but it grew worse and worse as first one and then another ate of the
meat.
At length there was such a deafening noise in the wigwam, caused by
the chorus of coughing and strangling from so many throats great and
small, that Manabozho picked up a club in pretended anger. Threatening
them with it, he drove them out of doors, where he changed them all to
squirrels.
And that, the Indians tell us, is the reason that the squirrel coughs.
WHY THE FROGS CROAK
(Algonquin)
“MO-O-O-O-RE, mo-o-o-o-re!” croaked a big frog in the marshes. “’Tis
enough, ’tis enough, ’tis enough!” answered a smaller frog.
But the big frog called again, “Mo-o-o-o-re, mo-o-o-o-re!” And again
the smaller frog answered, “’Tis enough! ’Tis enough!”
“What is it the frogs are quarreling about, grandmother?” asked a
little Indian girl, and the grandmother replied, “About the water, I
suppose.”
“Why do they quarrel about the water? Is it a story, grandmother?”
“Yes,” said the grandmother, “it is a story. Listen and I will tell it
to you!
“In the long-time-ago all the waters of the land were tied up. The
Indian people grew thirsty, and more thirsty. Their fields were drying
up. The flowers withered. The people said, ‘We shall die!’
“Then there came to one of the villages the giant, Rabbit, and he
said, ‘What is this I hear about the waters being tied up?’
“The Chief answered, ‘For many days there has been no water. The
streams are empty. No little rivers come down the mountain side. Our
corn is drying up. Our people’s throats are parched.’
“The giant, Rabbit, said, ‘I will go into the mountains and see who
has tied up the water.’ Then he strode away, taking such great steps
that he was out of sight in a moment.
“Up the mountain went the giant, and when he came to the top he found
a tribe of men there, and they had tied up the water so that it stood
in great pools which had grown green and slimy, because it was no
longer fresh.
“‘What are you doing with the water?’ asked the Rabbit, and his voice
rolled down the mountain like thunder. ‘Do you not know that the
tribes below you are dying for want of it?’
“The Chief of the strange tribe came out to answer the Rabbit. He was
fat and ugly, and his back was covered with green slime from the pool.
[Illustration: “HE WAS FAT AND UGLY, AND HIS BACK WAS COVERED WITH
GREEN SLIME FROM THE POOL”]
“‘We need the water for ourselves. It was running away down the
mountain, so we stopped it,’ said the Chief.
“Rabbit reached out and caught the Chief by the back of his neck and
shook him. The giant’s grasp was strong, and the Chief’s eyes bulged
from his head, and he swelled up till he was puffed out all over, from
trying to get his breath.
“‘So shall you look, you and all your tribe, hereafter,’ said Rabbit,
holding him off and looking at him. Then he threw him into the green
pool, and all his tribe with him.
“After that Rabbit untied the water, and all the little streams began
to flow down the mountain. Our people, at the foot of the mountain,
saw them coming, and they gave thanks to the Great Spirit, because he
had helped the giant, Rabbit, to give them water again, that they
might live.
“The tribe at the top of the mountain became frogs, as you see them
now, and they have traveled to many parts of the land; but wherever
they go they keep on quarreling about the water, as you have heard
them this day.”
THE ROCK OF THE MEASURING WORM
EL CAPITÁN, IN THE YOSEMITE
(California Tribes)
TWO small Indian boys were seated before the tepee fashioning bows and
arrows.
“Mine is not good!” exclaimed one of the boys, throwing aside the
stick with which he had been working. “Besides, I am tired of sitting
still. Let us go for a swim in the river.”
Away they dashed, running swiftly, as the Indian child is taught to
run. Into the water they jumped, swimming, diving, splashing, and
stopping now and then for a water battle.
At length they had had enough of the water, so out upon the bank they
came.
“Let us climb upon this rock to dry ourselves. Its top is flat, and
the sun is warm upon it.”
So they climbed upon the flat rock, and in a few moments both boys
were fast asleep. Then a strange thing began to occur. The rock slowly
and gradually commenced to stretch itself up, up, up, higher, and
higher, and higher. And the boys continued to sleep.
Taller, and taller grew the rock, carrying the boys upward on its flat
surface until at last their faces were bathed by the clouds that
floated in the sky. And still they slept.
For many moons they slept; for a whole snow.
In the meantime the people of their village missed them and began to
search. They searched by the river, and in the forest, but no one
could find the missing boys. There was great sorrow in the village.
None of the people knew of the great rock. Only the animals knew.
