MYTHS OF THE WOOD CREES 



215 



did not return the old wife was much concerned and sent nel- 

 sons to search for him. The}' soon found him and by blowing 

 (formerly the principal "medicine" of Northern Indians, vide 

 Hearne) restored him to consciousness and brought him back 

 to their lodge. As they mended the shattered arrows he re- 

 covered; when they were quite perfect he was well and strong 

 again. 



The young men had a quiver for their arrows which Wisa- 

 gatchak coveted. That night he stole it and fled. When he 

 laid down to sleep, at last, he kept the quiver in his grasp. 

 Toward morning he was awakened by the old wife who said, 

 "You have been stealing." 



Much to his discomfiture, he found himself once more in the 

 lodge. The next night he again took the quiver and went 

 away a long distance. Instead of lying down to sleep he tied 

 himself to a tree. He was awakened at daylight by the words, 

 " You have been stealing again," and he found himself tied to 

 a tree before the lodge. The woman advised him to ask for 

 the quiver. He did so and it was given to him. He then set 

 off upon his travels once more. As he was going along, he 

 discovered an Indian camp toward which he crawled. Its 

 inhabitants caught sight of the manito, and fired upon and 

 nearly killed him. He remembered his quiver of arrows in 

 time to save himself by flying through the camp. 



He Becomes Blind. 



As he continued his endless journey, he heard someone call- 

 ing for his eyes, and he came upon a medicine man who threw 

 his eyes into the air, shook his staff at them, and called upon 

 them to return. 



Wisagatchak, of course, was anxious to acquire this power, 

 and asked, "Why do you do that?" 



"That is the way I treat them when they 7 are sore," was the 

 reply of the magician, who readily divulged the secret to Wisa- 

 gatchak. He was cautioned not to attempt the feat unless his 

 eyes really needed treatment. He soon forgot the warning 

 and exercised his new power with success. 



" That is my r trick now," said he laughing to himself. Pre- 

 tending that his eyes were sore he again cast them from him, 

 but instead of returning the eyes fell far beyond his reach. As 



