MYTHS OF THE WOOD CREES 2 OQ 



that they remained permanently awry, which accounts for the 

 occurrence to this day of twisted trees which will not split 

 straight. 



How Animals Obtained their Fat. 



" I will have my share after all! " said he, as he gathered the 

 bones together that he might boil them and extract the grease. 

 Putting this in a bladder, he went down to a little river to cool 

 it. There he heard somebody crying, which he soon found to 

 be a muskrat. " What are you crying for, my little brother? " 

 asked the manito. 



"My tail is too big," was the reply, and it was indeed true; 

 the little animal was unable to manage the broad, beaver-like 

 caudal appendage which clogged his movements. Wisagatchak 

 stripped away its sides, making it small and narrow. 



" Is that the way you want it?" 



"Yes," said the delighted rat, beginning to play about the 

 water. 



"Take this grease and swim about with it to cool it, but go 

 slowly," said he, as he tied the bladder to the rat's tail. The 

 muskrat soon began to swim faster and faster until checked by 

 the hungry manito, who again cautioned him. The rat went 

 slower but gradually swam beyond reach. 



" Now," said the rat, " I will play a trick on Wisagatchak." 



So he dived beneath the bladder, and gnawing a hole in it 

 allowed all the tat to escape. 



Wisagatchak, unable to save it, called all the animals of the 

 forest about him. Taking the rabbit he threw it into the stream 

 but withdrew it as soon as a little fat had adhered to its neck 

 and breast, where it remains to this day. All the animals 

 were dipped in the river; the bear, being allowed to remain 

 longest, secured the most fat. 



Wisagatchak and the Grizzly. 



One day, as Wisagatchak was going along, he came upon an 

 unusually large pine tree. He noticed the excellence of the 

 wood and decided to use it in the manufacture of a full set 

 of weapons. He fell to work cutting and splitting the trunk 

 into billets from which he made knives, hatchets, and arrows. 

 "Now," said he, "I wish that I could meet a grizzly." 



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