V.ywiTT] FICTION 177 



fawn-skin coat, and that they had played together. "Go and bring 

 him." said the father. "He would not come for anything, for he is 

 very timid," was the answer. "Well, we will catch him. You ask 

 him to go to hunt mice in an old stump there beyond the log. I will 

 get him." Catching a great many mice, the man put them in his 

 bosom, in his clothes, and all around his body and. going beyond the 

 log. turned himself into an old stump full of mice. 



(ioing to the hollow tree, the boy said, " Come, let us play catciiing 

 mice." The little fellow came out and running to the stump rushed 

 ai-ound it, catching many mice. The little boy, wild with excite- 

 ment, laughed and shouted with joy. for it seemed that he had never 

 known such fun. All of a sudden the stump turned into a man, who, 

 catching him in his arms, ran home. The boy screamed and strug- 

 gled, but it was of no use : he could not get away, and he would not 

 be pacified until his father put a small club into his hand, saying, 

 " Now strike that tree." He struck a great hickory which stood neai'. 

 The tree fell. Everything he struck was crushed or killed; he was 

 delighted and cried no more. The little boy stayed now with his 

 brother and played with him while their father went hunting. " Yoii 

 must not go to the north while I am away," said the father; "bad. 

 dangerous people live there." When the father was gone the little 

 boy said. "Oh, let us go north; I should like to see what is thei'e." 

 Starting in that direction, the l)oys went on until they came to wooded, 

 marshy ground. Then the little boy heard many people call out, 

 " My father ! My f atlier I " " Oh, these people want to hurt my 

 father," said he. Making ready a pile of red-hot stones, he hurled 

 them at these people and killed all of them. They were frogs and 

 sang nohijica. When the boys came home their father was very angry 

 and said. " You must not go again, and you must not go west; it is 

 very dangerous there, too." 



When their father had gone hunting the next day the little boy 

 said, " I should like to see what there is in the west; let us go there." 

 Traveling westward, they went on until they came to a very tall pine 

 tree. In the top of the tree was a bed made of skins. " Oh ! " said 

 the little boy, "that is a .strange place for a bed. I should like to 

 .see it. I will climb up and look at it." Up he went. He found in it 

 two little naked children, a boy and a girl; they were frightened. 

 On pinching the boy. the child called out: " Oh, father, father! some 

 strange child has come and he has frightened me nearly to death." 

 .Suddenly the voice of Thunder was heard in the far west. It came 

 nearer and nearer, hurrying along until it reached the bed in the 

 tree top. Raising his club, the little boy struck Thunder, crushine his 

 head so that he fell dead to the ground. Then, by i^inching her, 

 04615°— 18 12 



