THE LEGEND OF OPECHEE 57 



eyes as best he may, when two or three of us are 

 abroad. You too, friend Tchin, you are not 

 above bird-nesting." And he made a rapid pass 

 at the Blue Jay, who screamed with surprise. 



" Now you will have plenty of time for your 

 story," said Tommy-Anne to the Robin, drop- 

 ping from her branch to the ground. 



" Once upon a time " began the Robin. 



Tommy-Anne chuckled contentedly, pulling 

 Waddles over, until his head rested upon her 

 lap. " All nice comfortable stories begin ' Once 

 upon a time,' " she said. 



"Once upon a time," continued the Robin, not 

 heeding the interruption, "before the old trees 

 had been cut in the forests, and the wild animals 

 roamed among them ; when the Panther, the 

 Wolf, and the Moose were in plenty, and the 

 great Black Bears picked the wild-grape clusters, 

 and robbed A-moe, the Honey Bee, of the pack- 

 ages of sweets that he had hidden in tree hol- 

 lows ; before the House People came over the salt 

 water to teach the Red Brothers to break faith 

 with Heart of Nature, and kill the Wild Wood 

 Brethren for other purposes than food and cover- 

 ing ; on the top of Wild Cat Mountain, in his 

 skin-covered wigwam, lived Kaniwa, the Chief 

 of his tribe, and his only child Wenonah. 



