17^1^] FICTION 191 



always keep apart, so that the force that is in these powders can not 

 unite."' 



Then the three went to the first Long Lodge, where there was a 

 large supply of every kind of dried meat, and they lived together, 

 prosperous and happy. 



37. A Raccoon Stort 



An uncle and a nephew lived together in a lodge in the forest. 

 The nephew was a fine hunter. One day when the nephew was off 

 in the woods hunting for game, a handsome woman, bringing a basket 

 of bread, came to the lodge and said to the old man, the uncle, " My 

 father and mother have sent me here to marry your nephew." " Is it 

 true that they sent you?" asked the uncle. ''Yes," said the young 

 woman. " It is well," said the old uncle. Lowering the basket, 

 the girl set it before the old uncle. In it was the customary mar- 

 riage bread. When the nephew came home, the old uncle said, " You 

 are married now; here is your wife," showing him the young woman. 

 " It is well," replied the nephew, and he and the young woman be- 

 came man and wife. 



Every day the nephew went out hunting, always returning with 

 a heavy load of game. 



One day while out hunting he came to a tree in the top of which 

 was a large hole. In this he found a litter of raccoons. Climb- 

 mg the tree, he threw one raccoon after another to the ground. All 

 at once he heard a woman's voice under the tree, saying, " Come 

 down ! come down ! you are tired." With that, she ran off througli 

 the forest. When he reached home, he told what had happened. 

 His wife laughed at his perplexity, but said nothing. 



Not long afterward, on a hunting trip, while packing up his game 

 and making ready to start home, a woman came up behind him. and 

 taking him by the arm, led him to a neighboring log. They sat down 

 on it, whereupon drawing his head on her lap, she began to look for 

 vermin. He was soon asleep from her orenda (magic power). Put- 

 ting him into a basket, which she threw on her back, the woman 

 went to the rocks in the middle of a lake. Then she took him out, 

 and awakening him, asked. "Do you know this place?" Looking 

 around, he replied, " Yes. This is the place where my uncle and I 

 used to fish," and giving a sudden spring into the water, he became 

 a bass and escaped in a flash. 



On reaching home, he told his wife what had happened to him. 

 She laughed, but said nothing. He was so frightened at what had 

 taken place that he remained at home for several days. At last the 

 feeling of fear wore away and he started off to hunt. 



