Musquakie - Chasing the Bear
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
They say that once, a long time ago, it was early winter. It had snowed the night before, and the first snow still lay fresh on the ground. Three young men went out to hunt at first light. One of them took his little dog, Hold Tight, with him.

They went along the river and up into the woods, where they came to a place on the side of a hill where the shrubs and bushes grew low and thick. Here, winding among the bushes, the hunters found a trail, and they followed it. The path led them to a cave in the hillside. They had found a bear's den.

"Which of us shall go in an drive the bear out?" the hunters asked one another.

At last the oldest said, "I will go," and he crawled into the bear's den. With his bow he poked the bear to try to drive him out. "He's coming! He's coming!" the man in the cave called to his companions.

The bear broke away from his tormentor and lumbered out of the cave. The hunters followed him.

"Look!" the youngest of the hunters cried, "See how fast he's going! He's heading for the north, the place from whence comes the cold; that's where he's going!" And the hunter ran to the north hoping to turn the bear and drive him back towards the others.

"Look out!" shouted the middle hunter, "here he comes! He's going to the east, to the place where midday comes from!" And he ran towards the east, to try to turn the bear and drive him back towards the others.

"I see him!" cried the oldest hunger, "He's going to the west, to the place where the sun falls down. Hurry, brothers, that's the way he's going!" And he and his little dog ran as fast as they could the west, to try to turn the bear back.

As they hunters ran after the bear, the oldest one looked down. "Oh," he shouted, "there is Grandmother Earth below us. This bear is leading us into the sky! Brothers, let us turn back before it is too late!"

But it was already too late; the sky bear had led them too high. At last the hunters caught up with the bear and killed him. The men piled up maple and sumac branches, and on the pile of boughs they butchered the bear. That is why those trees turn blood-red in the fall.

Then the hunters stood up. All together they lifted the bear's head and threw it away towards the east. Now, early on winter's mornings a group of stars in the shape of the bear's head can be seen low on the horizon in the east, just before daybreak.

Next the hunters threw the bear's backbone away to the north, and if you look north at midnight in the middle of winter you will see the bear's backbone there, outlined in stars.

At any time of the year, if you look at the sky, you can see four bright stars in a square, and behind them three big bright stars and one tiny dim one. The square of stars is the bear; the three running behind him are the hunters, and the little tiny one that you can hardly see is the little dog, Hold Tight.

Those eight stars move around and around the sky together all year long. They never go in to rest like some of the other stars. Until the hunters catch up with the bear, they and the little dog will never rest.

That is the end of that story.

Mink and his Brother
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
A mink is a sleek, pretty little animal, but in the olden days, Mink was a real mischief-maker always playing tricks. So the people would try to catch him whenever they got a chance. This story tells of one of Mink's adventures.

One day, a long, long time ago, Mink and his brother were out fishing. "Hello there, Mink. what's that you're using for bait?" It was Whale who had pulled alongside. Now Mink just couldn't resist teasing the big friendly whale. "Oh it's your big-blubber guts! We're using your fat blubber for bait. That's all it's good for anyhow!" That made Whale mad. That made Whale so mad, he just opened his gigantic mouth and "slurp"! Mink, his brother and his canoe just slipped right down into the Whale's stomach.

My it was dark in there, dark and huge! Mink very carefully started to walk around the Whale's stomach. Over there, yes it was a big pile of herring! Mink and his brother decided to make a nice fire and cook the herring. They got the fire burning brightly, when Mink stood up and bumped his head on something. "Ouch"! It was Whales big heart.

Just then, Whale took a mouthful of water, and poof! out went the fire. Mink bent over to light the fire. When he stood up, bang! he bumped his head on Whale's heart again. But at last he got the fire going, and was just starting to cook some herring when whoosh ! they were drenched from head to toe in another mouthful of water.

Poor Mink! His head hurt, he was cold, he was soaking wet and now "owww"! he just bumped his head again. Now Mink got so mad he took out his knife and cut a big piece right off that Whale's heart. This really hurt Whale, and he started to twist and turn and struggle in pain. Mink and his brother were thrown from side to side, getting battered and bruised.

At last Mink knew that now was the time to use his special magic words. "take us to a good beach in front of the people", said Mink, and quick as a wink,they were there. Now some of the people on the beach had been watching all this. They saw Whale swallow Mink and his brother, and they thought that, now was their chance to catch the little trickster who had bothered them for so long.

They grabbed their spears and waited, waited all along the beach. Mink could see the people lined up on the beach. He turned to his brother and said "Keep right behind me. Do just what I do and follow me. Now!" Up they crawled, up Whale's blow-hole, right over the heads of all the people and into the woods.

So once again, Mink clever Mink, escaped from the spears of the people and lived to think up more tricks and mischief. And that is the story of Mink and his Brother.

Origin of the .Sxo'exo'e mask
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Once there was a man named Xwiämä'ta, who lived at Union Bar. He had a sister called Swalsta't. He was sick with a loathsome disease. His nose and eyes were swollen. He had been sick a long time, and could not be cured. He became very sorrowful, and one day wandered away to a small lake called Qo'eqoea, near the Coquahalla River.

As he went along, he tore up his blanket, and tied the rags to sticks. The people followed his track for some distance, and then gave it up, saying, "There is no use following him. He has no doubt gone very far, and then committed suicide."

He sat by the lake and spat into the water. The saliva descended through the water, entered the lodge of the chief who lived at the bottom of the lake, and fell on the stomach of his daughter, who at once became sick. Xwiämä'ta said to himself, "There is nothing to live for. I cannot get well. I will throw myself into the lake."

He dived, and descended until he saw a ladder standing up, which led into the chief's house. He entered, and found the chief's daughter very sick. The chief told him that she was dying, and asked him to try to cure her. He cured her by scraping off the spittle, and at once she became well. In return the chief cured Xwiämä'ta's sickness.

They were very grateful, and showed him the .sxo'exo'e mask. They said it was of very great value, and told him how to use it. They presented it to him. They promised to send it. Xwiämä'ta returned home, and sent his sister Swalsta't to fish in the lake. While she was fishing, the Water people attached the mask to her hook. She thought she had caught a fish. When she landed it and saw the feathers on it, she ran away in fright. Her brother sent her back. She wrapped it in a blanket, and put it in a large basket and carried it home. Then her brother showed it at dances.

The .sxo'exo'e mask had a feathered head, protruding eyes, feathered hands, and feathered feet and knees. It could only be used by people who inherited it. By intermarriage with people of Hope it was introduced among the people of Hammond. The people on the North Arm (near the mouth of the Fraser River) made war on the Hammond people, and stole their mask. After this they used it, although it did not belong to them; but they did not know the proper song and dance that belonged to the mask, which always was used when it was exhibited.

