EAYEN AND THE GEESE 



lieve that story about the arrow-point! How 

 could he live with an arrow in his heart? " 



They rested two or three times more, he sink- 

 ing upon their backs as before; but when they 

 saw the far-off shore before them father goose 

 said, " We can wait for you no more," for they 

 were eager to reach the land and find food. 



They all arose and flew on, Raven slowly flap- 

 ping along behind, for his wings felt heavy. The 

 geese kept steadily on toward the shore, while he 

 sank lower and lower, getting nearer to the 

 dreaded water. When the waves were almost 

 touching him he shrieked to his wife: 



"Leave me the white stone; it has magical 

 powers. Throw me the white stone." 



Thus he kept crying until suddenly his wings 

 lost their power and he floated helplessly on the 

 water as the geese gained the shore. He tried to 

 rise from the water but his wings seemed to be 

 weighted down, and he drifted back and forth 

 along the beach. The waves arose and one white- 

 cap after another broke over him till he was 

 soaked, and it was only with the greatest diffi- 

 culty that he could get his beak above the surface 

 to breathe a little between the billows. 



After a long time a great wave cast him upon 

 the land, and as it flowed back he dug his claws 



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