Happy Christmas Holidays--Indians Made Glad with
Presents--Souwanas Tells How Nanahboozhoo Stole the
Fire from the Old Magician and Gave It to the Indians.
The Christmas holidays were times of innocent festivities and gladness
among the Indians and their white friends, both at the mission and at the
trading post.
The gifts which it was possible to give to the Indians were not of very
great value, but they were articles much needed and were always prized by
the recipients even if they were never very profuse in their words of
thanks. Minnehaha and Sagastao were wild with delight at these times, and
were eager to be the almoners of the mission, and carry the gifts to the
Indians whom they loved so well. The fact that the temperature of those
bright, cold Northern winters kept steadily many degrees below zero did not
chill their ardor nor lessen their enthusiasm. Their dog trains were in
almost constant demand, for they kept flying over the various icy trails
until in the different wigwams all had been remembered with some useful
gift.
Faithful Mary had made for them the warmest of fur and blanket suits.
Dressed in these, and tucked in among the robes in the cariole by their
careful driver, they sped along the trails. They made the woods echo with
their merry shouts and laughter--unless it was so bitterly cold that they
had to be completely covered up. It is not to be wondered at that there
were times when, on reaching some distant wigwam, there were little hard,
white spots on their cheeks or noses which told the watchful Indians that
the Frost King had been at work and that speedily those frostbites must be
removed. Little cared they for the momentary pain that ensued, when the
frozen parts were being thawed out. They were out for a good time, and they
had too much grit and courage to let such trifles as a few frostbites
disturb their happiness. The bright fires burning in the center of the
wigwams, or in the fireplaces at the end or side of the little Indian
houses, were of course always welcome after a long run in the bitter cold.
"Tell us, Souwanas," said Sagastao one very cold day, as they were gathered
around his wigwam fire, "how it was that Nanahboozhoo stole the fire from
those who were guarding it and gave it to the Indians."
"It must not be too long a story," said Minnehaha, "as we have yet to go to
the wigwam of Kinnesasis, Little Fish, with his presents, and it would be
too bad to be late when they know we are coming."
So Souwanas pledged himself to make the story as short as he could without
spoiling it, and then, after a few more whiffs from his beloved calumet, he
began:
"It was long ago, when there were fewer people in the forests and on the
prairies than now. They did not have as many comforts as they have now, and
one of the rarest things among them was fire. Sometimes when the
lightning's flash set a tree on fire they would have it for a little while,
but they did not seem to be able to keep it going, and they were often very
cold and generally had to eat their food without cooking it.
"Nanahboozhoo was then still living with his grandmother, Nokomis, and was
sorry to see that she often suffered from the cold and that the food was
miserable because it was not cooked. So he set his wits to work and decided
that something must be done. As he should now have to deal with the Muche
Munedoos, evil spirits, he had to be very careful. He put himself in
various disguises and at length he heard all about how the coyote had
stolen some of the fire from the watchers in the underground world, who
possess enormous quantities of it. It frightened him a little when he heard
that there was so much fire in the world under us, but he was not apt to be
afraid very long and so as he went on searching, and on the sly listening
to the talks of windegoos and others, he found that the fire for which he
had been so long searching was in the possession of a fierce old medicine
warrior who guarded it with the greatest care. Those who had employed the
coyote to get it had intrusted its keeping to him. In those days they had
an idea that fire was such a dangerous thing that it would be almost
certain destruction to the race if it was given to all. This old warrior
had his two daughters, who were great, fierce women, to assist him in
guarding the fire.
"Several attempts had been made to steal the fire ere Nanahboozhoo resolved
to see what he could do. All of these other efforts had failed, and the
parties who tried them were killed. Nokomis heard of these unsuccessful
attempts and tried to dissuade her grandson, Nanahboozhoo, from such a
dangerous enterprise.
"Nanahboozhoo, however, was a very skillful fellow, and although this was
one of his first great undertakings, for it was long ago, he was not to be
stopped by her fears, and so away he went. As the ice was not yet on the
waters he took his birch canoe and paddled eastward as far as he could.
Then he hid his canoe where he could easily find it on his return.
"The next thing he did was to transform himself into a rabbit, and in that
shape he hurried on until he saw in the distance the sacred wigwam where
dwelt the old guardian of the fire and his two daughters, who were famous
for their height and their strength. To excite the pity of these daughters
Nanahboozhoo jumped into some water, and then crawling out, wet and cold,
he slowly approached the wigwam. Here the two daughters found him, and he
looked so miserable that they took pity on him and at once carried him into
the wigwam and set him down near the sacred fire, that he might soon get
warm and dry."
[Illustration: "Where the fire was stolen out of the center of the earth."]
"How very kind that was of the old man's daughters," said Minnehaha.
"I don't know about that," said the more matter-of-fact Sagastao; "folks
sometimes get into trouble by taking up everything that comes along.
Remember that old rascal that humbugged father."
But Souwanas, remembering his promise, adroitly shunted off the youngsters
and resumed his story.
"The two girls, after seeing how contented and happy the rabbit seemed to
be as it warmed itself by the fire, again returned to their duties in
different parts of the large wigwam. The rabbit soon after hopped a little
nearer to the fire, that he might be able to seize hold of a burning stick
or brand, but as he moved the ground shook and trembled under him so that
it awoke the old man, who had fallen into a heavy sleep. Thus disturbed, he
called out to his daughters in alarm:
"'My daughters, what was it that caused the ground to tremble?'
