SUPERSTITIONS AND TRADITIONS 265 



forecast their movement with an accuracy that could not 

 have been gained except by " being one himself." 



Their tradition of the world's origin is rather quaint, 

 but has a latter-day flavoring that to me seems to savor 

 of missionary teachings. However, put into intelligible 

 English from the interpreter's translation, it is as follows : 

 For three years there had been excessive cold, with snow 

 in summer as well as in winter, and all the rivers and lakes 

 were frozen hard, even to the very bottom. So the fish 

 and all other animals (which could understand one an- 

 other) gathered for consolation and consultation. Fire 

 being scarce, and the circle about it so deep, the squirrel 

 was crowded out, and working his way through the legs 

 of the larger animals, crept so close to the fire that he 

 singed his back, and that is the reason his back is now 

 yellow. After waiting a long time for a break in the 

 weather, all the animals and fish determined to hunt up 

 the heat. So they started off on their search, and after a 

 while came to a doorway, which they concluded must be 

 the entrance to heaven. 



All entered, and found themselves in a warmer atmos- 

 phere. After going some distance they came to an open 

 lake, on the bank of which was a bear and her cubs. 

 Some of the heat search-party started to cross the lake, 

 the opposite shore of which seemed green and full of 

 life ; but as often as they made an attempt the bear gave 

 chase in her canoe and speared them. While the bear 

 was thus occupied those on the bank entered upon an 

 exploration that resulted in the discovery of the bear's 

 lodge. Here, hanging up, they saw many bladders, which, 

 in reply to their inquiry, the cubs that had followed them 

 said, " The first one contains bad weather, the second 

 rain, the next snow, etc." But the contents of the last 

 bag the cubs would not disclose, and immediately the 



