TrENEK] FOLKLORE. 345 



they drank so long that their lips froze to the ice of the water hole, 

 and they miserably perished by freezing. 



The starving wolverene. — On the approach of winter a wolverene, 

 which had been so idle during the summer that he had failed to store 

 up a supply of provisions for himself, his wife, and ciiildren, began to 

 feel the pangs of hunger. The cold days and snowstorms were now at 

 hand. The father one day told his wife that he would go and try to 

 discover the place where his brothers, the wolves, were passing the 

 winter and from them he would endeavor to procure some food. The 

 wife desired him not to remain away long, else the children would starve 

 to death. He assured her that he would be gone no longer tlian four 

 days, and made preparations to start early on the succeeding morning. 

 In the morning he started and continued his journey until near night- 

 fall, when he came to the bank of a river. On looking at the ice which 

 covered its surface he descried a pack of wolves ascending the river at 

 a rapid rate. Behind these were four others, which were running at a 

 leisurely gait. He soon overtook the latter group, and was perceived 

 by one of these old wolves, whi(.'h remarked to the others, "There is our 

 brother, the wolverene, coming." The animal soon joined the wolves 

 and told them that he was starving, and asked for food. The wolves re- 

 plied that they had none, but that the wolves in advance were on the 

 track of souie deer and would soon have some. The wolverene inquired 

 where they would camp for the night. They told him to continue with 

 them on the track of the others until they came to a mark on the river 

 bank. The wolves, accompanied by the wolverene, continued their way 

 until one of the old wolves called attention to the sign on the bank and 

 proposed they should go up to it and await the return of the others. 

 They went up and began to gather green twigs to make a clean floor 

 in the bottom of the tent. This was no sooner done than the young 

 wolves (the hunters) returned and began to put up the tent poles. The 

 old wolves said they themselves would soon have the tent covering iu 

 place. The wolverene was astonished at what he saw and wondered 

 whence they would procure the tenting and Are. The old wolves 

 laughed as they observed his ciu'iosity, and one of them remarkerl, 

 " Our brother wonders where you will get the tent cover from." The 

 wolverene replied, "I did not say that; I only said my brothers will 

 soon have up a nice and comfortable tent for me." The wolves then 

 sent him off to collect some dry brush with which to make a fire. 

 When he returned the tent was already on the poles. He stood outside 

 holding the brush in his arms. One of the wolves told him to bring the 

 wood inside the tent. He entered and gave the brush to one of the young- 

 wolves (the leader of the hunters). The leader placed the brush in posi- 

 tion to create a good fire, and while that was being done the wolverene 

 wondered how they would start the fire. One of the old wolves re- 

 marked, "Our brother wonders where and how you will get the fire." 

 He made no reply, as one of the young wolves (the leader) took up a kettle 



