Peace Wigwam
This woman was very beautiful, and the people loved her. For some time she sat in the Peace Wigwam, and tended faithfully the Peace fire.
One day an Oneida and a Cayuga chief fell to quarreling. They sought the Peace Wigwam. As they entered and saw theyoung Peacewoman tending the fire, each thought he had never seen a woman so beautiful.
Into the heart of each there leaped the desire that she might tend his wigwam fire.
The Peacemaker listened to the quarrel of the young chiefs and settled it justly. Then each tried to persuade her to leave the Peace fire and return with him to his lodge. But the Peacemaker said, "No, I must tend the fire, it must be kept burning." The chiefs departed with heavy hearts.
But the Oneida chief could not forget the beautiful woman. When a moon had passed, he returned to the Peace Wigwam. This time he persuaded the Peacemaker to leave her fire and return with him to sit at his wigwam door.
The Peace fire flickered and went out. The Iroquois again went on the warpath, and for many, many moons, they fought and suffered and died.
motif
canoe
Long, long before Columbus came to America, the Red Children were here. They were the first and only real Americans.
From the Big Sea Water on the east to the Big Sea Water on the west, ranged these Children of the Sun, as they called themselves.
Happy and free as the sunlight and air about them, they ran through wide forests all their own, or plied their bark canoes up and down the streams.
Then the Indian had a dream. This was long before Columbus dreamed his dream of the Western World.
In his dream the Indian saw a great White Bird coming out of the east. Its wings were stretched wide to the north andsouth. With great strength and speed, it swept toward the setting sun.
In fear and wonder the Indian watched this giant White Bird appear and disappear. He knew its meaning, and the Indian's heart was sad.
Then the White man came. From the Big Sea Water on the east he came, in his great white-winged canoe. With one hand pointing to the Great Spirit, and with the other extended to the Red man he came. He asked for a small seat. A seat the size of a buffalo skin would be quite large enough for him, he said.
In the name of the Great Spirit, the Red Children greeted the White man, and called him "brother." They gave him the seat he asked. They gave him a large buffalo skin also, and showed him where he could spread it by their council fire.
The White man took the buffalo skin. He thanked his Red brother in the nameof the Great Spirit. Then he began to cut the skin into many, many small strips.
Buffalo skin
When the whole buffalo skin had been cut into narrow strips, he tied the strips together. They made a long cord that would reach over a long trail.
In amazement the Indians watched the White man while he measured off a seat as long and as broad as this cord would reach around. The "small seat," the size of a buffalo skin, became a tract of land.
Soon the White man asked for another seat. This time his seat took in the Indians' lodges and camp fire. He asked the Indians if they would move on a few arrow flights. This they did.
Then the White man wanted another seat. Each time it took a larger skin for him to sit upon. This time the skin stretched so far that it covered a part of the Indians' hunting and fishing grounds.
Again the Indians moved on. Again the White man followed. Each time his seat grew larger, until the Indian had a place but the size of a buffalo skin on which to sit.
Thus it was that the White man came. Like a great White Bird that swept from the Big Sea Water on the east to the Big Sea Water on the west, the White man came; and he drove the Indian from the rising to the setting sun.
tools
Mother Bear found for them all the honey
Many, many moons before the White man came, a little Indian boy was left in the woods. It was in the days when animals and men understood each other better than they do now.
An old mother bear found the little Indian boy.
She felt very sorry for him. She told the little boy not to cry, for she would take him home with her; she had a nice wigwam in the hollow of a big tree.
Old Mother Bear had two cubs of her own, but she had a place between her great paws for a third. She took the little papoose, and she hugged him warm and close. She fed him as she did her own little cubs.
The boy grew strong. He was very happy with his adopted mother and brothers.They had a warm lodge in the hollow of the great tree. As they grew older, Mother Bear found for them all the honey and nuts that they could eat.
From sunrise to sunset, the little Indian boy played with his cub brothers. He did not know that he was different from them. He thought he was a little bear, too. All day long, the boy and the little bears played and had a good time. They rolled, and tumbled, and wrestled in the forest leaves. They chased one another up and down the bear tree.
