1 91 3] Chipewyan Stories. 55 



entailed upon them for eating the black fruit, on which he granted that 

 such of them as dreamed certain dreams, should be men of medicine, 

 capable of curing disease and of prolonging life. In order to preserve 

 this virtue, they were not to tell their dreams until certain periods had 

 elapsed. To acquire the power of foretelling events they were to take 

 an ant alive and insert it under the skin of the palm of the hand, without 

 letting any one know what they had done. 



For a long time Chapewee's family were united as one family, but 

 at length some young men being accidentally killed in a game, a quarrel 

 ensued, and a general dispersion of mankind took place. One Indian 

 fixed his residence on the borders of the lake, taking with him a dog, big 

 with young. The pups were in due time littered, and the Indian when 

 he went out to fish carefully tied them up, to prevent their straying. 

 Several times as he approached his tent, he heard a noise of children 

 talking and playing, but on entering it he only perceived the pups tied 

 up as usual. His curiosity being excited by the noises he heard, he deter- 

 mined to watch, and one day, pretending to go out and fish according to 

 his custom, he concealed himself in a convenient place. In a short time 

 he again heard voices, and rushing suddenly into the tent beheld some 

 beautiful children sporting and laughing with the dog-skins by their 

 side. He threw the dog-skins into the fire, and the children, retaining 

 their proper forms, grew up and were the ancestors of the Dog Rib 

 nation. 



