210 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



of getting free. That is true of most animals, and, furthermore, 

 it will feign death even when other animals approach; but then, 

 more often, its purpose is to secure the advantage of making a 

 sudden or surprise attack." 



An Indian named Larzie, who was engaged to hunt meat 

 for the priests at Fort Resolution, once came upon a wolverine 

 in one of his traps that had done that very thing and won the 

 battle, too. The snow, the trap, and the carcass of a wolf, 

 silently told Larzie every detail of the fight. The wolverine, 

 having been caught by the left hind leg, had attempted by 

 many means to escape, even trying to remove the nuts from the 

 steel trap with its teeth, as well as trying to break the steel 

 chain, and gnaw in two the wooden clog to which the trap was 

 fastened. But before accomplishing this, the wolverine had 

 spied a pack of five wolves approaching. In an effort to save 

 its life the wolverine worked itself down low in the snow and 

 there lay, feigning death. The cautious wolves, on sighting the 

 wolverine, began circling about, each time drawing a little 

 nearer. Still suspicious, they sat down to watch the wolverine 

 for a while. Then they circled again, sat down once more, and 

 perhaps did a little howling, too. Then they circled again, each 

 time coming closer, until at last, feeling quite sure the wolverine 

 was dead, one of the wolves, in a careless way, ventured too 

 near. No doubt it was then that the wolverine, peeping 

 through his almost closed eyelids, had seen his chance that 

 the nearest wolf was now not only within reach, but off guard, 

 too for the snow gave evidence of a sudden spring. The 

 wolverine had landed upon the back of the wolf, clung on with 

 his powerful forelegs, and not only ripped away at the wolfs 

 belly with the long, sharp claws of his free hind foot, but 

 with his terrible jaws had seized the wolf by the neck and 

 chewed away at the spinal cord. Then, no doubt, the other 

 wolves, seeing their comrade overpowered and done to death, 

 had turned away and left the scene of battle. Later, Larzie 