Sometimes they had a matched game of hug, for every little bear must learn to hug. The one who could hug the longest and the tightest won the game.
and nuts
Old Mother Bear watched her three dear children at their play. She would have been content and happy, but for one thing. She was afraid some harm would come to the boy. Never could she quite forget the bear hunters. Several times they had scented her tree, but the wind had thrown them off the trail.
Once, from her bear-tree window, she had thrown out rabbit hairs as she saw them coming. The wind had blown the rabbit hairs toward the hunters. As they fell near the hunters, they had suddenly changed into rabbits and the hunters had given chase.
At another time, Mother Bear tossed some partridge feathers to the wind as the hunters drew near her tree. A flockof partridges went whirring into the woods with a great noise, and the hunters ran after them.
partridge feathers
But on this day, Mother Bear's heart was heavy. She knew that now the big bear hunters were coming. No rabbits or partridges could lead these hunters from the bear trail, for they had dogs with four eyes. (Foxhounds have a yellow spot over each eye which makes them seem double-eyed.) These dogs were never known to miss a bear tree. Sooner or later they would scent it.
Mother Bear thought she might be able to save herself and her cubs. But what would become of the boy? She loved him too well to let the bear hunters kill him.
Chief Porcupine
Just then the porcupine, the Chief of the animals, passed by the bear tree. Mother Bear saw him. She put her head out the bear-tree window and called to him. He came and sat under the bear-tree window, and listened to Mother Bear's story of her fears for the boy.
When she had finished, Chief Porcupine said he would call a council of the animals, and see if they could not save the boy.
Now the Chief had a big voice. As soon as he raised his voice, even the animals away on the longest trails heard. They ran at once and gathered under the council tree. There was a loud roar,and a great flapping of wings, for the birds came, too.
Chief Porcupine told them about the fears of Mother Bear, and of the danger to the boy.
"Now," said the Chief, "which one of you will take the boy, and save him from the bear hunters?"
It happened that some animals were present that were jealous of man. These animals had held more than one secret council, to plan how they could do away with him. They said he was becoming too powerful. He knew all they knew,—and more.
The beaver did not like man, because men could build better houses than he.
The fox said that man had stolen his cunning, and could now outwit him.
The wolf and the panther objected to man, because he could conceal himself and spring with greater surety than they.
some animals were present
The raccoon said that man was more daring, and could climb higher than he.
The deer complained that man could outrun him.
So when Chief Porcupine asked who would take the boy and care for him, each of these animals in turn said that he would gladly do so.
Mother Bear sat by and listened as each offered to care for the boy. She did not say anything, but she was thinking hard,—for a bear. At last she spoke.
To the beaver she said, "You cannot take the boy; you will drown him on the way to your lodge."
To the fox she said, "You cannot take him; you would teach him to cheat and steal, while pretending to be a friend; neither can the wolf or the panther have him, for they are counting on having something good to eat.
"You, deer, lost your upper teeth foreating human flesh. And, too, you have no home, you are a tramp.
"And you, raccoon, I cannot trust, for you would coax him to climb so high that he would fall and die.
"No, none of you can have the boy."
Now a great bird that lives in the sky had flown into the council tree, while the animals were speaking. But they had not seen him.
When Mother Bear had spoken, this wise old eagle flew down, and said, "Give the boy to me, Mother Bear. No bird is so swift and strong as the eagle. I will protect him. On my great wings I will bear him far away from the bear hunters.
"I will take him to the wigwam of an Indian friend, where a little Indian boy is wanted."
Mother Bear looked into the eagle's keen eyes. She saw that he could see far.
Then she said, "Take him, eagle, I trust him to you. I know you will protect the boy."
The eagle spread wide his great wings. Mother Bear placed the boy on his back, and away they soared, far from the council woods.
The eagle left the boy, as he had promised, at the door of a wigwam where a little Indian boy was wanted.
This was the first young American to be saved by an American eagle.