The Bears
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Once upon a time there were five men and five Grizzly-Bear girls. There was also a Black-Bear who had a son and a daughter. The oldest man had married the daughter of Black-Bear. This angered the Grizzly-Bears, as they wanted the men for themselves. They became so enraged that they resolved to kill the men. They danced, and as they did so, blood spurted forth from their mouths. They said, "When spring comes, we shall kill them."

One day, when the oldest man went hunting, he saw a woman digging roots in a canyon. When she held up her head, he saw that she was good-looking. She had a high crown on her hat, and was beautifully dressed and painted. Her hair was long. He walked up the canyon toward her, wondering who she might be. She was really the oldest Grizzly-Bear girl. She asked the man to come near. As he approached her, she became a wild Grizzly-Bear. She seized him and broke his neck. On the following day, when his brothers went to look for him, they found his body with broken neck. In the same way the Grizzly-Bears killed four of the men and took their heads to their den.

The Black-Bear's son knew all that happened. His father accused him of having killed his brothers-in-law. "You say the wrong things when you sing while you are dancing," he said to him. They danced, and the boy sang, saying that he would kill the first bear that came out. He sang the wrong words. The old Bear said, "Go and look for your brother-in-law." The girl then told him that four had been killed, and only one was left. The young bear and the boy were of the same size. "Let us go and see them," the man said. "No, don't come! Let me go alone," the boy replied, "for if they kill me, they will kill you as well." He went alone, and found the Grizzly-Bear woman digging roots. As he approached her, she invited him too to come up and talk. The boy had been warned to shoot when she spoke to him. He did so and shot her. When she made for him, he shot a second arrow and killed her. Then he returned home. On the following morning he went again. This time another Grizzly-Bear was there digging roots. He approached her and killed her as he had killed her sister. The next morning he went again, and the same thing happened. Thus he disposed of all five sisters. Then the old Black-Bear put the four heads of the men back on their bodies. He stepped over them, and thus restored them to life.

The Raven and the Fish Melt
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Once, in the long ago, Raven lived in a village all by himself, so he claimed it as his own. Nearby his dwelling there was a stream and in this stream, Raven had built a fish trap (ch'iyak). So one day, Raven went down to look at his trap and to his joy, he seen a lovely big salmon in the trap. He caught the salmon, took it up to his house and cut it open, then, he seen that it contained two milts, or soft roe (tl'ekw'ay).

He was so pleased that he danced in joy and cried out, "kax kax" they shall be my wives. He hangs the Milts on the crossbeam of his house, but cooks and eats the rest of the salmon, leaving only the tail-end of it. After eating so much, he becomes drowsy, so he throws himself down by the fireside with his back towards it and goes to sleep. In his sleep, the Milts come down from the crossbeam where they were hanging, and are transformed into two lovely young women and their skin was very white.

As they get down, they see the condition Raven was in, so they laughed and made fun of his scorched back and his feet which were cracking from the heat of the fire. They presently looked around in search of something to eat, but they found nothing but the few remains of the raven's meal, that was the salmon's tail. This they quickly got rid of and during all this time the Raven was sound asleep.

So one of the young woman said, "I wish I could find Raven's (skewk') comb, as I would like to comb my hair," the other had the same wish. They both looked around, in search of Raven's comb. Finally, they find a little basket containing what they were searching for, as well as skewk's other belongings, such as needles, paint and other things. This they take. They comb their hair and paint their faces, laughing all the time at the Raven, who is snoring heavily. Then, one of them said, "What is the good of a husband with cracked feet and back? Let us go away and leave him." The other agrees, so they start off, carrying Raven's little basket and all it's contents with them.

The day is very hot. They walk along the beach at the waters edge, towards a point that was in the distance. As they proceed, they shake out some of the paint which the basket contained and which is very fine. It scattered all about the beach. Since that time, that beach always shimmers in the sunlight. Raven finally wakes up, the first thing he does was to look up and see if the Milts were still there.

He sees that they are gone. He then, looks for the salmon tail that he had left from his meal and that was also missing. Then, he searches for his little plaint basket, but it was also missing. He spoke to himself saying, "The Milts must have taken them. I will go out and see if they are outside." So he leaves the house and goes down to the waters edge and looks up and down the beach.

He sees the two young women just about reaching the point, in the distance. "oh," he said," they are leaving me. I must go after them and bring them back." He start off to overtake the fugitives and bring them back. But since, the fire had burnt and cracked his feet so badly, he finds that he cannot walk very fast. He is forced to stop frequently to bathe his feet in the water. And in a short time the young women disappeared around the point and he realizes that he has lost them." I am unable to overtake," he said, "as my feet are too sore." And so he limps back to his dwelling again, crying and groaning as he goes along.

In the meantime, when the young women had rounded the point, they hear an odd noise. The sound resembled the sounds which a Fort Douglas woman is said to make with her lips when she tries to amuse her child or keep it from crying. They look around, but at first they were unable to see anyone. Soon, however, they discover two older who are trying to stop a baby, who's in their care, from crying. The mother is away in the woods picking berries. Then, one the young women said to the older women, who are both blind," It seems that you are unable to pacify the baby." Here, give it to me." The old women gave up the child thinking that the baby's mother had returned from her berry picking. The young women carry off the child.

Some little time after this, the real mother returns and demands her baby from the older women. And since, she could see no sign of her baby, she cries out what have you done with my baby?" One of the older women replies, "Why, we just gave it to you, not so long ago." This statement makes the baby's mother real angry. Then she picks up a big stick and beats on the old women, crying out someone has stolen my baby.

As she strikes them one of the pair of the old women is transformed into a sand crane (sliim) and flies away making a sound similar to its name. The other old woman is transformed into a skull (skawku). This the angry mother took and threw into the woods, saying as she does so, "You can stay here." The mother searched all around for some trace of her child.

She walks all night and early next morning , she comes upon the girls tracks. Finally, she finds the dead body of her child on the ground. But, the two milt women who had taken the child, had entirely disappeared. So ends the story of the Raven and the fish Milt.

The Mink, The Raven, and the Sea Eggs
A Native American Legend - Nation Unknown
as told by Louis Miranda
What I will be relating here, is something that was often told to us by our old people. It was something that happened to the Mink and the Raven. In the long ago, all the animals and birds were still human being and all regarded each other as sister and brothers.

So it happened one day that the Mink, and his brother, the Raven were paddling along in their canoe. It was a lovely day, it was hot and it was calm. There was no wind blowing, so the water was still and clear. They happened to look down into the clear water, and there, they seen allot of nice looking Sea Eggs (Urchins) at the bottom of the ocean.