Then one day the animals came together, and they said, “What is to be
done? The people are sorrowing because of the boys that are lost. Can
we not return them to their friends?”
So the animals decided to try to get the boys off the great rock.
“You are littlest,” said the lion to the mouse, “you try first.”
So the mouse made ready and sprang as high as she could up the side of
the rock. Just a hand-breadth she jumped, and fell back into the
valley.
So the rat tried next, and he made a mighty effort, and jumped two
hand-breadths, and then he too fell back into the valley.
Alter that every sort of animal jumped in turn, the otter, and the
badger, the fox, and the wolf, and the bear, and though each one
jumped as high as he could, he jumped only against the side of the
rock, and went tumbling back into the valley.
Last of all came the lion. With a mighty roar he sprang--but it was of
no use: he too struck the side of the great rock and fell back with
the others.
They were about to give up and go back to their homes in the river and
in the forest, when a tiny measuring-worm came creeping over the
grass. “By your leave,” she said quite humbly, addressing the lion, “I
should like to try and see what I can do.”
“Ho-ho,” laughed all the animals together. “Ho-ho!”
But without waiting for their consent, the measuring-worm made her way
slowly to the foot of the great rock, and then, little by little,
little by little, she drew herself up, up, up the side of the mighty
rock.
Up, and up, and up she went, until she was lost to sight of the
animals waiting below.
At last she reached the top, and drew herself over the edge. And there
lay the two boys, still sleeping.
Then the measuring-worm took the two boys, and started back. She
climbed with them down the side of the rock, little by little, down,
and down, and down.
At last she came within sight of the waiting animals.
Down, and down still she climbed until she was in their midst.
So mighty was the noise made by the assembled animals that it wakened
the sleeping boys, and brought the men and women of the village to the
foot of the great rock.
And so the boys were restored to their people.
But the great rock with its almost perpendicular sides stands to-day,
lofty and imposing.
HOW THE FLYING SQUIRREL GOT HIS WINGS
(Iroquois)
LONG ago, in the Indian country, Nuk-da-go was chief of the squirrel
tribe. One day he was passing through the woods to see how all the
little squirrels were faring, and how they prospered in laying up
their store of nuts for the winter.
Now when Nuk-da-go went about the woods he often made himself
invisible, for by this means he heard and saw many things which would
not have been said or done if the woods people had known that he was
near.
On this day Nuk-da-go chanced to pass by the home of a little
squirrel, Jo-nis-gy-ont, who had worked very hard all the autumn
laying up nuts for his winter’s food.
Little Jo-nis-gy-ont lived all alone in a hollow tree close beside a
great pine. On one side, near the edge of a bit of marsh, lived
Brother Frog, and on the other side, under some rocks near the pine,
lived Brother Woodchuck.
Now for some days Jo-nis-gy-ont had been noticing that his stock of
nuts, instead of growing bigger, was growing smaller, though he worked
hard every day.
The big hickory-nut tree, from which he carried his stores, was a
half-hour’s journey away from the hollow tree. To be sure, there were
acorns and cone seeds much nearer home, but, as every one knows, the
hickory nut is the sweetest nut of the woods.
But of late, when Jo-nis-gy-ont returned from one of his long trips
with his cheeks bulging with hickory nuts, he would find _fewer_ nuts
in his storehouse in the hollow tree than he had left there when he
started away. Little Jo-nis-gy-ont had his own ideas, but he thought
it best to be frank and friendly.
One evening, as he and Brother Frog and Brother Woodchuck were sitting
at the doors of their houses, little Brother Squirrel said,
“Neighbors, I have found that there is a thief about. My store of nuts
is being robbed.” Then he looked hard at Brother Frog and Brother
Woodchuck--for in those days, you must know, the frog tribe and the
woodchuck tribe were also eaters of nuts.
[Illustration: “LITTLE JO-NIS-GY-ONT HAD HIS OWN IDEAS”]
Brother Frog tried to look very much surprised as he said, “Who would
be so mean as to steal from little Jo-nis-gy-ont’s store of hickory
nuts? Such a thing would be a shame!” Then he managed to squeeze two
big tears from his eyes and let them roll slowly down his fat cheeks.
And Brother Woodchuck said, “Surely no one in the forest would steal
from you, little Brother Squirrel! There must be some mistake. Should
I see any robber taking your store of nuts, it would go hard with
him!”
But little Jo-nis-gy-ont had his own ideas still,--and so did
Nuk-da-go, chief of the squirrel tribe, who was listening, unseen.
