He could not kill one. The next day he shot at them again. Then he killed one. He came back to the wigwam with a bird.

He said, "My sister, skin it. I will wear the skins of the snowbirds."

"What shall we do with the body?" she asked.

"Cut it in two. We will put it in our broth." Now at that time, the animals were very large. People did not eat them.

The boy killed ten snowbirds. Then his sister made a coat for him. One day he said, "Are we alone on the Earth-plain?"

She said, "The animals who live in such a place have killed all our relatives. You must never go there." Therefore he went in that direction.

Now he walked a long while and met no one. Then he lay down on a knoll where the sun had melted the snow. He fell asleep. Then Sun looked down at him and burned his bird-skin coat. He tightened it so that the boy was bound into it. When he awoke, the boy said to Sun, "You are not too high. I will pay you back."

He went home. He said to his sister, "Sun has spoiled my coat." He would not eat. He lay down on the ground. He lay ten days on one side. Then he turned over and lay ten days on the other side.

At last he rose. He said to his sister, "Make me a snare. I shall catch Sun."

She said, "I have no string." The boy said, "Make a string." Then she remembered a bit of dried sinew which her father had had. So she made a snare for him.

The boy said, "That will not do. Make a better snare." She said, "I have no string." At last she remembered. She cut off some of her hair. She made a string from that.

The boy said, "That will not do. Make me a noose." She thought again. Then she remembered. She went out of the wigwam. She took something. She made a braid out of that thing.

The boy said, "This will do." He was much pleased. When he took it, it became a long red cord. There was much of it. He wound it around his body.

The boy left the wigwam while Sun was at home. He did this so that he might catch him as he came over the edge of the earth. He put the noose at the spot just where Sun came over the edge. When Sun came along, the noose caught his head. He was held tight, so that he could not follow his trail in the Sky-land.

Now the animals who ruled the earth were frightened because Sun did not follow the trail. They said, "What shall we do?" So they called a great council. They said, "We must send someone to cut the noose." Thus they spoke in the council.

Now all the animals were afraid to cut the cord. Sun was so hot he would burn them. At last Dormouse said, "I will go." He stood up in the council. He was as high as a mountain. He was the largest of all the animals.

When Dormouse reached the place where Sun was snared, his fur began to singe and his back to burn. It was very hot. Dormouse cut the cord with his teeth. But so much of him was burned up, he became very small. Therefore Dormouse is the smallest of animals. That is why he is called Kug-e-been-gwa-kwa.

THE HARE AND THE LYNX

_Ojibwa_

Once there was a little white hare, living in a wigwam with her grandmother. Now Grandmother sent Hare back to her native land. When Hare had gone a short way, Lynx came down the trail. Lynx sang:

Where, pretty white one,
Where, pretty white one,
Where do you go?

"_Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee!_" cried Hare, and ran back to Grandmother.

"See, Grandmother," she said, "Lynx came down the trail and sang,

Where, pretty white one,
Where, pretty white one,
Where do you go?"

"Ho!" said Grandmother. "Have courage! Tell Lynx you are going to your native land."

Hare went back up the trail. Lynx stood there, so Hare sang,

To the point of land I go,
There is the home of the little white one,
There I go.

Lynx looked at the trembling little hare, and began to sing again,

Little white one, tell me,
Little white one, tell me,
Why are your ears so thin and dry?

"_Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee!_" cried little Hare, and ran back to Grandmother.

"See, Grandmother," said Hare, "Lynx came down the trail and sang,

Little white one, tell me,
Little white one, tell me,
Why are your ears so thin and dry?"

"Ho!" said Grandmother, "Go and tell him your uncles made them so when they came from the South."

So Hare ran up the trail and sang,

My uncles came from the south;
They made my ears as they are.
They made them thin and dry.

And then Hare laid her little pink ears back upon her shoulders, and started to go to the point of land. But Lynx sang again,

Why do you go away, little white one?
Why do you go away, little white one?
Why are your feet so dry and swift?

"_Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee!_" cried Hare and again she ran back to Grandmother.

"Ho! do not mind him," said Grandmother. "Do not listen to him. Do not answer him. Just run straight on."

So the little white hare ran up the trail as fast as she could. When she came to the place where Lynx had stood, he was gone. So Hare ran on and had almost reached her native land, on the point of land, when Lynx sprang out of the thicket and ate her up.

WELCOME TO A BABY

_Cherokee_

Little wren is the messenger of the Birds. She pries into everything. She gets up early in the morning and goes around to every wigwam to get news for the Bird council. When a new baby comes into a wigwam, she finds out whether it is a boy or a girl.