So Mink told his brother, Raven, to stop paddling along said, "Look at all those lovely looking food showing at the bottom of the water. They really must taste good." After saying that, he took a hold of a basket made from young pliable red cedar limbs, and he dove to the bottom.

Whenever he got the basket full, he would come to the surface and pass the basket to his brother, the Raven, who would empty the basket into the canoe and hand the basket back to his brother the Mink.

Again the Mink would dive to the bottom and load the basket and again he would surface. He kept on doing that until the canoe was loaded with great big Sea Urchins, then they headed their canoe for home. When they arrived, they got ashore, then Mink invited all of the people to come to come down and have a feast of Sea Eggs.

The people were very thankful and showed a lot of respect to Mink, because they knew that he must have worked hard to accumulate so much of this good food. There for, all thanked him. So brother Raven, felt left out, because everyone was thanking and making such a fuss over Mink, and not paying any attention to him.

One day Raven got into his canoe. He was all alone. He took off, he did not want to share his reward of thanks with anyone when he returned home with his canoe loaded with those lovely Sea Eggs. He wanted to be the only one to receive respect and thanks, so he paddled for the place where Mink seen and got all those lovely Sea Eggs.

When he arrived there, he looked at the bottom of the water, he seen all of them lovely, tasting Sea Eggs. He didn't hesitate. he got a hold of a red cedar bough basket and prepared himself for a dive to the bottom of the water, for he knew that the sooner he got his canoe loaded and returned home, the sooner he would get his many thanks and the respect of the people.

He took the basket in his hand and dove to the bottom. But, to his disappointment, he discovered that he was unable to submerge. He tried and continued on trying until he passed out. He drifted up to the beach. He was semi-conscious and his canoe had gone adrift. He laid there, more dead than alive. It happened that some of his people were passing by, they seen him on the beach and approached him and inquired what had happened.

He spoke up and said, "My canoe was right full of those lovely eating Sea Eggs, which I intended to bring to my home and share it all with my friends, then the enemy arrived. They beat me up and left me her for dead and took my canoe loaded with those lovely Sea Eggs." So ends the story of the Mink, the Raven, and the lovely Sea Eggs.

Why flowers are fragrant
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Small trees grew along a little stream. They were wild apple trees. They were covered with beautiful blooms and bright blossoms were scattered over the fields.

one of the wise men said the fragrance of the flowers of the world was the gift of the Woman who Fell down from heaven.

" Tell how it is"...he said, so the children may know.......

Once the Indians were all going along the path in the woods. They were moving to a new village by the lake where the water was so clear that it was as blue as the sky.

The children ran along the path. they played among the trees. They crossed the streams which poured over stones and made soft water - music. they picked the wild flowers found on the hills. they loved the streams, the trees, and the flowers and all of them were very happy.

But all at once they stopped and screamed. They were frightened, for a panther leaped into the path before them. in its mouth it carried a babe dressed in beads & buckskin. The panther stood in the path, in anger it held its head high and roared madly at the children.

The warriors came running up. They shot arrows into the panther, but it was not hurt, it carefully put the babe down in the path and was seen no more.

The chief's daughter ran to the child and took it up. It was not harmed in the least. its dress was covered with pearl beads and flowers and porcupine quills. It smiled at the children and they were in love with it at once. The chiefs daughter kept the baby girl for her own.

In the village she soon grew large enough to run and play with the other children. She was beautiful child. And she loved the wild flowers more than all other things. but the flowers had no sweet smell then as they have now.

So much she did the child love the flowers that they named her Seets-a'ma.. which means "holding a flower".

One day Seets-a'ma, became very sick. all that was done for her did not help her. And she died as the sun went down. the people mourned for the lovely little girl, and the hookies tried to bring her back, but this could not be done. Seets-a'ma... came to the city of woman who fell down from heaven.

She was on her way to live with the Little People. She said to the woman "Before I go on down to the Little People, let me do something nice for the people of my own village."

What would you like most to do? the woman asked her. "I made you so", said the Woman. "For, while you are truly my own child, I brought you from the happy fields of the Upper World. And I sent the panther to leave you in the path. You shall carry the sweet odor of the Tree of Light. And you shall give some part of it to every flower in the Lower world."

Then the Woman gave Seets-a' ma a beautiful bag. It was red as blood, for it was made of the flowers of the red bud tree. In this bag was the color and fragrance of the flowers which grew on the Tree Of Light which fell down from heaven into the Great water.

Then she called the humming bird, and bade it carry Seets-a'ma...to every flower. Seets-a'ma was as light as the down of silk weed. And she was brighter than the sun at mid-day. she rode on the back of the bird poised on the toes of her left foot like a dancing fairy. She was more graceful than the wild flowers she loved.

The humming bird carried her to every kind of flower. from the beautiful bag she breathed fragrance into them. And this sweet smell they have to this day,
Then Seets-a'ma went to her village. All the people ran out to see her.

"And Behold!!!" there were flowers growing thick all about everywhere as far as the eyes could see. A sweet smell arose from these waving fields of many colored flowers. It filled the air, and the people of the Lower world, and this is her gift to them.

Then the hummingbird darted away with Seets-a'ma standing on his back. At the gate of the city the Woman said to the bird, "the flowers shall bear honey for your food from this day." You shall live in among them to the end of the world.

And the Indian mother sometimes says yet to her little daughter, "If you are a good girl, you may see Seets-a'ma, and the Hummingbird as they fly among the flowers!"

Why the Buzzard flies so high
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
In the beginning, the birds had no feathers at all, and when winter came, they were very cold. So they held council with the gods and asked for something to cover themselves with. The gods replied that feather coats were already made and waiting for them. The feather coats, however, were far away and only one bird could go and bring them back for the others.

Immediately, Buzzard offered to go because he wanted first choice of all the coats. After beginning his journey, Buzzard traveled for such a long time that he ate up all the food he brought along. He became so hungry that he ate everything he could find, which he still does to this very day.

After a very long time, Buzzard reached the place where the new feather coats were stored. He picked out the most beautiful one and tried it on, but it didn't fit. So he tried on another coat, then another, always the finest and brightest, but nothing fit. After a very long time, only one coat was left, and he tried it on.

It was black and not long enough to reach his neck, and there was nothing to go on his head at all. But it fit otherwise, so Buzzard decided to wear it and to get something for his head and neck when he saw the gods again.

So he gathered up the all the smaller coats of feathers and started back, flying high in the air.

The coats were so heavy that some kept falling off the pile, and Buzzard would have to stop and circle around and around, hunting for the coats which had dropped. When he found them, he had to circle down, pick them up, then circle around and around to get back up high enough to continue home. This is why buzzards fly in circles high in the air.

