I now speak of two Chippeway hunters, who lived among the Porcupine
mountains, near Lake Superior. They were the oldest sons of two
brothers, and noted in their village for the warm friendship existing
between them, and for their powers in hunting. They were very famous
throughout the land, and into whatever village they happened to enter,
the old men asked them to remain and marry their handsome women, but the
hunters laughed at all such proposals, for they had pledged their words
to each other that they would ever remain single and free.
It was when the leaves were fading, that the young cousins heard of a
great hunt which was to take place in a distant village. It was got up
by an old warrior, who was the father of a beautiful daughter, and he
had determined that the most successful hunter should become his
son-in-law. This intelligence had been conveyed to the cousins in a
secret manner, and on departing from their own village, they spoke not a
word of their determination. In due time the hunt took place, and an
immense quantity of game was taken. Some of the hunters brought home two
bears, some three and four deer, but the two cousins captured each five
bears. As no one man had eclipsed his fellows, it was resolved by the
old warrior that the man who should bring to his lodge the scalps of ten
bears, should be the successful candidate for the hand of his daughter.
Another hunt took place, and each of the cousins brought in, not only
the scalps of ten full grown bears, but also a large quantity of choice
meats, which they deposited at the tent door of the chief. The
difficulty of making a selection was now even greater than before, but
the truth was, the young friends had no desire to marry the beautiful
girl, but were only anxious to manifest their bravery, or rather
wonderful expertness in killing wild animals. Their singular conduct
astonished everybody, but mostly the venerable warrior and his favorite
daughter.
The important question must be decided, however, and the old man
resorted to a number of expedients to decide upon a future son-in-law.
The first was that the two cousins should enter upon a wrestling
match—they did so, and the twain fell to the ground at the same moment.
The next was that they should try their agility in leaping over a
suspended stick, but in this trial they also came out exactly even. The
third was, that they shoot their arrows at a pair of humming birds, and
the maker of the best shot to be the lady’s husband; the arrows were
thrown, and the right wing of each bird was broken. The fourth expedient
was that they should go upon a squirrel hunt—they did so, and each one
returned with just exactly one hundred of those sprightly creatures. It
now came to pass, and was whispered about the village, that one of the
cousins had really become interested in the girl who was the innocent
cause of so much contention, and when her father found this out, he
resolved to make one more experiment. He therefore commanded the young
men to kill each a specimen of the _ke necoh_ or war-eagle, and the one
who should present her with the greatest number of perfectly formed
feathers, would be welcomed as a relative. The trial was made and the
whole number of feathers obtained was twenty-one, the odd feather having
been gained by the enamored cousin. The girl was of course awarded to
him in due time, but what was the surprise of all the villagers, when it
was proclaimed that he would not receive the prize unless the young men
of the tribe should first build him a handsome lodge and furnish it with
the choicest of meats and skins. At this suggestion the young men were
greatly enraged, but they concluded, in consideration of their
admiration for the Indian girl, to change their minds, and forthwith
proceeded to erect the new lodge.
In the meanwhile, it was ascertained that the unlucky cousin had become
somewhat offended at his companion, whereupon the accepted lover joined
the other in a bear hunt for the purpose of effecting a reconciliation.
It so happened, however, that the existing coldness between them could
not be removed, and while the twain were toiling up a remote hill with
the view of encamping for the night, the disappointed cousin was
suddenly transformed into a large fire-fly, and having ascended into the
air, immediately experienced another change, and became what is now
known as the Northern Star. The remaining cousin felt himself severely
punished by this abandonment for having broken his vow, and therefore
became an exile from his native land and led a comfortless and solitary
life; while the maiden whom he was to wed, it is said, is still waiting
patiently, but in vain, for the return of her long lost lover.