That night Nuk-da-go came back to the forest to look into the matter.
He found little Jo-nis-gy-ont fast asleep; and down beside the rocks,
where Brother Woodchuck had his home, he could see the dirt flying
fast. Brother Woodchuck was digging for dear life. Nuk-da-go watched,
and as soon as the hole was big enough, Brother Woodchuck began
filling it with hickory nuts. Then he ran to the hollow tree, and in a
few minutes was back with more nuts, which he dropped into the hole
and covered carefully from sight.
Then Nuk-da-go went over to the edge of the marsh, where there was a
stirring in the thick moss. Nuk-da-go watched. Soon he saw Brother
Frog carefully lifting the moss, while he pushed under it a quantity
of hickory nuts. Then Brother Frog hopped away in the direction of the
hollow tree, and soon he was back, with his cheeks bulging. Then he
dropped more hickory nuts, which he pushed carefully under the moss.
“The hickory-nut tree is a half-hour’s journey away,” said the wise
Nuk-da-go. “I will look into this matter further.”
The next day Nuk-da-go went about among all the forest people and told
them that little Jo-nis-gy-ont’s store of nuts was being robbed.
“Shall we call a council?” he asked. “Shall we bring all the forest
people together to find out who is the robber?”
And all the forest people said, “Yes, yes.”
That night the council was held, and all the forest people came except
Brother Frog and Brother Woodchuck, who begged to be excused.
“No one can be excused from the council,” declared Nuk-da-go, who had
been appointed Chief. “Jo-nis-gy-ont, as you are their nearest
neighbor, I appoint you to go and bring them.”
Jo-nis-gy-ont hastened back, but when he told his errand, Brother Frog
jumped far out into the marsh and pretended not to hear, and Brother
Woodchuck slipped into his home under the rocks, out of sight.
But Nuk-da-go would be obeyed, so he went after them himself, and,
being Chief of the Council and Chief of the tribe, Brother Frog and
Brother Woodchuck had to come out when he called them, and they
followed him along to the council, looking very meek and very mean
indeed.
Then Nuk-da-go stood up before all the woods people and told them why
he had called them together, and what he had seen. And when he had
finished telling them about little Jo-nis-gy-ont’s store of nuts, and
about the nuts that were under the rocks, and under the moss, the
woods people looked at Brother Frog and Brother Woodchuck and they
said, “We will go and look into this, too.”
So all the company of woods people went to the hollow tree near the
pine and looked at Jo-nis-gy-ont’s poor little pile of nuts. Then they
went and uncovered the nuts by the rock, and the nuts that were tucked
beneath the moss. Then they looked at Brother Woodchuck and Brother
Frog, and asked, “What have you to say?”
But Brother Woodchuck and Brother Frog hadn’t a word to say! They just
looked mean, and ashamed.
Then the woods people decided that Nuk-da-go should be the judge. So
he told Brother Frog to sit before him, and he said, “I pronounce you
guilty of stealing your neighbor’s nuts, and you must be punished. You
are fat and lazy. Your food flies past your door, and you have only to
put out your tongue and catch it. Your little neighbor has to travel
far for his food. You sleep all winter and have no need to store
supplies. Jo-nis-gy-ont stays awake, and must eat. So your crime is
doubly bad, and this shall be your punishment: Hereafter you shall not
be able to eat nuts, for you shall lose all your teeth. Go to your
home now, and steal no more.”
Brother Frog hopped away, very sad and very much ashamed, and with the
first hop every one of his teeth dropped out,--and the frog tribe have
had no teeth from that day to this.
Then Nuk-da-go turned to Brother Woodchuck, and said, “You, too, are
found guilty of stealing your neighbor’s nuts, and you shall be
punished. Like Brother Frog, you are fat and lazy. You sleep through
the winter and need no food, while Jo-nis-gy-ont must work hard for
his. Go home. You shall not lose your teeth--for Brother Woodchuck was
holding his paws tightly over his mouth and quaking with fear--but
from this day on you and your tribe shall live upon leaves and grain
and the growing things of the fields and forests, but no more shall
you enjoy the taste of flesh, or the sweet meat of nuts.”
Sad and ashamed, Brother Woodchuck turned away when Nuk-da-go finished
speaking, for this was a hard punishment indeed.
Then Nuk-da-go turned to little Brother Squirrel and said,
“Jo-nis-gy-ont, you should have been more watchful of your store of
nuts, and not have slept so soundly when robbers were about. But the
woods people are sorry for you, and so I shall give you something that
will help you to go quickly from tree to tree, and to hasten home in
time of danger.”