When Buzzard arrived back at the council grounds, everyone was gone, so he started out again, flying in circles for a long, long time. As he flew, he called to all the birds, giving each one a new feather coat, the same coats they wear now. But when Buzzard searched for the gods, he never found them, so he couldn't get any more feathers for himself. Since that time, Buzzard has learned to get along as best he can without any feathers on his head and neck. And ever since then he has had to wear the same shabby black coat.Even to this day, Buzzard's head and neck are naked, and he is not a handsome bird. But he can fly higher and further than most birds and has learned to be satisfied with his short black feather coat. This is the way everybody should be in life, to accept the best one can have!

Why the Chipmunk has a black stripe
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Once upon a time the porcupine was appointed to be the leader of all the animals. Soon after his appointment he called them all together and presented the question, "Shall we have night all the time and darkness, or daylight with its sunshine?"

This was a very important question, and a violent discussion took place, with some wishing for daylight and the sun to rule, and others for continual night.

The chipmunk wished for night and day, weeks and months, and night to be separate from the days, so he began singing, "The light will come; we must have the light," which he continued to repeat.

Meanwhile the bear began singing, "Night is best; we must have darkness."

While the chipmunk was singing, the day began to dawn. When the others saw that the chipmunk had won, they were very angry and their leader the bear went after the chipmunk.

The chipmunk managed to escape uninjured, but the huge paw of the bear grazed his back as he entered his hole in a hollow tree, leaving a black streak that chipmunks wear to this day.

But night and day have, ever since, continued to alternate.

Why the Deer has no gall
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
"It was long, long ago, of course. All these things happened long ago when the world was young, as you are now. It was on a summer morning, and the Deer was traveling across the plains country to reach the mountains on the far-off side, where he had relatives. He grew thirsty, for it was very warm, and stopped to drink from a water-hole on the plains. When he had finished drinking he looked up, and there was his own cousin, the Antelope, drinking near him.

'Good morning, cousin,' said the Deer. 'It is a warm morning and water tastes good, doesn't it?'

"'Yes,' replied the Antelope, 'it is warm today, but I can beat you running, just the same.'

"'Ha-ha!' laughed the Deer -- 'you beat me running? Why, you can't run half as fast as I can, but if you want to run a race let us bet something. What shall it be?'

"'I will bet you my gall-sack,' replied the Antelope.

"'Good,' said the Deer, 'but let us run toward that range of mountains, for I am going that way, anyhow, to see my relations.'

"'All right,' said the Antelope. 'All ready, and here we go.'

"Away they ran toward the far-off range. All the way the Antelope was far ahead of the Deer; and just at the foot of the mountains he stopped to wait for him to catch up.

"Both were out of breath from running, but both declared they had done their best, and the Deer, being beaten, gave the Antelope his sack of gall.

"'This ground is too flat for me,' said the Deer. 'Come up the hillside where the gulches cut the country, and rocks are in our way, and I will show you how to run. I can't run on flat ground. It's too easy for me.'

"'All right,' replied the Antelope, 'I will run another race with you on your own ground, and I think I can beat you there, too.'

"Together they climbed the hill until they reached a rough country, when the Deer said:

"'This is my kind of country. Let us run a race here. Whoever gets ahead and stays there, must keep on running until the other calls on him to stop.'

"'That suits me,' replied the Antelope, 'but what shall we bet this time? I don't want to waste my breath for nothing. I'll tell you -- let us bet our dew-claws.'

"'Good. I'll bet you my dew-claws against your own, that I can beat you again. Are you all ready? -- Go!'

"Away they went over logs, over stones and across great gulches that cut the hills in two. On and on they ran, with the Deer far ahead of the Antelope. Both were getting tired, when the Antelope called:

"'Hi, there -- you! Stop, you can beat me. I give up.'

"So the Deer stopped and waited until the Antelope came up to him, and they both laughed over the fun, but the Antelope had to give the Deer his dew-claws, and now he goes without himself. The Deer wears dew-claws and always will, because of that race, but on his liver there is no gall, while the Antelope carries a gall-sack like the other animals with cloven hoofs.

Why the Raven is black
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Long ago when the Earth was very young the Great Spirit was painting the birds along the banks of the river.

He had just finished with Raven's feathers, and Raven was looking at them in the river. But Raven was unpleased and he looked back to the Great Spirit, but he had already gone. He then looked at Eagle, whose feathers he admired very much. Then he noticed that The Great Spirit had left his paints by the river.

Raven asked Eagle to paint him as beautifully as The Great Spirit had painted him, but Eagle refused.

Raven begged Eagle until he finally agreed, Eagle painted Raven and when he was finished he was very pleased.. Raven went to look at his feathers in the river.. He was furious, his feathers where a mess compared to before.. He and Eagle fought, spilling the Great Spirits paints all over Raven, Raven leapt into the river and flapped against the current but the black color would not fade. Seconds later the Great Spirit returned. Raven begged the Great Spirit to paint him again, to fix his ugly feathers, but the Great Spirit refused, and said "Because of your sin of envy you shall learn to value what you have, from this day forward you will remain with Black beak, Black feet, Black breast, and Black eyes.

Why The Turkey Gobbles
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
In the old times, the animals and birds liked to play ball, and they shouted and "hallooed" just as players do today.

Well, the Grouse used to have a fine voice and could shout very loud at the ball-game; but the Turkey could make no noise at all.

One day the Turkey asked the Grouse to teach him how to use his voice, and the Grouse agreed to do so in return for a ruffle of feathers to wear about his neck. The Turkey gave him a fine one, and that is how the Grouse got his collar of feathers.

Well, they began the lessons, and the Turkey learned very fast. By and by the Grouse thought it was time to try the Turkey's voice at a distance, to see how far he could shout.

"Now," said the Grouse, "do you go over by yonder tree and I'll stand on this hollow log. When I give the signal by tapping on the log, do you shout as loud as you can."

The Turkey was so eager and excited that, when the Grouse gave the signal, he tried to shout, but could not raise his voice, and all he could say was, "Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!" And since that day, whenever the Turkey hears a noise, he can only gobble.

Wolf and Boy
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Once upon a time, there was a wolf, and this wolf was all alone. All of the other wolves had been caught or killed or driven off. But this last wolf, he stayed. And he did all of the usual wolfish things. He lived in a cave high up in the hills. He raided the occasional flock for a stray sheep.

He also would appear from time to time late in the evening on a trail from the fields running down to the village to frighten some milk-maid or herds-boy coming home a little too late from the watch. And this gave rise to the stories of great, gnarled, bloody teeth and wet, long, lolling tongue and fiery, red, hungry eyes... the wolf had quite a reputation in the village.