If it is a boy, the Bird council sings mournfully, "Alas! The whistle of the arrow! My shins will burn!" Because the Birds all know that when the boy grows older he will hunt them with his bows and arrows, and will roast them on a stick.

But if the baby is a girl, they are glad. They sing, "Thanks! The sound of the pestle! In her wigwam I shall surely be able to scratch where she sweeps." Because they know that when she grows older and beats the corn into meal, they will be able to pick up stray grains.

Cricket also is glad when the baby is a girl. He sings, "Thanks! I shall sing in the wigwam where she lives." But if it is a boy, Cricket laments, "_Gwo-he!_ He will shoot me! He will shoot me! He will shoot me!" Because boys make little bows to shoot crickets and grasshoppers.

When the Cherokee Indians hear of a new baby, they ask, "Is it a bow, or a meal sifter?" Or else they ask, "Is it ball-sticks or bread?"

BABY SONG

_Cherokee_

Ha wi ye hy u we,
Ha wi ye hy u we.
Yu we yu we he,
Ha wi ye hy u we.

The Bear is very bad, so they say,
Long time ago he was very bad, so they say.
The Bear did so and so, they say.

SONG TO THE FIREFLY

_Ojibwa_

In the hot summer evenings, when the grassy patches around the lakes and rivers sparkle with fireflies, the Indians sing a song to them.

Flitting white-fire-bug,
Flitting white-fire-bug,
Give me your light before I go to sleep.
Give me your light before I go to sleep.
Come, little waving fire-bug.
Come, little waving fire-bug.
Light me with your bright torch.
Light me with your bright torch.[22]

[22] Saw the fire-fly, Wah-wah-taysee,
Flitting through the dusk of evening,
With the twinkle of its candle,
Lighting up the brakes and bushes;
And he sang the song of children,
Sang the song Nokomis taught him;
"Wah-wah-taysee, little fire-fly,
Little, flitting, white-fire insect ..."
--_Hiawatha_

SONG OF THE MOTHER BEARS

_Cherokee_

One day a hunter in the woods heard singing in a cave. He came near and peeped in. It was a mother bear singing to her cubs and telling them what to do when the hunters came after them.

Mother Bear said,

When you hear the hunter coming down the creek, then
Tsagi, tsagi, hwilahi,
Tsagi, tsagi, hwilahi,
Upstream, upstream, you must go.
Upstream, upstream, you must go.

But if you hear them coming down stream,
Ge-i, ge-i, hwilahi,
Ge-i, ge-i, hwilahi,
Downstream, downstream, you must go.
Downstream, downstream, you must go.

Another hunter out in the woods one day thought he heard a woman singing to a baby. He followed the sound up a creek until he came to a cave under the bushes. Inside there was a mother bear rocking her cub in her paws and singing to it,

Let me carry you on my back,
Let me carry you on my back,
Let me carry you on my back,
Let me carry you on my back,
On the sunny side go to sleep.
On the sunny side go to sleep.

This was after some of the people had become bears. The hunter knew they were of the Ani Tsagulin tribe.[23]

[23] See "Origin of the Bear."

THE MAN IN THE STUMP

_Cherokee_

An Indian had a field of corn ripening in the sun. One day when he wanted to look at it, he climbed a stump. Now the stump was hollow and in it was a nest of bear cubs. The man slipped and fell down upon the cubs.

At once the cubs began calling for their mother, and Mother Bear came running. She began to climb down into the stump backwards. Then the Indian caught hold of her leg; thus she became frightened. She began to climb out and dragged the Indian also to the top of the stump. Thus he got out of the stump.

THE ANTS AND THE KATYDIDS

_Biloxi_

The Ancient of Ants was building a house. She worked hard to finish her house before the cold weather came.

Now when it was very cold, the Katydid and the Locust reached her house, asking for shelter. They said they had no houses.

The Ancient of Ants scolded them. She said, "After you are grown up, in the warm weather, you sing all the time, instead of building a house." She would not let them come into her house.

Then the Katydid and the Locust were ashamed, and as the weather was very cold, they died. That is why katydids and locusts die every winter, while the ants live in their warm houses. But the katydids and locusts never do anything in warm weather but sing.

WHEN THE OWL MARRIED

_Cherokee_

Once there was a widow with only one daughter. She said often, "You should marry and then there will be a man to go hunting."

Then one day a man came courting the daughter. He said, "Will you marry me?"

The girl said, "I can only marry a good worker. We need a man who is a good hunter and who will work in the cornfield."

"I am exactly that sort of a man," he said. So the mother said they might marry.

Then the next morning the mother gave the man a hoe. She said, "Go, hoe the corn. When breakfast is ready I will call you." Then she went to call him. She followed a sound as of someone hoeing on stony soil. When she reached the place, there was only a small circle of hoed ground. Over in the thicket someone said, "Hoo-hoo!"