Then Nuk-da-go spread a web of skin from the fore legs to the back
legs of Jo-nis-gy-ont, to form wings when he leaped, so that he could
jump swiftly and far.
From that day to this the tribe of Jo-nis-gy-ont has had wings, and
this is the Indians’ account of the first flying squirrel.
WHY BROTHER BEAR WEARS A STUMPY TAIL
(Ojibwa)
IN times long past Brother Bear was a famous fisherman. He had a large
stock of patience, and great good nature. He was never in a hurry.
But Brother Bear was honest as he was slow, and always ready to
believe what others told him, and so he was often imposed upon by the
slyer animals--Brother Fox, for instance.
One day as Brother Fox was walking beside a stream, he saw a group of
plump little animals slip into the water and disappear from sight.
“Young otters, I do believe!” cried Brother Fox, smacking his lips.
“What a meal they would make!” Then he sat down beside the stream and
began to think. He did want those otters so badly! He could not think
of anything else that would taste half so good. But how to get them!
That was the question.
Presently, while he was thinking, along came Brother Bear shuffling
down the path with a load of nuts and honey.
“Good morning, Brother Bear,” said Brother Fox. “I see you have a load
of excellent food--excellent for you, I mean. My tribe never eats nuts
or honey. But perhaps you would not mind adding a bit of tender meat
to your load.”
“Meat? No, indeed,” replied Brother Bear. “But where am I to find it?”
“Why,” said Brother Fox with his craftiest smile, “there are some
young otters in this stream. I just saw them slip into the water. It
seems to me that they would make very good eating for you and your
family.”
Brother Bear smacked his lips. “But how am I to get them?” he asked.
“I am no fisherman, as you well know,” said Brother Fox, “but you are
a famous fisherman. Why can you not fish for them?”
Brother Bear thought for a moment. “But I have no bait,” he said.
“That is true,” replied Brother Fox, “but I will tell you what to do.
Just go out upon that log that lies near the shore and drop your fine
long tail into the water. I feel sure the otters will think your tail
good bait, and when one comes to nibble it, you can jerk up your tail
and just whip the otter over to the shore. I will guard your game for
you until you finish fishing.”
“Very good,” agreed Brother Bear, “I will try that.”
So Brother Bear laid down his load of nuts and honey, made his way to
the log, and climbed upon it. Then he let his fine long tail drop down
into the water--for this was in times long past, you must remember,
when the tails of the bears were long--and then he closed his eyes and
sat very still.
Presently he felt a nibble at his tail, and he whipped it up, as
Brother Fox had told him. Sure enough, a fine young otter went flying
across to the bank where Brother Fox lay waiting behind a bush.
“That was pretty well done!” thought Brother Bear, as he dropped his
tail into the water again and waited. Presently he felt another
nibble, and another otter went flying across to the bank. And soon it
was followed by a fish, and then by another fish.
“What a fine dinner I shall take home to my family,” thought Brother
Bear to himself, as he began trying to count the number of times his
tail had been nibbled, and he had sent something flying across for
Brother Fox to guard.
While he was trying to count, North Wind came along and saw him
sitting there with his eyes closed, and his tail hanging down in the
water.
“I shall have to play a trick on Brother Bear, I do believe!” chuckled
North Wind to himself, and he sent a cold breath over the water, so
that it became quite still. Then he sent another breath, and a cold,
shining crust formed all across its top. After that he sent another
breath, and another, and the cold, shining crust grew thicker and
thicker.
Presently Brother Bear stopped trying to count and opened his eyes.
“Brother Fox,” he called, “there seems to be no more game in the
river. I have not felt a nibble for a long time.”
But Brother Fox was just finishing a nice bone, and he called back
earnestly, “Oh, be patient, Brother Bear! I am sure you will catch
more game if you wait a little longer.”
[Illustration: “NORTH WIND SAW HIM SITTING THERE WITH HIS EYES CLOSED
AND HIS TAIL HANGING DOWN IN THE WATER”]
So Brother Bear closed his eyes again and sat still for several
minutes. Then he called, “Brother Fox, I am sure there is no more game
in the river. I am coming ashore now.”
There was no answer from Brother Fox, so Brother Bear moved a little
on the log, but it was a very little, for his tail felt heavy as lead.
“Why,” he exclaimed, “I must have an enormous fish now, my tail is so
heavy!” And with that he gave a great jump, intending to carry the
game with him to shore, when, snap! his tail broke right off short,
for it was frozen fast in the ice. And that was the trick that North
Wind had played.