But that was not the worst of it. The most horrible thing of all, the thing that froze the souls of the old men, and caused the red faces of the young people to blanche, and the heads of the children to go deep under bed covers at night was what the wolf would do from time to time, in the cold crackling air of the frosty silver moon, high on the stark peak of the stoney mountain near the village. He would sit up there and howl, howl with the sound of a thousand midnights down in a murky bog. Those who heard it swore it was a sound that only a beast could make whose soul was tortured and lost forever. And it chilled to the marrow everyone who heard it... everyone, that is, except one person.

For living in the village was a boy who had lived there all of his life. And yet no one really knew this boy. I mean, he spoke to folks, and they spoke to him. But no one really understood him or cared to. Even his parents were at a loss to understand his ways and his thoughts. So they mostly humored him. And the boy would lie awake in his bed at night wondering about his life and why he felt so lost among the villagers. And sometimes he would cry or sometimes he would be angry. But when he heard the call of the wolf on the mountain, right away he knew that here was a voice the like of which he'd not heard before. Here was a voice that spoke to him of feelings no one else knew that he had. And lying there and listening with every fiber of his body, he knew he had to seek out this wolf and know from it why it cried in the night. Oh, he'd heard the stories of the teeth, the tongue, the eyes so red and burning, but nothing would do except that he had to know that wolf for himself.

And so one day, before the sun rose, he set out on the road to the mountain where it was said the wolf made his den. It was a long road and a steep one, but the boy took no stick, nor wore no hat to guard him from the sun. And it was a dangerous journey to be sure, but the boy took no weapon to defend himself. And though the country was barren and rocky and not fruitful where he was going, the boy took no food nor drink to sustain him. And though he'd never been on this way before, he followed no map, but went the way of his heart, come what may. It was sometime at the end of a day's travel that he began to grow thirsty and the emptiness inside him began to make itself known in his stomach. He walked, becoming even more thirsty until darkness overcame him and he was forced to stop for the night in some trees near the road. And as he sat hungry and thirsty in the growing darkness, he thought for a moment about turning back and rushing blindly down the path and back to the village. But he knew that was not the way for him. So he sat for a long while shivering in the night and then lay down finally to sleep. In his dreams, the moon shone silver on the frosty stones, the air was clear and crisp, and the voice of the wolf rang out from the top of one of the peaks, calling out the way ahead, perhaps his way. He awoke in the dawn with a start, wondering if the dream had been real, and the wolf had actually called in the night.

He rose, still hungry, and continued on his way. Soon the path grew steeper and rockier. As the sun was moving high and the day was warming, the boy noticed ahead of him a flock of birds swooping and playing in a small pool beside the road.

The boy rushed to the water, fell on his belly and drank his fill. When he rose, the birds were watching him silently from a nearby tree limb. Realizing he had interrupted their play, he smiled and thanked them for letting him drink and continued on the path. Though his thirst was slaked, still an emptiness was burning deep in his belly. And as he walked, once again thoughts came to him of quitting, of just sitting down under a tree to wait for whatever might happen. And what if he never got up again? Would anyone miss him or come to find him? But something told him this was not the end of his journey. If he did not continue he would never know what was at the end of the path or why the wolf cried so in the night. And so he decided to continue walking knowing not what lay ahead of him.

You can imagine how relieved he was after several minutes to see beside the path a clump of bushes that were heavy and inviting with red, juicy berries. He rushed to them and began to pick and eat the sweet, ripe berries. But then he heard a noise. And looking up, he came face to face with a very large and hairy bear. The bear was only a few feet away in the bushes himself eating the tasty berries, The boy realized that those large arms were entirely capable of reaching out to catch at him and crush the life out of him. And so he did not move, but stood with the berries still sweet on his tongue, his lips red with juice, his cheeks now white with fright.

But the bear only stared and waited too... for a moment. And then the long white teeth showed in his fuzzy face, and one massive set of claws moved... and he began to pick and munch more of the ripe berries. The boy, realizing that the bear was hungry only for berries, smiled and began to breathe again, and went back to eating as well. After several minutes of filling himself, the boy was ready to move along, and, smiling and waving to his friend, he left the bushes and continued on the path.

A way up the path the boy noticed it was becoming steeper and so much harder to travel. And he was beginning to wonder when or how or if he would ever see his wolf and meet his wolf and know his wolf and be able to answer the strange desire he held within him to feel what the wolf felt deep in the night. Suddenly he heard a noise;

A stone tumbled; and the clatter echoed as the boy froze on the trail. His eyes darted left and right, looking for the source of the movement when something large moved and leaped into the path. His heart stopped, then began to beat again as he saw the visitor clearly. It wasn't the wolf at all, but a small deer, a yearling, a young male whose nubbish horns were just beginning to show on the top of his head. The two of them stared at one another for a moment, curious, fearless, silent.

The deer gazed at the boy wide-eyed. The boy gazed back, and suddenly he was concerned that the young fellow might be in danger. And he spoke quietly to the young deer.

"Oh, do be careful here. There's a bear down the path a way. And a wolf about, I think. I'm searching for that wolf myself, but you? I don't think you are ready to meet him."

The deer stared back in wonder and listening." Be careful, little man. Up here all alone and so friendly. Be wary of those who would hurt you."

And with that the boy walked on slowly toward the deer who started and scampered away into the rocks. The boy walked smiling to himself as he thought of the deer now safely hidden in the rocks. Hiding until he grew strong and large enough to defend himself against a bear or a wolf.

As he was thinking of this, he noticed the darkening sky and the cold chill of the deepening night air as it gathered about him. He continued along the bare path, trying not too look too far to left or right, trying to keep his footing, wondering if he had been wise in coming here, if he had been right in seeking the wolf in such a lonely and desolate place. He was growing more unsure of each step as he moved carefully and slowly up the path. When suddenly... he saw something... no felt something ahead. It might have been nothing. It might have been a shadow crossing the moon. It might have been everything he sought.

His heart beat faster. His head grew light, but his eyes stayed sharp as he stared ahead of him up the trail. He waited quietly for another sign, and soon came his reward as the shadows moved up ahead and became living and breathing flesh. There on four paws, eyes reflecting his own bright gaze, head still as stone and pointing down the trail toward him, was the wolf.

He could not move. The red eyes, the great tongue, the huge claws flashed in his memory. But as he stared, he saw none of them. He could also recall the song that had drawn him here, the singer from the distant night, now only yards from him, breathing in the cold night, and exhaling hot steam.