The boy grew to be a noble chief and a great hunter. No hunter could hit a bear trail so soon as he, for he knew just where and how to find the bear trees. But never was he known to cut down a bear tree, or to kill a bear.
However, many were the wolf, panther, and deerskins that hung in his lodge. The hunter's wife sat and made warm coats from the fox and beaver skinswhich the hunter father brought in from the chase. But never was the hunter, his wife, or his children seen to wear a bear-skin coat.
Beaver skins
It was a long, long time ago, when the earth was very young. Trees and flowers were growing everywhere, but there were no birds. One morning the Great Spirit drew back the blanket from the door of his wigwam in the sky. He looked upon the earth and smiled, for he saw that his work was good.
Turkey Buzzard
"Today," thought he, "I will make big butterflies, to fly in and out among the beautiful trees and flowers of the earth. They shall sing as they fly."
Then the Great Spirit spoke, and the tree tops were full of birds,—but they had no feathers.
All day he watched them fly and listened to their songs. But their naked bodies and long legs did not please him. Before the sun had set he had made feathered suits, of every size and color, to cover them.
That night, as the birds hid their heads under their wings, the Great Spirit spoke to them. He told about the feathered suits he had made for them, and where these suits could be found.
A council was called next day by the birds. They choseGah gah go wah, the Turkey Buzzard, to get the suits. He could fly over a long trail and not be tired.
The birds told him that if he would go, he might have the first choice of the suits of feathers, but he must try on no suit more than once.
Turkey Buzzard promised and set out toward the setting sun. Twice the sun set, and three times it rose, before he found the feathered suits. There were many of them, and they were very beautiful. He could not make up his mind which one he would like best to wear.
Then he remembered that he could try on each suit of feathers once. So he began to put them on.
The feathers of the first suit were too long. They trailed on the ground as he walked. Neither could he fly well in them. Turkey Buzzard laid that suit aside.
The next suit shone like gold. The feathers were a beautiful yellow. Turkey Buzzard put it on and strutted up and down the forest.
"Oh, how handsome I am!" he said. "But I must not keep this, for if I did,I should shine so like the face of the Great Spirit, that all the other birds would see me."
And he slipped off the suit of yellow feathers as quickly as possible.
A third suit was of pure white feathers. Turkey Buzzard thought it looked very beautiful. It was a perfect fit.
"But it will get dirty too soon," he said. "I will not choose this."
And this, too, was laid aside.
There were not enough feathers in the fourth suit. Turkey Buzzard shivered with cold. It was not warm enough. He would not have it.
There were too many feathers, and too many pieces, in the fifth suit. It took too much time to put it on. Turkey Buzzard did not want that.
So he went from one suit to another, trying on and taking off. Always he had some new fault to find. Somethingwas wrong with each one. Nothing quite pleased him. No suit was just right.
At last there was but one suit left. It was not pretty. It was a plain, dull color,—and very short of feathers at the neck and head. Turkey Buzzard put it on. He did not like it. It did not fit him well: it was cut too low in the neck. Turkey Buzzard thought it was the homeliest suit of all. But it was the last suit, so he kept it on.
ThenGah gah go wah, the Turkey Buzzard, gathered up the suits and flew back to the bird lodge. He still wore the plain, dull-colored suit.
The birds again called a council. Each was told to select a suit from those thatGah gah go wahhad brought, and put it on. This they did.
Then the birds in their beautiful feathered suits began to walk and fly aboutthe Turkey Buzzard, and to make fun of his plain, dull dress.
ButGah gah go wahheld his head high. He walked proudly about among the birds. He looked with scorn on their beautiful suits. After a time he spoke.
He said, "Gah gah go wah, the Turkey Buzzard, does not want your suits. He had the pick of them all. He likes his own suit best."
Adapted from Erminie Smith'sMyths of the Iroquois.
Adapted from Erminie Smith'sMyths of the Iroquois.
Turkey Buzzard
It was after the Great Spirit had made all the beautiful birds, that the Evil Spirit came along. He saw the beautiful birds and heard their beautiful songs. He saw that the earth people liked the birds and liked to hear them sing.
