WABKNO'S GIFT 123 



" Then Kaw-kaw, the Raven, croaked sadly, 

 4 Wabeno, master, I starve. Why do you give 

 away the magic seeds?' And Wabeno, smiling, 

 said, i Penaisee, forget not my comrade Kaw-kaw; 

 but in the harvest time that as yet you know not 

 of, let him also share my gift with you.' 



" Then Wagoose walked down the moonbeams 

 and unrolled a birch bark scroll, and on it, as 

 Penaisee gazed, was painted the picture of a 

 field of corn, with Wabeno walking in the moon- 

 light touching the filling ears. 



" Penaisee remained asleep, and on the seventh 

 dawn when he awoke he found the magic kernels 

 where Wabeno placed them. Then feeling fresh 

 strength within him, he made the holes a stride 

 apart and covered the kernels well with earth ; 

 then, turning, gave morning greeting to the Sun, 

 and by its first rays he saw his father standing by 

 the lodge bearing a dish of food. Neither spoke, 

 but each one understood. 



"Every moon did Penaisee draw the earth 

 around the stout green stalks, and as he toiled 

 he grew in stature like the corn stalks, taller 

 than any of his race. When the moon before 

 the Moon of Falling Leaves arrived, he sent a 

 message to the tribe to come and gather in the 

 ears and to receive Wabeno's gift of bread. On 