When the man came back in the evening, the mother said, "Where have you been all day?"

He said, "Hard at work."

The mother said, "I couldn't find you."

"I was over in the thicket cutting sticks to mark off the field," he said.

"But you did not come to the lodge to eat at all," she answered.

"I was too busy," he said.

Early the next morning he started off with his hoe over his shoulder.

Then the mother went again to call him, when the meal was ready. The hoe was lying there, but there was no sign of work done. And away over in the thicket, she heard a hu-hu calling, _Sau-h! sau-h! sau-h! hoo-hoo! hoo-hoo! hoo-hoo! chi! chi! chi! whew!_

Now when the man came home that night, the mother asked,

"What have you been doing all day?"

"Working hard," he said.

"But you were not there when I came after you."

"Oh, I went over in the thicket awhile," said the man, "to see some of my relatives."

Then the mother said, "I have lived here a long while, and no one lives in that swamp but lazy hu-hus. My daughter wants a husband that can work and not a hu-hu!" And she drove him from the house.

THE KITE AND THE EAGLE

Kite was very boastful. One day he spoke scornfully of Eagle, who heard his words. Kite began to sing in a loud voice,

I alone,
I alone,
Can go up,
So as to seem as if hanging from the blue sky.

Eagle answered scornfully. He sang,

Who is this,
Who is this,
Who boasts of flying so high?

Kite was ashamed. He answered in a small voice, "Oh, I was only singing of the great Khakate. It is he who is said to fly so high."

Eagle answered, "Oh, you crooked tongue! You are below my notice."

Then Eagle soared high into the sky. But just as soon as he was out of hearing, Kite began to sing again in a very loud voice,

I alone,
I alone,
Can go up,
So as to seem as if hanging from the blue sky.

THE LINNET AND THE EAGLE

_Ojibwa_

All the Birds met in council, each claiming to fly the highest. Each one claimed to be the chief. Therefore the council decided that each bird should fly toward the Sky-land.

Some of the birds flew very swiftly; but they tired and flew back to earth. Now Eagle went far above all. When Eagle could fly no farther, Linnet, who had perched upon Eagle's back, flew up. Far above Eagle flew the tiny gray bird.

Now when the Birds held a council again, Eagle was made chief. Eagle had flown higher than all the rest, and had carried Linnet on his back.

HOW PARTRIDGE GOT HIS WHISTLE

_Cherokee_

In the old days, Terrapin had a fine whistle and Partridge had none. Terrapin whistled constantly. He was always boasting of his fine whistle.

One day Partridge said, "Let me try your whistle."

Terrapin said, "No." He was afraid Partridge would try some trick.

Partridge said, "Oh, if you are afraid, stay right here while I use it."

So Terrapin gave it to him. Partridge strutted around, whistling constantly.

He said, "How does it sound with me?"

"You do it very well," said Terrapin, walking by his side.

"Now how do you like it?" asked Partridge, running ahead.

"It's fine," said Terrapin, trying to keep up with him. "But don't run so fast!"

"How do you like it now?" asked Partridge, spreading his wings and flying to a tree top. Terrapin could only look up at him.

Partridge never gave the whistle back. He has it even to this day. And Terrapin was so ashamed because Partridge stole his whistle, and Turkey had stolen his scalp, that he shuts himself up in his box whenever anyone comes near him.

HOW KINGFISHER GOT HIS BILL

_Cherokee_

Some of the old men say that Kingfisher was meant in the beginning to be a water bird, but because he had no web on his feet and not a good bill, he could not get enough to eat. The animals knew of this, so they held a council. Afterwards they made him a bill like a long, sharp awl. This fish gig he was to use spearing fish. When they fastened it on to his mouth, he flew first to the top of a tree. Then he darted down into the water and came up with a fish on his bill. And ever since, Kingfisher has been the best fisherman.

But some of the old people say it was this way.

Blacksnake found Yellowhammer's nest in the hollow tree and killed all the young birds. Yellowhammer at once went to the Little People for help. They sent her to Kingfisher. So she went on to him.

Kingfisher came at once, and after flying back and forth past the hole in the hollow tree, he made a quick dart at the snake and pulled him out, dead. When they looked, they saw he had pierced Blacksnake with a slender fish he carried in his bill. Therefore the Little People said he would make good use of a spear, so they gave him his long bill.

WHY THE BLACKBIRD HAS RED WINGS

_Chitimacha_

One day an Indian became so angry with everyone that he set the sea marshes on fire because he wanted to burn up the world.