Partridge
Now the Evil Spirit did not wish people to be happy, so he said, "I will make a bird that will make people afraid. I will make a big bird that will not sing, but will make a great noise."
So the Evil Spirit went to work. In a short time he had made a big bird, that could not sing, but could drum.
The big bird flew away into the wood. That night a drumming noise was heard in the wood. The people were afraid. They could not sleep, because of the noise.
In the morning, they went into the woods to search for the noise. Deep in the forest could still be heard that strange drumming. They followed it, until they came to a deep, dark place in the woods. There was a loud fluttering and whirring of wings, and a great bird flew out from among them, along the ground and over the trees.
The people were afraid. They called to the Great Spirit to help them.
The Great Spirit was near. He heard their cry, and went after the bird, for he was very angry.
The Great Spirit said, "I will not have my people frightened by this great bird; it shall die."
The big bird gave the Great Spirit along chase. At last the Great Spirit came upon it. He seized it, and threw it against a large tree.
As the big bird struck the tree, drops of blood flew in all directions. They changed into smaller birds that went whirring into the woods, just as the big bird had done. There they began to drum.
Like the big bird, these smaller birds like to startle people. They flutter out from under the leaves, and with a whirring noise they fly far into the wood. There they perch on an old log, or a rock, and drum with their wings.
Some of the earth people say they are drumming for their mates. But others still think that the birds drum to make people afraid.
So this is how the Indians say the partridges came to be. This is why they drum, and why some of the earth children still love to hunt partridges.
Medicine RattleMedicine Rattle
A long, long time ago, some Indians were running along a trail that led to an Indian settlement. As they ran, a rabbit jumped from the bushes and sat before them.
The Indians stopped, for the rabbit still sat up before them and did not move from the trail. They shot their arrows at him, but the arrows came back unstained with blood.
A second time they drew their arrows. Now no rabbit was to be seen. Instead, an old man stood on the trail. He seemed to be weak and sick.
The old man asked them for food anda place to rest. They would not listen but went on to the settlement.
Slowly the old man followed them, down the trail to the wigwam village. In front of each wigwam, he saw a skin placed on a pole. This he knew was the sign of the clan to which the dwellers in that wigwam belonged.
Animals
First he stopped at a wigwam where a wolf skin hung. He asked to enter, but they would not let him. They said, "We want no sick men here."
On he went toward another wigwam. Here a turtle's shell was hanging. But this family would not let him in.
He tried a wigwam where he saw a beaver skin. He was told to move on.
Birds and animals
The Indians who lived in a wigwamwhere a deer skin was seen, were just as unkind. Nor was he permitted to enter wigwams where hung hawk, snipe, and heron skins.
At last he came to a wigwam where a bear skin hung.
"I will ask once more for a place to rest," he thought.
And here a kind old woman lived. She brought food for him to eat, and spread soft skins for him to lie upon.
The old man thanked her. He said that he was very sick. He told the woman what plants to gather in the wood, to make him well again.
This she did, and soon he was healed.
A few days later the old man was again taken sick. Again he told the woman whatroots and leaves to gather. She did as she was told, and soon he was well.
Herb basket
Many times the old man fell sick. Each time he had a different sickness. Each time he told the woman what plants and herbs to find to cure him. Each time she remembered what she had been told.
Soon this woman of the Bear clan knew more about healing than all the other people.
One day, the old man told her that the Great Spirit had sent him to earth, to teach the Indian people the secrets of healing.
"I came, sick and hungry, to many a wigwam door. No blanket was drawn aside for me to pass in. You alone lifted the blanket from your wigwam door and bade me enter.
"You are of the Bear clan, thereforeall other clans shall come to the Bear clan for help in sickness.
"You shall teach all the clans what plants, and roots, and leaves to gather, that the sick may be healed.
"And the Bear shall be the greatest and strongest of the clans."
The Indian woman lifted her face to the Great Spirit to thank him for this great gift and knowledge of healing. When she turned again to the man, he had disappeared.
