or Five Indian Nations of Canada. 2t5a 



abode, pregnancy forced itscU' upon her notice. This was 

 the consequence of an amour in which she had been en- 

 gaged in the upper world. And it was on account of the 

 preference she showed to the young spirit of her heart, that 

 she became the object of that jealous temper in his rival, 

 which thrust her from the high place of her birth. 



" In due time she was delivered of a female child, who 

 grew thriftily, and until the age of puberty acted as the 

 companion and assistant of her mother. During the in- 

 fancy of this daughter, there was a great intimacy between 

 her and some of the land animals. They were constant 

 play-fellow-s; and, as she grew up to a more intercstino- 

 size and figure, were engaLnng in their manners and more 

 assiduous to please her. They frisked around her, played 

 their prettiest tricks to entertain her, and in short cmpluvcd 

 in her presence all the arts of gallantry and courtsliip that 

 they knew. 



'^ After some years were passed in this manner, the like 

 accident bei'd the daughter which f.er frolicsome mother 

 had experienced. She proved with child ; and at the period 

 of her gestation, twins, two male children, were born of 

 her. It was always a matter of uncertainty with her, wjit* 

 was the father of the bovs. It was certain, however, that, 

 the sire was either the bear or the tortoise. Accordinalv, 

 in tracing the genealogies of the tribes and families, u is 

 an unsettled point at this time, whether that which derives 

 Its origin from the bear or the tortoise is the more honour- 

 able and dignilicd. 



" These children, so ushered into the world, were the 

 GOOD sinitiT and the kvil spikit. The diflerence of their 

 ten)pers and dispositions manifested itself before they were 

 born. While yet encircled'in the vyomb, the former was 

 content to lie still and be quiet, while the latter was un- 

 ceasingly restless, and by kicking and scratching strove to 

 give his mother all the torment he could. He finailv de- 

 clared to his l)rother, in one oi" their conversations, th.U he 

 never would befoul and disgrace himself by cominii forth 

 through the natural passage; but lliat he would iind some 

 preferable and mote decent outlet to day-iiiiht, 



" By the persuasion of his well-disposed brother, hv^w- 

 ever, he was induced to moderate his reillessness imtil Ins 

 mother's labour came on. It was the lot of the good spirit 

 then to be l)orn first. Whereupon liis perverse iiiid iaipa- 

 lienl brother took a resolution not to follow hun alone- the 

 dirty load through which ho came, but to take an opposite 

 course. With a violont excnion he thuciore tore hi.^ wav 



suddenly 



