30 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VoL. Y. 



She then made the three brothers a wooden arrow and began to exer- 

 cise them to the hunt. Therefore they went out with their sister, who 

 henceforth was to act as their hound. She was soon heard barking at a 

 grouse. J^ut her brothers knew not what to do. So they dispatched one 

 of themselves to their mother for advice and directions. " Mother," said 

 he, " our Httle sister-dogi is barking at something perched on a tree. It 

 is all grey, covered with feathers and down, and looks down at us. What 

 is it, and what shall we do with it?" Then his mother answered, saying: 

 " My son, this is what we call a bird. It is good to eat. Let them kill 

 it with their wooden arrow." Thereupon her son ran back to his brothers, 

 who shot the .grouse, after which they killed great numbers of like fowl. 



Their mother next made them a stone-tipped arrow, and again sent 

 them out hunting. Soon thereafter, one of them came back to consult 

 her in the name of his brothers. " Mother," he said, in arrit^ing, " our 

 little sister-dog is barking at something with short ears and grey neck. 

 What is it, and what shall we do with it ? " Then his mother answered, 

 saying : " My son, this is what is called a fisher. Its fur is used to make 

 blankets with. Let them shoot it with their stone-tipped arrow." This 

 they did, and subsequently they killed large numbers of similar animals. 



Another day that they had gone as usual on a hunting expedition, one 

 of them came back to consult again their mother, saying : " Mother, our 

 Httle sister-dog is barking at something long ; it is grey all over and has 

 a short nose and a rounded head. What is it, and what shall we do with 

 it ? " Their mother made answer thus : " My son, this is what is called 

 a lynx. Its skin is that wherewith blankets are chiefly made. Let them 

 kill it with their arrow." They shot it, and afterwards many an animal 

 of the same kind. 



Another day one of them came back again from the chase to take 

 advice from his mother. "Mother," he said, "our little sister-dog is 

 barking after something which is big, very black and has no tail. It is 

 grunting at us. What is it, and what shall we do with it ? " Then their 

 mother answered : " My son, this is what is called a bear. Its flesh is 

 good to eat. Let them shoot it with their arrow." They killed it, and 

 thereafter a great number of bears. 



Still another day they sent one of themselves to consult their mother. 

 He said to her : " Mother, our little sister-dog is barking at something 

 very big and all grey. It seems very bad-tempered and angry, as it is 

 constantly rushing at her; but she is so swift-footed that she successfully 

 avoids it. What is it, and what shall we do with it ? " " This must be a 



* Netis-nt's^, our younger sister-dog, in the same sense as Jacob was Esau's junior. 