No one was there, but a rabbit was running swiftly down the trail.
Medicine MaskMedicine Mask
Why dogs chase foxes
A fox was running through the wood near a river. He had a fish in his mouth.
The fish had been stolen from an Indian who lived down the stream. The fox had been passing near the Indian's wigwam. He saw the fish hanging by the fire. It was cleaned and ready to cook.
"What a tasty breakfast!" thought the fox. "I think I will watch the man eat."
Soon the Indian went into the wigwam. The fox slipped up to the fire. He seized the fish, and ran away with it.
When the Indian came back, he had no breakfast. The fish was gone. No fox was to be seen.
The fox ran along, feeling much pleased with himself.
"What a cunning fox I am," he chuckled. "I will play another foxy trick. This time it shall be on the bear I see coming."
He ran up a tree that had been bent half way to earth by the West Wind. There he began to eat his fish. He smacked his lips so loudly that the bear heard him.
The bear stopped under the tree, and asked, "What are you eating that tastes so good?"
For answer the fox threw down a bit of the fish. The bear smacked his lips and cried, "More! More!"
"Go to the river, swim out to the big log, and catch your own fish," called the fox. "It's very easy! Just drop your tail into the water. Hold it there till a fish comes along and bites, then pull it up. That is the way I catch my fish. You can catch all the fish you want with your own tail."
The bear hurried on to the river. Heswam to the log and dropped his tail into the water, as the fox had advised.
All day he sat and fished with his tail,—for bears then had very long tails.
The sun set, but no fish had pulled his tail. All night the bear sat on the log and fished. Cold North Wind blew his breath over the water. The river grew still and white.
Towards morning, the bear felt that his tail was getting very heavy. Now at last he was sure he had a fish. He tried to pull it up. But alas! his tail was frozen fast in the ice.
Then the fox came along. He laughed long and loudly at the bear, and asked if the fishing was good.
Some dogs heard the fox, and came tearing through the thick underbrush. They saw the fox and started after him.
The fox slyly led them on to the frozen river toward the bear. The bear saw themcoming, and called to the fox to go around some other way. The fox made believe he did not hear, and came straight on to the bear to ask him what he had said.
The dogs leaped upon the bear. The bear struggled. He gave one great pull, and freed himself from the ice. He struck at the dogs so fiercely with his great paws, that they soon left him, and went on after the fox.
Dogs have been running after foxes ever since.
When the bear got his breath, he stood up and looked around at his tail. He found he had only a small piece left. Most of his tail had been left in the ice.
This is why bears have short tails, and why dogs still love to chase the fox.
Wise old owl
Some moons after the council when the birds chose their feathered suits, a second council was called. The purpose of this council was to see which bird could fly to heaven, and bring a song to earth.
When all the birds had arrived and were perched upon the council tree, the wise old owl spoke.
"Friends and brothers, listen," said the owl. "Many of you have strong wings,but your voices are not beautiful. High, high up in the sky, a long trail beyond the clouds, is the Happy Hunting Ground.
"There live all our brothers of the wood, whom the Great Spirit has called. They sing songs more beautiful than any heard on earth.
"The bird that can fly beyond the clouds will hear that singing. He shall bring a song to earth. Who will fly the Great Sky Trail, and bring a song to earth? Who-whoo! Who-whoo! Who-whoo!"
At this, all the birds that were swift of wing flew high in the air. They circled round and round to show their skill. Then they disappeared in the clouds.
But one by one they dropped to earth; for when they had reached the Great Sky Trail beyond the clouds, they were too tired to take it.
At last the eagle arose and stretched his great wings.
"Listen," he said, "for the Chief of Birds speaks. No other bird is so swift and so strong as the eagle. He has circled the earth. He has flown to the rim of the world. The eagle will fly the Great Sky Trail and bring the song to earth."
A little brown thrush sat near the eagle.
"Oh," he thought, "how I would like to bring that song to earth!"
But he was so small, and his wings were so tired!
