Purpose and Laws 63 



each day, from snow around again to snow, there 

 were none on earth to match them in their strength. 

 But when they fell from this high estate, and forgot 

 the old way, their strength went from them, because 

 with dirt came in disease, and they became its prey; 

 for foul disease is ever the child of dirt, be it in per- 

 son, in camp, in speech, or in mind. 



4. Smoking. Let no one use tobacco till he be a full- 



grown man of eighteen snows; and then only as a 

 burnt sacrifice to the Great Spirit. In the child or 

 the young brave, it saps the strength; but in the man 

 it may be a helper of prayer and meditation. 



5. Fire-water. No Fire-water in camp. Should we drink 



of destruction, or surrender to an enemy that will 

 wreck our bodies and turn our wisdom into folly? 



6. Wild-life. The Great Spirit made all things, and we 



have no right to unmake them, except we know it be 

 to preserve ourselves. Therefore, protect all song- 

 birds and harmless squirrels. Keep the game-laws, 

 and do no harm to the beauty of the landscape. 



7. Wild-fire. The forest is the father of the rivers and the 



game. There can be no good thing without the 

 forest. The enemy of the forest is wild-fire. There- 

 fore, at all times, be sure to fight it, and leave no 

 camp fire unguarded, lest it should become wild- 

 fire. 



8. Kindness. Above all others, the great Tecumseh was 



kind to every man and to the beasts. And his kind- 

 ness came again to him. It caused him no loss; no, 

 not the value of a hair, and it gave him power over 

 all men. Let each one strive to do at least one act 

 of kindness every day, for thereby he becomes 

 kinder, and his kindness comes to him again. 



9. Play Fair. Play no game except according to the 



