_Cree_
Once Wisagatcak killed a bear; then he skinned it, and cut it in
pieces, and cooked all of them. While he was cooking, he looked up
and saw Muskrat in the river. Now the bear’s grease would not
harden, so Wisagatcak told Muskrat to swim through the water with
it. Muskrat did so, and when he returned Wisagatcak made his tail
much thinner and smaller. Muskrat formerly had a broad, fleshy tail
like Beaver’s, and it was a great annoyance to him.
“Now see how fast you can go,” said Wisagatcak. Muskrat jumped into
the river and swam so rapidly that he broke the grease bladder which
he still carried. All the grease and oil came out. That is why
Muskrat leaves such a smooth, oily wake when he swims.