Then an idea popped into the little brown head of the thrush. He hopped softly to the back of the eagle, and hid in the thick feathers near the neck. So small and light was the thrush, that the eagle did not feel his weight. He did not know that the little brown thrush was on his back,—and the other birds did not tell him.
The eagle spread his great wings. Up, and up, and up, they soared. The councilwood became a little speck and then was seen no more. Over, and under, and through the clouds, on, and on, and on, they sailed, along the Great Sky Trail.
eagle
At last the eagle's strength began to fail. He could go no further. The great wings of the chief of birds could beat the air no longer. They fell at his side.
The little brown thrush felt the eagle quiver and begin to drop toward the earth.
Then away flew the little brown thrush. The air was so light it seemed easy to fly. On and on he went, for he was nottired. He had had a ride almost to heaven.
"Now," he thought, "I will go on and will get the song."
For some time, the little brown thrush flew along the Great Sky Trail. All at once the air seemed full of song. He knew he was nearing the Happy Hunting Ground.
He listened. One song seemed more beautiful to him than the rest. Again and again he listened. He caught the notes. He sang them many times, until he was sure that he could carry the song to earth.
Then down, and down, and down, he floated, through clouds and storms and sunshine, back to Mother Earth.
Very happy, he flew toward the council wood. He was so full of his beautiful song and the wonderful Sky Trail, he thought he must pour out his song at once.
But when he reached the council wood, he dared not open his mouth! He remembered that he had stolen his ride part way to heaven,—and he knew the other birds knew it.
But that song! he must sing it! He thought his throat would burst, if he did not sing!
So the little brown thrush flew off by himself, into a deep, dark part of the wood. There, hidden by the brush and the bushes, he poured forth the song he had heard on the Great Sky Trail.
Men hearing it to-day, say, "Listen, a hermit thrush! What a beautiful song! But he is such a shy bird, one seldom can catch a glimpse of him."
They do not know why he keeps so close under cover.
Every boy has wondered how there came to be two of him.
Every girl has puzzled over how she happened to be twins. Sometimes she is the good girl,—sometimes a naughty one.
The Indians say this is how it happened.
The world was very young. There was no earth, only a cloud-like sea.
The sea was filled with water animals, and water birds flew over it. All was dark. Light had not yet come.
Then the cloud-sea began to call for light. The Great Spirit heard, and said, "It shall be so. I will make a new place for man to live in."
The Great Spirit called the beautiful Sky Mother to Him. Her face was like the sun, she was so light of heart.
The Great Spirit told the Sky Mother to look down. She, too, heard the cloud-sea calling, and she said, "I will go."
As she began to descend, the animals saw her coming. "See the light," they cried. "Where will it rest?"
One of the water animals said, "I will go to the bottom of the sea and get something for it to rest on."
He went down, but he never came back.
Other animals followed him. But they, too, did not come back.
Then the muskrat said, "I will go. I will be the earth bringer."
He returned, with some mud in his mouth and claws.
"It will grow fast," he cried, in a weak voice. "Who will carry it?"
The turtle offered his back. As the muskrat placed the mud on the turtle's shell he died. But the beaver came and slapped the mud down with his tail.
The mud on the turtle's back grew very fast. Soon it was a small island. The turtle became the earth bearer. He has continued to hold up the earth ever since.
Now, when the sea rises in great waves, or the earth shakes, the Indians say, "The turtle is stretching. He is wiggling his back!"
Now, since there was a place for the light to rest on, the birds flew up to meet it. They found that the light was the beautiful Sky Mother.
Then the birds spread wide their great wings, and bore the Sky Mother through the air to the cloud-sea. They placed her on the island on the turtle's back. There the Sky Mother had rested some time, when she felt something stirring beneath her heart. She heard voices. One was soft and kind and full of love, the other was harsh and quarrelsome.
Soon the Sky Mother looked into the faces of the first-born of earth, for she had borne the twin brothers, the spirits of Good and Evil. As she looked into the face of the Good Mind, she said, "You shall be called the Light One."
Then she looked into the face of his brother, and said, "You shall be named the Dark One."
The island became a beautiful land.