And as he stood, peering into the wild eyes before him, remembering that sad, sweet song, he felt his heart soften and his fear evaporate. His eyes filled and, without warning, he knew why he had come here. He knew in that instant what he had traveled to find, what he had heard in that song, what he had embraced in his lonely bed as he had lain awake, listening and wanting. He knew that the song had been a cry for an end to solitude. The cry was to banish aloneness. It had reached out across the miles and the years and touched him. And it had guided him. He knew this now.

And so with his heart full and his eyes afire with understanding, the boy faced the wolf and he spoke back... with his smile. And in that instant, the two... boy and wolf... were one heart.

It is said the boy never returned to the life he had known in the village. No one there could really be sure of his fate. No one would ever go looking. But there is one tale, told by a brave hunter who became lost after chasing a large deer up the mountain one day. When he returned, he told a wild and unbelievable story of seeing a boy and a wolf through the trees, lying asleep together under a tree some distance away. But as he made his way thrashing and crashing through the forest to where he thought he would rescue the lad, he became lost, and could no longer see nor find them. And so he returned to his safe villager's life, speaking in hushed tones of his brief glimpse of another life he could never understand. And as the people listened to his story told over and over again until the words were worn, and as the long years passed, some who listened would laugh, some would weep quietly, a few would cross themselves in disgust, and, once and again, some few would take heart and lie awake at night listening with hope to the strange and wolfish duet, sung high upon a distant peak in the silver moonlight.

You are a very interesting author. Do you believe that the Great Spirit, God, Jeweh, The Almighty, and many more are all the same? and Do you believe that man can ever own anything in the way of material stuff?

Blood Clot
A Ute Legend
Long ago a very old man and his wife lived alone and hunted for game, but it was scarce and they were hungry.

One day the man discovered some buffalo tracks and followed them to the place where the animal had stopped. There he found only a big clot of blood, which he wrapped in his shirt and carried home.

The old man told his wife to boil the blood, and she put it into the kettle with water from the creek. But before it came to a boil over the fire, they heard cries inside the kettle.

The man ran up to it and pulled out a baby, a little boy, who had somehow formed out of the blood clot.

The old couple washed the baby and wrapped him up. By the next morning he had grown much larger, and that day he continued to grow until he could crawl about by himself.

The second day he was able to walk a little; by the third day he was walking with ease. The couple called him Blood Clot and came to treat him as their son.

The old man made little arrows so that the child could learn to shoot. Soon Blood Clot needed much larger arrows, and with them he began to hunt birds and other small game. He never brought the game home himself, but sent the old man for it.

One day Blood Clot returned from hunting and said, "I have killed something with a striped back."

The man went out and fetched an animal bigger than a mouse, which he cooked for the three of them. The next day the boy announced, "I have killed a white short-tailed animal." It was a cottontail, which the man also cooked.

The day after that, Blood Clot went farther and killed a badger. "I have killed an animal in a hole in the ground," he said, and the man brought the creature home and cooked it.

The following day when the boy returned, he said, "I have killed animal with black ears and a black tail." To the old man's joy, it was a female deer. The three of them ate and were happy.

Next Blood Clot said, "I have killed a big fellow with big antlers." It was an elk, so again the family feasted on meat. The old man gave the boy a full-sized bow and arrows, and Blood Clot went into the mountains and shot a mountain goat. "I have killed an animal with big horns in the mountains," he said when he came down. "Every day," the old man said proudly, "he kills a different kind of animal."

Now their troubles were over, and they had an easy time. Blood Clot killed a mountain lion. Then he tracked and shot an otter: "I have killed an animal with nice fur, living in the water." The old man tanned the skin to make strings for tying the boy's braids. The following day Blood Clot found a beaver: "I have killed a water animal with a tail of this size."

At last there came a day when Blood Clot said, "I want to visit the village where many people live. Before that, I will go on my last hunt for you, all day and all night. First I want you to tie up the tent, put rocks on the edge, and fasten the door lest the night wind carry it away. Though the wind will be strong, don't go outdoors and don't be afraid. I will call when you can come out."

The old couple obeyed, and he hunted all night while they were sleeping. About daybreak they heard a big noise, forerunner of a wind that threatened to tip over the tent. The man was frightened and wanted to go out, but the wife held him back, reminding him of what their son had said.

When daylight came, they heard their son's voice: "Come on out; I'll show you something." They unfastened the door and saw dead buffalo lying all around. "I have done this for you," Blood Clot said. "Dry the meat and hides; save the meat and it will last you for a long time."

The young man asked his mother to fix him a lunch, and she gave him pemmican. "Now my parents have plenty of food," he said. As he left, they cried and asked him to return.

Wearing buckskin leggings, carrying a quiver of mountain lion skin, Blood Clot began to travel. After a few days he reached the village.

At the outskirts he asked for the chief's house, and a man told him, "It is in the center." There he found the chief with his wife and daughter. They invited him to sit down, and the chief asked him where he came from and what his tribe was. "I don't know what tribe I belong to. I have come to visit you," Blood Clot replied. The chief stepped outdoors and shouted to the people to come and meet their visitor. The villagers were starving for lack of game, but all gathered at the chief's house and sat down.

The chief said, "Do any of you know the tribe of this young man?" People named the tribes - Deer, Elk, Otters, Beavers, and others. They asked him whether he belonged to any of these, but he thought not.

At last one old man said, "I think I know from the power in him, although I may be mistaken. I think he is one of the Buffalo."

Blood Clot thought about it, and finally agreed. The people of the village asked Blood Clot to stay and marry the chief's daughter. He agreed to this as well, and the wedding was held.

That evening he asked his father-in-law to bring one arrow from the tipi. When the chief returned, Blood Clot told him to have all the tipi's fastened and to warn the people that they should stay indoors, for there would be a great storm.

The chief told the villagers, and at daybreak when they heard a big noise, they cried out in fear but did not leave their tipi's.

Then Blood Clot called to the chief, who came out to find dead buffalo before every lodge. At his son-in-law's bidding he summoned the whole village for a feast, and all were happy.

Blood Clot stayed there until one day when a group of villagers went out to hunt buffalo. Long before this, he had told his wife, "You know the buffalo calf? I am part of that, it is part of me, so you must never say the word 'calf'."

When the party killed some buffalo and were butchering, another herd came running past. His wife pointed and called, "Kill that calf!" Immediately Blood Clot jumped on his horse and galloped away, changing as he did so into a buffalo.

His wife cried and attempted to catch him, but in vain. From that time on, Blood Clot ran with the buffalos.

Puma and the Bear
A Ute Legend
One day Puma took his son hunting with him. The Bear came to Puma's tent and saw his wife there, and immediately fell in love with her. "I wish to have her for my wife," he thought. Then he went in to where she was sitting.

In only a short time, he proposed that she run away with him. She consented and ran away with the Bear.

