THE BEAVERS OF BEAVER CREEK 



entirely pacified until he returned. Then they 

 stood on their hind legs, crawled upon his lap and 

 in true beaver fashion showed their affection for 

 him and their pleasure at his presence. 



Full Moon showed me a beaver skin that he 

 kept as a memento of one of the little animals 

 that lived with him for more than seven years 

 as a household pet. As he held forth the hind 

 foot he said : * f My people have a very pretty 

 legend in reference to the peculiar, characteris- 

 tic, double nail on the beaver's second toe 

 which looks, as you see, as if the toe had been 

 split." This is the legend: "Many, many 

 years ago there lived a brave old warrior named 

 Bear Voice. His tribe had been greatly weak- 

 ened by their enemies who had continually 

 waged war against them. They were driven 

 far out on the plains and away from the course 

 taken by the great buffalo herds. They were 

 reduced to poverty and almost to starvation. 

 They had long been calling to the Great Spirit 

 for food without an answer. Bear Voice entered 

 his tent very hungry. He called to his favorite 

 squaw to bring his tobacco pouch. When he 

 had smoked his pipe he went forth to search 

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