[Contents]XXVI.THE NORTH STAR(Ojibway)Three Ojibway hunters had been out hunting for meat many days; it was in a new place. The woods were very thick, but there were no deer in them. The hunters had nothing to eat; they had no water, for there was none; they were lost in the thick forest.The hunters sat down and smoked the pipe of peace. They offered the smoke to the manitous who might live in the woods. They asked the manitous to help them. The day sun was gone and there was no night sun.The chief covered his head with his blanket and chanted:“Our wigwams will see us no more. We will stay here forever. We can go no further.”A little pukwudjinnie came out of a hollow tree when the chief had chanted his story. The Little One was like a little papoose, but he was very old and knew very much.[158]He said: “I will help the hunters. I will show you the trail.”He pulled the thick bushes apart, and the hunters followed. He found the trail and soon came upon a herd of deer feeding in the bush. The hunters shot two deer and ate much meat; they were stronger after they had eaten the meat. The Little One did not eat; he was not hungry.There was no rain, and the hunters had no water; they lost their strength and could not walk on the trail. The pukwudjinnie left them; then the hunters put their blankets over their heads and sat down. They said no words. They could not smoke the pipe of peace, for their strength was all gone.The Little One came back with a deerskin full of drink for them; he poured it into their mouths; it was not water; it was like no drink they ever had before. They became very strong and wanted nothing more to eat or to drink for more than one moon.He led them on a long trail, to the land of his Little People; he took them to his own chief. The chief was like a little papoose, but he knew all the trails in the forest. He knew all the trails in the sky.The little chief showed the Ojibway chief the star in the north, the star that never moves. The little chief showed them how to watch this star and not lose[159]their trail. He found their lost trail for them and sent them home.The three hunters came back to their own wigwams. They talked in the council and showed their people the star that never moves.Other nations and tribes know this star now, but the Ojibways believe that their people were the first to know where to find it in the Great Blue Wigwam, and that the Little People were told of its worth when their home was on the Evening Star.[160]
[Contents]XXVI.THE NORTH STAR(Ojibway)Three Ojibway hunters had been out hunting for meat many days; it was in a new place. The woods were very thick, but there were no deer in them. The hunters had nothing to eat; they had no water, for there was none; they were lost in the thick forest.The hunters sat down and smoked the pipe of peace. They offered the smoke to the manitous who might live in the woods. They asked the manitous to help them. The day sun was gone and there was no night sun.The chief covered his head with his blanket and chanted:“Our wigwams will see us no more. We will stay here forever. We can go no further.”A little pukwudjinnie came out of a hollow tree when the chief had chanted his story. The Little One was like a little papoose, but he was very old and knew very much.[158]He said: “I will help the hunters. I will show you the trail.”He pulled the thick bushes apart, and the hunters followed. He found the trail and soon came upon a herd of deer feeding in the bush. The hunters shot two deer and ate much meat; they were stronger after they had eaten the meat. The Little One did not eat; he was not hungry.There was no rain, and the hunters had no water; they lost their strength and could not walk on the trail. The pukwudjinnie left them; then the hunters put their blankets over their heads and sat down. They said no words. They could not smoke the pipe of peace, for their strength was all gone.The Little One came back with a deerskin full of drink for them; he poured it into their mouths; it was not water; it was like no drink they ever had before. They became very strong and wanted nothing more to eat or to drink for more than one moon.He led them on a long trail, to the land of his Little People; he took them to his own chief. The chief was like a little papoose, but he knew all the trails in the forest. He knew all the trails in the sky.The little chief showed the Ojibway chief the star in the north, the star that never moves. The little chief showed them how to watch this star and not lose[159]their trail. He found their lost trail for them and sent them home.The three hunters came back to their own wigwams. They talked in the council and showed their people the star that never moves.Other nations and tribes know this star now, but the Ojibways believe that their people were the first to know where to find it in the Great Blue Wigwam, and that the Little People were told of its worth when their home was on the Evening Star.[160]
[Contents]XXVI.THE NORTH STAR(Ojibway)Three Ojibway hunters had been out hunting for meat many days; it was in a new place. The woods were very thick, but there were no deer in them. The hunters had nothing to eat; they had no water, for there was none; they were lost in the thick forest.The hunters sat down and smoked the pipe of peace. They offered the smoke to the manitous who might live in the woods. They asked the manitous to help them. The day sun was gone and there was no night sun.The chief covered his head with his blanket and chanted:“Our wigwams will see us no more. We will stay here forever. We can go no further.”A little pukwudjinnie came out of a hollow tree when the chief had chanted his story. The Little One was like a little papoose, but he was very old and knew very much.