The birds and beasts were glad to accept the invitation. A large company
arrived.
The woodpecker was the first to taste the food. He began to eat
greedily, for he was very hungry.
When he put the meat into his mouth, it turned to ashes.
The woodpecker began to cough. "This is very impolite; I must not let
Manitou hear me cough," thought he.
The fox was the next to taste the meat. It turned to ashes, and he began
to cough.
All the other guests began to cough as soon as they had tasted the meat.
They tried very hard not to let Manitou hear them.
They kept on tasting, but the more they tasted the harder they coughed.
At last Manitou became very angry.
"I will make you remember this," said he.
In an instant, the woodpecker, the fox, and all the other guests had
disappeared. In their place were many squirrels, running up and down the
trees and coughing as squirrels always do when taken by surprise.
To this day, squirrels do not eat meat, but instead they nibble acorns
and nuts.
"If you have sharp eyes," added the grandmother, "you will find hollow
places in the trees, where the squirrels hide their acorns and nuts."