"The girls replied that they did not know. They had done nothing beyond
their usual work except to bring in to warm a poor little shivering
half-frozen rabbit that they had found outside. At first the old man was a
little suspicious and, rolling over, he took a good look at Nanahboozhoo.
But he had made himself into such a poor little wretched half-drowned
rabbit that the old man's suspicions were completely dispelled, and he
turned over again and went to sleep.
"Nanahboozhoo was pleased to hear the old man snoring again, and he only
waited now until the two girls should both be busy in the wigwam on the
opposite side from the door; then he suddenly changed himself into a fleet
young Indian runner, and quickly seizing hold of a burning stick he dashed
out of the wigwam and away he rushed toward the place where he had left his
canoe.
"Of course there was instant pursuit. The two daughters, although they were
magicians, like their father, well knew that they would be punished by the
superior evil spirits if they allowed any of the sacred fire to be stolen,
and they were furious at the cunning and deceitful Nanahboozhoo, whom they
now recognized, for playing such a trick upon them. Shouting to their
father, to arouse him, they immediately ran after the retreating
Nanahboozhoo, who with the burning brand in his hand was speeding rapidly
over the trail. But, fleet as he was, he soon discovered that the two
girls, by their magic, were rapidly gaining upon him. They were the
fleetest of runners, even if they were girls, and it was for that reason
that they and their father were intrusted with the sacred fire. Great
honors were to be theirs if they guarded it to the satisfaction of those
who had intrusted it to them, while, on the other hand, great would be
their disgrace if they failed in their duty.
"When they found that they were gaining on Nanahboozhoo, and were likely
to regain possession of the firebrand, with shouts and threats they
declared that severe indeed would be his punishment, when he fell into
their hands, for his abuse of their kindness and his trickery.
"Nanahboozhoo felt that he was indeed in a tight place. He did not,
however, intend to be overtaken, and he sped on, if possible faster than
ever, until there was only a large dried-up, barren meadow between him and
the spot where he had tied his canoe on the shore of the lake. The girls
were only a few hundred yards behind him, and he resolved to fight them
with this sacred fire. So, as he rapidly continued his flight, he plunged
the now blazing firebrand into the dry grass, here and there, on each side
of the trail. The wind was in his face, and it carried back the fierce
blaze and dense black smoke and not only quickly hid him from the sight of
his pursuers but also made it very dangerous for them to follow him.
"Nanahboozhoo thus succeeded in reaching his canoe, and fixing the burning
brand in one end of the boat he was soon rapidly paddling over the waters
toward his distant home. The flying sparks of the torch burnt him badly in
several places, but he did not much mind this, and he dared not stop to
dress his wounds for fear that his pursuers would yet overtake him.
"Fortunately he succeeded in reaching his distant home. There at the shore
to welcome his return was Nokomis, who had been full of anxiety about him.
She carefully dressed his burnt face and hands and gladly received the gift
of the fire, which has been such a blessing to the Indians ever since.
"At first there was a good deal of trouble among the Indians to keep the
fire burning. Sometimes the watchers appointed to look after it, especially
in the summer months, would forget to add fresh fuel, or would go to sleep
and neglect it. Then they would have to send off to some perhaps distant
wigwam, where the people had been more careful, and secure some live coals
from them.
"Nanahboozhoo was troubled about this. He feared that if it were allowed to
die out at the same time in all of the wigwams he might not be so
successful again if he had to try to get a fresh supply from the fierce old
man and his now wrathful daughters. So he went out into the woods and at
length a good spirit came to him in a dream and told him of various ways in
which the fire could be obtained. He showed him how it could be made, by
rapid friction, with dry sticks. Another way he revealed to him was by the
striking together of a flint stone and a piece of iron; sparks of fire
could thus be produced which, caught in punk, would soon become a blaze. So
now the Indians do not have to cover up the fires as they were formerly
obliged to do; thanks to Nanahboozhoo's dreams, they can make it fresh
whenever they want it."
"Hurrah for Nanahboozhoo for his good work this time!" said Sagastao.
"Well, I think he was a mean fellow, to so fool those two nice girls who
took him in and warmed him when he was a poor little wet shivering rabbit!"
said Minnehaha.
"Took him in?" the lad retorted. "Well, I guess it was well he was able to
take them in as he did, by setting fire to that old grass in the meadow,
for if he had not done so they would soon have had his scalp."
But here Minnehaha appealed to Souwanas, and said:
"I have been wondering how it was the old man and his daughters got the
fire in the first place from out of the underground. Will you not tell us
that story some time?"
The old man looked grave and was silent for a minute or two, then he
replied:
"I think you had better ask Kinnesasis. He knows the story better than I
do, for in his youth he traveled far West, into the land of the high
mountains, where the legend is that the fire was stolen out of the center
of the earth."
"All right. Thank you, Souwanas. We are going to take Kinnesasis some
presents, and while there we will ask him for the story."
Here an Indian lad rushed into the wigwam with the word that Kennedy was
coming with their cariole. The children were well wrapped up, and soon with
their usual happy, "Wat cheer! Wat cheer!" they were speeding homeward.