When Puma returned, he could not find his wife. "I wonder if she could have eloped with that Bear?" he mused. At first he and his son saw no tracks, but eventually they picked up the couple's trail. Angry by now, Puma followed the Bear tracks.

A high wind began to blow, obliterating most of the tracks. The next day Puma found them again and followed on. "Perhaps they are in that cedar wood," he thought. As he moved closer, he heard voices and recognized his wife's and the Bear's.

He sent his son to circle the wood, approaching from the other side of the wood to force the Bear out toward Puma. The woman said "Puma is very strong." "But I am stronger," said the Bear, seizing a cedar tree and pulling it from the ground. "He is stronger than that," said the woman.

The Bear had his moccasins off when Puma's son attacked. Quickly the Bear put on his moccasins, but in his haste he put them on the wrong feet. Then, not knowing who was coming behind him, he ran forward into Puma. The two grappled and Puma threw the Bear to the ground. The Bear rose up again and charged at Puma, who thrust the Bear down against a rock and broke the Bear's back.

Then Puma sent his wife away into the woods, letting her know that he did not want her for his wife again. Puma and his son left on another hunting trip to find a new wife and home for themselves.

Oh I understand! Never mind.

sorry i missed your initial question.

no i dont believe man can truly own anything in this life nor should he try, what one has is to be shared with everyone.

The concept of god to the first peoples is abundent in what i post, as you have probably seen, some believe in the christian god, others do not, all believe in a great spirit, a creator, but it varies widely within each nation.

Porcupine Hunts Buffalo
A Ute Legend
In olden days when mostly animals roamed this Earth, a Porcupine set out to track some buffalo. He asked the buffalo chips, "How long have you been here on this trail?" He kept on asking, until finally one answered, "Only lately have I been here."

From there Porcupine followed the same path. The farther he went, the fresher the tracks. He continued until he came to a river; there he saw a buffalo herd that had crossed the ford onto the other side.

"What shall I do now?" thought Porcupine as he sat down.

He called out, "Carry me across!"

One of the buffalo replied, "Do you mean me?"

Porcupine called again, "No, I want a different buffalo." Thus he rejected each member of the herd, one after another, as each asked. "Do you mean me?"

Finally the last and best one in the herd said, "I will carry you across the river." The buffalo crossed the river and said to porcupine, "Climb on my back."

Porcupine said, "No, I'm afraid I will fall off into the water."

Buffalo said, "Then climb up and ride between my horns."

"No," replied Porcupine. "I'm sure I'll slide off into the river."

Buffalo suggested many other ways to carry him, but Porcupine protested. "Perhaps you'd rather ride inside of me?" offered the buffalo.

"Yes," said Porcupine, and let himself be swallowed by the buffalo.

"Where are we now?" asked Porcupine.

"In the middle of the river," said the buffalo.

After a little while, Porcupine asked again.

"We have nearly crossed," said the buffalo. "Now we have emerged from the water; come out of me!"

Porcupine said, "No, not yet, go a little farther."

Soon the buffalo stopped and said, "We have gone far enough, so come out."

Then Porcupine hit the buffalo's heart with his heavy tail. The buffalo started to run, but fell down and died right there. Porcupine had killed him. Others in the herd tried to hook Porcupine, but he sat under the buffalo's ribs, where he could not be hooked. Soon the herd tired and ran on their way.

Porcupine came out and said aloud, "I wish I had something to butcher this nice big buffalo with."

Now, Coyote was sleeping nearby, and woke up and heard him. Coyote went to Porcupine and said, "Here is my knife for butchering." So they went together to the side of the buffalo.

"Let him butcher who can jump over it," said Coyote. Porcupine ran and jumped, but only partway over the buffalo. Coyote jumped over it without touching the dead animal, so he began to butcher, cutting up the buffalo.

After a little time, he handed the paunch to Porcupine and said, "Go wash it in the river, but don't eat it yet."

Porcupine took it to the river, washed it, then he bit off a piece. When Coyote saw what Porcupine had done, he became very angry with him and went after him, "I told you not to eat any of the paunch."

Coyote picked up a club and killed Porcupine and placed him beside the buffalo, and went to his home. Then he told his family, "I have killed a buffalo and I have killed a porcupine. Let us go and carry them home."

Before Porcupine had come out of the buffalo, he said magic words, "Let a red pine grow here fast." Then at once red pine began to grow under the meat and under Porcupine. It grew very tall and fast. All of the meat and Porcupine rested at the top of the red pine tree, high in the air, Porcupine magically coming alive again.

Coyote and his family arrived and were surprised that all of the meat was gone. They began to hunt for it.

"I wish they would look up," said Porcupine. Then the smallest child looked up and said "Oh!" The family looked up and saw Porcupine sitting on top of the meat in the tall red pine tree.

Coyote said, "Throw down a piece of the neck, we are very hungry."

"Yes," said Porcupine, "Place that youngest child a little farther away.

"Yes," they responded and took him to one side.

"Now make a ring and all hold hands upward," said Porcupine. So the family joined hands and held them up. Porcupine threw down several pieces of the buffalo meat, killing Coyote and those in the ring. Porcupine then threw down the rest of the buffalo meat, and climbed down the tree.

He took charge of the young coyote and fed him all the meat he desired. Porcupine took all the meat he could carry to his home. He and the young coyote became good friends and helped each other hunt buffalo together for a long, long time.

Badger and the Green Giant
A Wabanaki Legend
There was in the Old Time a great rogue named Badger. The Wabanaki storytellers, who talk of men as though they were animals and animals as though they were men, sometimes spoke of Badger as a man and sometimes as an animal. It was agreed, however, that he had something of Lox in him--Lox, you remember, who was the son of Evil and who sometimes took on the form of a badger. And that is how this Indian known as Badger got his name.

Now this fearless and impudent rascal lived a carefree life on the labor of others, having no time from merrymaking to spend on hunting. In time, however, his neighbors grew tired of supporting him. One summer when food was scarce, the Chief of Badger's tribe said to him:

"You take all and give nothing. We can no longer afford to share our meat with you. This is what we have decided. You will be given food for half a moon's journey. You will then be too far away to trouble us, and must live as you can."

For once, Badger's face lost its grin.

"Who will take care of Little Brother when I'm gone?" he demanded. Now you see, Badger was not all bad. He had a small brother who was gentle and shy and not very clever, and ever since the boys had lost their parents, Badger had looked after Little Brother and treated him with affection.

"He will be given a home with foster parents," said the Chief, but Little Brother burst into tears.

"I want to go with my elder brother," he wailed.