[158]He said: “I will help the hunters. I will show you the trail.”He pulled the thick bushes apart, and the hunters followed. He found the trail and soon came upon a herd of deer feeding in the bush. The hunters shot two deer and ate much meat; they were stronger after they had eaten the meat. The Little One did not eat; he was not hungry.There was no rain, and the hunters had no water; they lost their strength and could not walk on the trail. The pukwudjinnie left them; then the hunters put their blankets over their heads and sat down. They said no words. They could not smoke the pipe of peace, for their strength was all gone.The Little One came back with a deerskin full of drink for them; he poured it into their mouths; it was not water; it was like no drink they ever had before. They became very strong and wanted nothing more to eat or to drink for more than one moon.He led them on a long trail, to the land of his Little People; he took them to his own chief. The chief was like a little papoose, but he knew all the trails in the forest. He knew all the trails in the sky.The little chief showed the Ojibway chief the star in the north, the star that never moves. The little chief showed them how to watch this star and not lose[159]their trail. He found their lost trail for them and sent them home.The three hunters came back to their own wigwams. They talked in the council and showed their people the star that never moves.Other nations and tribes know this star now, but the Ojibways believe that their people were the first to know where to find it in the Great Blue Wigwam, and that the Little People were told of its worth when their home was on the Evening Star.[160]
XXVI.THE NORTH STAR
(Ojibway)Three Ojibway hunters had been out hunting for meat many days; it was in a new place. The woods were very thick, but there were no deer in them. The hunters had nothing to eat; they had no water, for there was none; they were lost in the thick forest.The hunters sat down and smoked the pipe of peace. They offered the smoke to the manitous who might live in the woods. They asked the manitous to help them. The day sun was gone and there was no night sun.The chief covered his head with his blanket and chanted:“Our wigwams will see us no more. We will stay here forever. We can go no further.”A little pukwudjinnie came out of a hollow tree when the chief had chanted his story. The Little One was like a little papoose, but he was very old and knew very much.[158]He said: “I will help the hunters. I will show you the trail.”He pulled the thick bushes apart, and the hunters followed. He found the trail and soon came upon a herd of deer feeding in the bush. The hunters shot two deer and ate much meat; they were stronger after they had eaten the meat. The Little One did not eat; he was not hungry.There was no rain, and the hunters had no water; they lost their strength and could not walk on the trail. The pukwudjinnie left them; then the hunters put their blankets over their heads and sat down. They said no words. They could not smoke the pipe of peace, for their strength was all gone.The Little One came back with a deerskin full of drink for them; he poured it into their mouths; it was not water; it was like no drink they ever had before. They became very strong and wanted nothing more to eat or to drink for more than one moon.He led them on a long trail, to the land of his Little People; he took them to his own chief. The chief was like a little papoose, but he knew all the trails in the forest. He knew all the trails in the sky.The little chief showed the Ojibway chief the star in the north, the star that never moves. The little chief showed them how to watch this star and not lose[159]their trail. He found their lost trail for them and sent them home.The three hunters came back to their own wigwams. They talked in the council and showed their people the star that never moves.Other nations and tribes know this star now, but the Ojibways believe that their people were the first to know where to find it in the Great Blue Wigwam, and that the Little People were told of its worth when their home was on the Evening Star.[160]
(Ojibway)
T
hree Ojibway hunters had been out hunting for meat many days; it was in a new place. The woods were very thick, but there were no deer in them. The hunters had nothing to eat; they had no water, for there was none; they were lost in the thick forest.
The hunters sat down and smoked the pipe of peace. They offered the smoke to the manitous who might live in the woods. They asked the manitous to help them. The day sun was gone and there was no night sun.
The chief covered his head with his blanket and chanted:
“Our wigwams will see us no more. We will stay here forever. We can go no further.”
A little pukwudjinnie came out of a hollow tree when the chief had chanted his story. The Little One was like a little papoose, but he was very old and knew very much.[158]
He said: “I will help the hunters. I will show you the trail.”
He pulled the thick bushes apart, and the hunters followed. He found the trail and soon came upon a herd of deer feeding in the bush. The hunters shot two deer and ate much meat; they were stronger after they had eaten the meat. The Little One did not eat; he was not hungry.
There was no rain, and the hunters had no water; they lost their strength and could not walk on the trail. The pukwudjinnie left them; then the hunters put their blankets over their heads and sat down. They said no words. They could not smoke the pipe of peace, for their strength was all gone.
The Little One came back with a deerskin full of drink for them; he poured it into their mouths; it was not water; it was like no drink they ever had before. They became very strong and wanted nothing more to eat or to drink for more than one moon.
He led them on a long trail, to the land of his Little People; he took them to his own chief. The chief was like a little papoose, but he knew all the trails in the forest. He knew all the trails in the sky.
The little chief showed the Ojibway chief the star in the north, the star that never moves. The little chief showed them how to watch this star and not lose[159]their trail. He found their lost trail for them and sent them home.
The three hunters came back to their own wigwams. They talked in the council and showed their people the star that never moves.
Other nations and tribes know this star now, but the Ojibways believe that their people were the first to know where to find it in the Great Blue Wigwam, and that the Little People were told of its worth when their home was on the Evening Star.[160]