Brother Bear felt terribly at losing his tail, it had been such a
beautiful, long one! But at last he comforted himself by thinking,
“Well, at any rate, I have a wonderful feast to carry home to the
family: nuts, and honey, and fish, and game.” So he licked his lips,
in spite of the loss of his tail.
But when Brother Bear reached the shore, he could not find Brother Fox
anywhere! And neither could he find the fish, nor the tender young
otters. Instead, he found a heap of fresh bones back of the bush where
Brother Fox had been lying. And then he knew that Brother Fox had
played a bad trick upon him, too.
He gathered up his load of nuts and honey and went sadly home. And
from that day to this Brother Bear has refused to do any more fishing,
and has worn a stumpy tail.
THE THUNDER PEOPLE
(Passamaquoddy)
ONCE upon a time a young Indian warrior was hunting with his bow and
arrows. He followed far after a fleet deer, until he found himself
standing upon a great rock, high above the plains.
The clouds were gathering thickly. The sky was black with clouds. The
Indian youth was far away from his lodge.
Again he saw the deer, and he drew his bow. But as he did so the deer
was changed into the form of a maiden, standing against the rock.
The youth dropped his bow in wonder. He looked at the maiden. In the
distance he heard the voice of the thunder.
“Who are you?” he asked in amazement.
And the maiden answered, “I am the sister of the Thunder Men. Will you
come with me and visit our home?” The youth consented, and the maiden
struck the great rock against which she had stood.
There was a flash, like a flash of lightning, and the rock opened and
made a passage for them.
The maiden led the way, and the youth followed; and when they had
passed through the rock, they came into a strange country--to the home
of the Thunder Maiden. The floors and walls were of clouds, and the
clouds were of every shade, from silver gray to the deepest purple
black. They were soft to walk upon, and smooth as the smoothest
velvet. And their changing shades were more wonderful than any artist
could paint.
The maiden’s robes were of trailing silver, and her hair was black as
midnight.
She led the youth to her father, who sat upon a throne formed from the
deepest purple clouds. His hair and beard were white like the mists
that float across the sky. But his robe was black, with here and there
a dash of brilliant gold.
“Welcome, my son,” said the old man. “Have you come to dwell among
us?”
The youth looked at the beautiful maiden, and he answered, “Yes, my
father.”
So he became one of the Thunder People.
After a time the brothers of the maiden returned home. And when they
saw the youth and knew that he had come to dwell among them, they
proposed a game of ball.
Now their balls were big and black, and very heavy; and they did not
throw them, but rolled them back and forth across the clouds. And the
noise was very great.
When the father of the Thunder Men saw that the youth was strong, and
could roll the ball well, he said, “You shall go with my sons
to-morrow. You shall see greater sport than this.”
In the morning, when the Thunder Men put on their great purple wings,
the maiden brought forth another pair and fastened them upon the
shoulders of the youth. Then they all flew away to the south. They
carried bows, and their arrows were of gold.
Their wings made a mighty roaring and crashing as they flew, and the
people on the earth said, “Listen, how the thunder roars and crashes!”
Then they shot their golden arrows from their bows, and the earth
people cried, “See, how the lightning flashes across the sky!” And
some of the earth people ran and hid, for they were afraid.
But the old man of the Thunder World had said to his sons: “Shoot your
arrows only at the great bird of the south, which is our enemy.
Destroy not the people of the earth. And fly not too low. Touch not
the trees, for they are our friends.”
So they flew about for a time, taking care where they sent their
arrows. And when they had grown tired of their sport, they flew back
to their home in the clouds and took off their great purple wings.
For many moons the youth enjoyed the company of the Thunder Maiden,
and took part in the sports of her brothers. But at last there took
possession of him a great longing to visit again his brothers and
sisters of the earth. He longed to chase the deer in the forest, to
follow his chief in battle, to smell the fire of his lodge.
He told his longing to the old man of the Thunder World, and the old
man said he should have his way. So for the last time the Thunder
Maiden fastened his purple wings to his shoulders, handed him the
golden arrows, and bade him good-bye. Then away he flew with the
Thunder Men.
Closer and closer to the earth they went, and the people covered their
ears to keep out the crash and roar of the thunder; and they covered
their eyes to keep out the sight of the dazzling, flashing lightning.
“Oh, what a storm!” cried the earth people, as they looked toward a
hill outside their village where the noise seemed most deafening, and
the glare seemed most blinding.