"Very well, come along," said Badger, and grinned saucily at the people. "Thanks, my friends, for giving us a chance to see the world!" Then, with all their possessions in a blanket slung over Badger's shoulder, the two set jauntily off into the woods. However, they did not go far. Badger stopped before the mouth of a small cave and told Little Brother to go inside.

"This food will last you until the full of the moon, when I shall return," he said. "I must play one last trick on our late friends! "

Then Badger dressed himself in the beads and feathers of a medicine man and put a mask on his face. Medicine men, you know, were the doctors of the Indians. Some of them understood how to make medicine from herbs and how to cure people; but others, like Badger, were frauds.

He knew that his former tribe had no medicine man at present, so he went back to the village and announced that he was a powerful man of magic. Not recognizing Badger behind the mask, his old neighbors treated him with great respect. They gave him a wigwam to live in and shared their food with him, begging him to treat their sick and use his magic to make meat more plentiful.

For a while, Badger played the medicine man with glee. He beat his drum and shook his rattle, and pretended to summon spirits. He sold charms and fell into trances, and all the time behind his mask, he was laughing. However, game in the district grew scarcer and scarcer, and as the people grew hungrier, they began to lose faith in the medicine man. If he was really a magician, why did he not make hunting better?

One day, near the full of the moon, a long loud wail came from the forest. The Indians shook with fear, but not Badger, who knew at once what it meant. It was Little Brother crying because he was lonely and his food was gone. The wail came again.

"It is the giant, Famine," said Badger with a long face. "He says he is coming to this village."

Then all the people began to groan with dismay, for when Famine comes, he brings death by starvation.

"Never fear," said Badger calmly, "for I, your medicine man, will go out to meet him and drive him away."

The people exclaimed with gratitude and admiration.

"Give me a bag of tallow," said Badger, "to take with me, for I shall need plenty of strength to defeat that fellow."

Tallow was a kind of fat, a great delicacy with the Indians in olden times. It was made by pounding and breaking the bones of a moose, then boiling the bones until the grease came to the top. The grease, a white substance as hard as wax, was then skimmed off with a wooden spoon. It was so nourishing, hunters used to take it with them on long hunting expeditions as their only provision.

So the people gave Badger a large bag of tallow, the last they had, and off he went, crying out in a commanding voice, "Ahhh Chowwwaaa!" The Indians thought this a cry of defiance against the giant, but it was really the secret name Badger had for his brother, to let him know he was coming.

They waited and listened, but heard no sound of battle. They waited long--and in vain--for the return of their medicine man.

Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Badger and Little Brother were feasting on the tallow, laughing together at Badger's cleverness, when suddenly they heard a rushing sound in the forest. Badger jumped up, alarmed, as huge feet came crashing through the underbrush. The trees swayed as a great hand flung them aside, and all at once a fearsome giant stood before the brothers. His face was as green as the grass, and his hair sprang out from his huge head like needles on pine boughs. Before Badger knew what was happening, the Green Giant had seized Little Brother in his mighty green hand and had stuffed him into the bag he carried on his shoulder.

"Save me," shrieked Little Brother.

Badger rushed upon the giant furiously, biting and punching and kicking, but the giant only laughed.

"What is tickling my legs?" he asked.

"Give me back my Little Brother," stormed Badger.

"Certainly," said the Green Giant, "as soon as you bring me the magic food of Glooscap which never grows less, no matter how much of it is eaten."

Poor Badger stared at the giant in dismay. It was a long way to Blomidon where Glooscap lived, and the path to it was full of danger. Moreover, there was no certainty of Glooscap giving him the food when he got there.

"I shall wait for you here," the Green Giant shouted, "but only for the space of time it takes the sun to run its full course. If you do not bring the food by then, I shall have to eat Little Brother instead."

Without a word, Badger turned and set off through the trees at top speed. Late that same day, tired and breathless, he reached the shore of Minas Basin and looked up at Blomidon's red slopes, immense against the darkening sky. He knew, in order to find Glooscap's lodge, he must climb to the very top. He was terribly tired, and yearned to rest, but the thought of Little Brother in the hands of the Green Giant drove him up the red slope as fast as possible.

The red stone was slippery and covered him with red dust, but he kept on. Branches of low spruce and juniper scratched his face and tore his hands, but he paid no attention. His lungs pained, his head throbbed. His throat was hot and dry as he dragged himself the last few yards, and tumbled over full length on the grass at the summit. Too worn out for a moment to move, Badger lay still, recovering his breath. Then he got wearily to his feet. There stood Glooscap's great wigwam, a fire glowing dimly within. The Great Chief himself was nowhere in sight, nor was there any sign of Noogumee, Glooscap's grandmother, or of Marten his servant. Badger could not wait for their return to ask for the food--there was no time. Besides, the Great Chief might refuse to give it to him. Badger must get the food somehow and hurry back to the Green Giant.

He crept into the lodge and looked around, then cried out softly with triumph. A dish of Glooscap's magic food stood beside the fire. He had only to reach out and take it; but as his fingers curved around the dish they were struck aside.

"Stop, thief!" a stern voice commanded. And Badger looked up to see the great Glooscap towering over him. But his fear for Little Brother was even greater than his fear of the Great Chief.

"Please, Master!" he cried. "Give me the magic food. I must save my brother from the Green Giant."

"Why should I give you anything," asked Glooscap, "you who have robbed and made fun of your neighbors?"

"You can't let Little Brother die," Badger cried. "It wasn't his fault. If you don't help me, the giant will eat him!"

"Will he?" asked Glooscap mysteriously, and before Badger's surprised eyes, his shape began to change. His skin became green, his hair stood out from his head in green spikes, and his green face assumed a ferocious expression.

"The Green Giant was you all the time!" gasped Badger.

"And I hope he has taught you a lesson," said Glooscap, resuming his own appearance. "Are you sorry for the way you have behaved?"

"Yes, indeed," cried Badger.

"And will you promise to give up your silly tricks and do your share of the hunting?"

"I will, I will, if only--"

"Then look behind you."

Badger turned and saw Little Brother, smiling and unharmed, standing beside the fire. So great was Badger's relief, he nearly cried. For the first time, too, he realized how tired he was, and how hungry. The old impudent grin reappeared.

"I don't suppose," he suggested, "you could spare me a taste of that food?"

"Certainly not!" said Glooscap indignantly, "not until you can share it with the people you robbed of their tallow. Take this food to them at once. It will never grow less, no matter how much is eaten, until game is again plentiful in the forest."

When the people of Badger's old village saw him bringing the magic food of Glooscap, they forgave him and welcomed him back into the tribe. Famine no longer troubled the Indians, and Badger behaved himself for quite some time.

But if you think he had played his last trick, you are much mistaken, for you will hear again in time of Badger, and his mischief-making.

Until then, kespeadooksit!