A little blackbird saw it. He flew up into a tree and shouted, "_Ku nam wi cu! Ku nam wi cu!_ The world and all is going to burn."

The man said, "If you do not go away, I will kill you." But the bird only kept shouting, "_Ku nam wi cu!_ The world and all is going to burn."

Then the Indian threw a shell and hit the little bird on the wings, making them bleed. That is how the red-winged blackbird came by its red wings.

Now when people saw the marshes burning, they quickly ran down and killed game which had been driven from it by the fire. Then they said to the angry man,

"Because you put fire in those tall weeds, the deer and bear and other animals have been driven out and we have killed them. You have aided us by burning them."

Nowadays when the red-winged blackbird comes around the house, he still shouts, _Ku nam wi cu_, so they say.

BALL GAME OF THE BIRDS AND ANIMALS

_Cherokee_

Once the Animals challenged the Birds to a great ball play, and the Birds accepted. The Animals met near the river, in a smooth grassy field. The Birds met in the tree top over by the ridge.

Now the leader of the Animals was Bear. He was very strong and heavy. All the way to the river he tossed up big logs to show his strength and boasted of how he would win against the Birds. Terrapin was with the Animals. He was not the little terrapin we have now, but the first Terrapin. His shell was so hard the heaviest blows could not hurt him, and he was very large. On the way to the river he rose on his hind feet and dropped heavily again. He did this many times, bragging that thus he would crush any bird that tried to take the ball from him. Then there was Deer, who could outrun all the others. And there were many other animals.

Now the leader of the Birds was Eagle; and also Hawk, and the great Tlanuwa. They were all swift and strong of flight.

Now first they had a ball dance. Then after the dance, as the birds sat in the trees, two tiny little animals no larger than field mice climbed up the tree where Eagle sat. They crept out to the branch tips to Eagle.

They said, "We wish to play ball."

Eagle looked at them. They were four-footed. He said, "Why don't you join the Animals? You belong there."

"The Animals make fun of us," they said. "They drive us away because we are small."

Eagle pitied them. He said, "But you have no wings."

Then at once Eagle and Hawk and all the Birds held a council in the trees. At last they said to the little fellows, "We will make wings for you."

But they could not think just how to do it. Then a Bird said, "The head of our drum is made of groundhog skin. Let us make wings from that." So they took two pieces of leather from the drum and shaped them for wings. They stretched them with cane splints and fastened them on the forelegs of one of the little animals. So they made Tlameha, the Bat. They began to teach him.

First they threw the ball to him. Bat dropped and circled about in the air on his new wings. He did not let the ball drop. The Birds saw at once he would be one of their best men.

Now they wished to give wings also to the second little animal, but there was no more leather. And there was no more time. Then somebody said they might make wings for the other man by stretching his skin. Therefore two large birds took hold from opposite sides with their strong bills. Thus they stretched his skin. Thus they made Tewa, the Flying Squirrel.

Then Eagle threw to him the ball. At once Flying Squirrel sprang after it, caught it in his teeth, and carried it through the air to another tree nearby.

Then the game began. Almost at the first toss, Flying Squirrel caught the ball and carried it up a tree. Then he threw it to the Birds, who kept it in the air for some time. When it dropped to the earth, Bear rushed to get it, but Martin darted after it and threw it to Bat, who was flying near the ground. Bat doubled and dodged with the ball, and kept it out of the way of Deer. At last Bat threw it between the posts. So the Birds won the game.

Bear and Terrapin, who had boasted of what they would do, never had a chance to touch the ball.

Because Martin saved the ball when it dropped to the ground, the Birds afterwards gave him a gourd in which to build his nest. He still has it.

WHY THE BIRDS HAVE SHARP TAILS

_Biloxi_

Once upon a time, they say, the world turned over. Then the waters rose very high and many people died. A woman took two children and lodged in a tree. She sat there waiting for the waters to sink, for she had no way of reaching the ground.

When the woman saw the Ancient of Red-headed Buzzards, she called to him, "Help me to get down and I will give you one of the children." He assisted her, but she did not give him the child.

The waters were so deep that the birds were clinging by their claws to the clouds, but their tails were under water. That is why their tails are always sharp. One of these birds was the Ancient of Yellowhammers. Therefore its tailfeathers are sharp at the ends. The large Red-headed Woodpecker was there, too, and the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, and that is why their tails have their present shape.

THE WILDCAT AND THE TURKEYS

_Biloxi_

The Ancient of Wildcats had been creeping up on the Wild Turkeys trying to catch some. He tried in vain. Then he got a bag, crawled inside, and rolled himself along. He rolled himself to the Ancient of Turkey Gobblers.

Wildcat said, "Get into my bag and see what fun it is to roll."