WABENO'S GIFT 115 



those that are talking way over in the Miller's 

 wood." 



" How have I been ? Very well and comfort- 

 able, plenty to eat and no harrying. I was so 

 honest down at the Farm that, until the corn 

 ripened, I almost forgot that I was a Crow. As 

 for the rest of the tribe, do you not remember 

 that they were only banished during the song 

 birds' nesting season, and that is over long since ? 

 They have come back to the cornfields for their 

 tithe of the harvest." 



" Yes, of course, to steal corn when there are no 

 more nests to rob. I would not be so kind as the 

 Bird Brotherhood ; if I had my way, the Crows 

 should go away for good." 



" House People cannot drive us away," screamed 

 the old Crow, flapping his wings boldly; "they 

 shoot and harry us, tempt us with poisoned food, 

 and still we are here at the corn harvest it is 

 our right ; Wabeno gave it to us through our an- 

 cestor, Kaw-kaw, the northern Raven. Yes, ask 

 Wabeno, the Magician, and he will tell you that 

 it is so." 



Anne felt a little abashed at Kaw Ondaig's 

 fierceness, and, climbing over the fence to the 

 first cornfield, she threw herself down in the 

 shade of one of the stacks, nestling backward 



