A TEEASUEY OF ESKIMO TALES 



" If you are going to eat me, you ought to be 

 willing to do me a favor," replied Marmot. " I 

 have heard that you are a very fine dancer, and I 

 long to see you dance before I die. If you dance 

 as beautifully as they say, I shall be willing to die 

 when once I have seen it. If you will dance I 

 will sing, and then you may eat me." 



This pleased Raven so much that he began to 

 dance and Marmot pretended to go into ecstasies 

 about it. 



" Oh, Raven, Raven, Raven, how well you 

 dance! " he sang. " Oh, Raven, Raven, Raven, 

 how well you dance! " 



By and by they stopped to rest and Marmot 

 said, " I am very much delighted with your danc- 

 ing. Do shut your eyes and dance your best just 

 once more, while I sing." 



Raven closed his eyes and hopped clumsily 

 about while Marmot sang, " Oh, Raven, Raven, 

 Raven, what a graceful dancer ! Oh, Raven, Ra- 

 ven, Raven, what a fool you are! " And with a 

 quick run, Marmot darted between Raven's legs 

 and was safe in his hole. 



There he turned, putting out the tip of his nose 

 and laughing mockingly as he said, ff Chi-Jdk-kik, 

 chi-kik-kik, chi-Mk-Mk! You are the greatest 

 fool I ever met. What a ridiculous figure you 



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