give him one; he puts it where it is hot in the ashes; in several
minutes he takes it out; it is a well made and excellent bag. So they
think it over; then all cook theirs; when they take them out, all are
scorched and burnt; all are spoiled. So again he goes away.
* * * * *
Then he comes to a big river; he does not know how to cross it. Here
while looking around on the shore of the river, he sees an old
_wiwilmekw_ like a horned big alligator; blind. Raccoon says to him:
"grandfather, ferry me over the lake;"--"Certainly, grandson, only (get)
on my back." Then he starts off. The crows and the big ravens begin to
mock them; "What do these birds say?" asks (the worm). They say:
"Quickly hurry that raccoon over for your life." But the worm does not
see the shore; he is nearing it very closely. So he dashes forward; he
runs himself half into the river bank. The raccoon jumps off. What
befalls him (_wiwilmekw_) further, the raccoon cares nothing about
(knows nothing about).
So he goes on; he comes to some blackberries. He says to them: "Would
you agree with me, if I ate you?"--"We should agree badly with you
Raccoon, because we are all choke-berries."--"Then I do not want you."
He still goes on further; he finds bushes of itch-berries: "now how
would you agree with me, if I ate you?"--"We should make you itch, for
we are all itch-berries;"--"Ah, then this is just what I want," he
answers; he eats them. So he eats his fill (and) goes on. But soon he
begins to feel badly, as if he were tormented by things which irritate
him. Then he scratches and scratches; it does not help him (save him).
So he finds a ragged rock where he rubs up and down until (the hair)
comes off his arse. Even until now until this day, it is seen that the
raccoon is without hair (on his arse).
Here then is the end.
* * * * *