The twin brother Light One grew up happy, loving, peaceful, and kind. He wanted to make the new land the most beautiful place in which to live. The twin brother Dark One grew up sullen, quarrelsome, hateful, and unkind. He tried to make the land the worst place in which to live.
From his mother's beautiful face the Light One made the sun. He set it in the eastern sky, that it might shine forever. Then the Dark One put darknessin the west to drive the sun from the sky.
The Light One gave his mother's body to the earth, the Great Mother from which springs all life. He made great mountains, and covered them with forests from which beautiful rivers ran. The Dark One threw down the mountains, gnarled the forests, and bent the rivers which his brother had made.
Every beautiful thing which the good brother Light One made, the bad brother Dark One tried to destroy and ruin.
And because the first-born of earth were the twin spirits, the Good Mind and the Evil Mind, there has been a good and bad spirit born into every boy and girl who has come into the world since.
So the Indians say!
There was once an Indian boy, who thought he knew more and could do more than anyone else. He was so proud of himself that he walked around like a great chief, who wears a war shirt with many scalp locks on it.
The other Indian boys and girls called him Spread Feather, because he strutted about like a big turkey or a peacock.
One day, Spread Feather was playing ball with the other boys. Not once had he failed to drive or catch the ball with his crosse stick. Twice he had thrown the ball with such force that some one had been hurt.
Spread Feather grew more and more pleased with himself, as he played. He began to use tricks and to talk very large.
Spread Feather grew more and more pleased with himself
raquets
"No one can play ball as I," he said. "I can catch the swiftest ball that can be thrown. I can throw the ball to the sky. I can run faster than the deer."
Spread Feather boasted so loudly that a rabbit heard him. The rabbit came out of the bushes and sat up on his hind legs. He watched Spread Feather play, and listened to his boasting.
Soon a strange boy was standing where the rabbit had sat.
The stranger said to Spread Feather, "I would like to play ball with you."
"Come on, then!" taunted the boastful boy. "Spread Feather will show the strange ball player how to catch a ball."
They began to play.
The stranger could run like a deer. His balls were so swift and so curved that Spread Feather could not see them. He could not catch one. They seemed to come from the sky.
At last one ball hit Spread Feather on the mouth. He fell to the ground. His face was red with anger, and his lips were red with blood.
He sprang to his feet and shouted to the stranger, "Though I do not like the taste of your ball, yet I can throw you."
"Very well, then," said the stranger. "We will have a game of 'Catch as catch can.'" This is the Indian name for a game of wrestling.
Spread Feather set his feet very hard on the ground.
"My legs are as strong as the legs of a bear," he boasted.
They began to wrestle. Soon Spread Feather's arms fell at his sides. He panted for air. He had no breath and no strength.
The stranger picked Spread Feather up and tossed him over his head like a ball. The boy fell without a word.
When Spread Feather opened his eyes, a rabbit sprang into the bushes.
All night, Spread Feather lay and thought, and thought. He was too weak and too sore to go back to his wigwam. Nor was he eager to meet the other boys.
At sunrise a rabbit hopped near. The rabbit slyly suggested that he might like to play another game of ball.
The boy sat up and said to the rabbit, "Spread Feather is no more. He no longer struts like a turkey. He has nothing to say. He will win a new name. It will not be Spread Feather."
The land was lean and hungry. The Old Man of the North Lodge had breathed upon the valley. His breath had frozen the corn, and there was no bread for the people.
The Indian hunters took to the chase. They followed every track of deer or rabbit. If their arrows brought them meat, they threw it over their shoulders and ran to the village, that the hungry women and children might eat.
But one Indian remained in his wigwam. He sat by the fire with his wife and child, and waited for the hunters to bring game.
This man refused to go on the hunt. He was lazy. All day he sat by the fire and smoked his pipe. Once in a while, he would stir the water in the kettlewhich he kept boiling for the meat that he hoped the hunters might bring. Whenever the child, his little son, begged him for food, he would say, "It isn't done yet."
At last the little Indian boy grew so sick and faint for want of food that he cried aloud.