denig] THE ASSINIBOIST 611 



nothing but the bones. The children traveled on. A wolf this time 

 came near the Head and, as with the fox and badger, was desired 

 by the Head to become her husband. " You are nothing but a fright- 

 ful ghost," exclaimed the wolf, and ran into his hole. The Head 

 followed, the wolf dug, and in the end the Head again came out 

 near the children. They ran forward and arrived at the bank of a 

 large river. Two cranes were standing on the bank. The boy re- 

 quested the cranes to carry them over. One of the cranes asked 

 the boy, "How does my breath smell?" "Very sweet," said he, 

 " as though }'ou had eaten service berries." " Good," replied the 

 crane, " now both of you get on my back." They being seated, the 

 bird flew across and landed them in safety on the opposite shore. 

 In the interim the Head came to where the other crane was standing 

 and commanded it to bear it over immediately, as it was in a great 

 hurry to overtake the children. The bird proposed the same ques- 

 tion. "How does my breath smell? " "It smells of stinking fish," 

 replied the Head. "Good," said the crane, "now get on my back." 



The Head having placed itself, the bird flew, and when about the 

 middle of the stream shook the Head off its back in the water, which 

 on falling cried out, " Now, I go to dwell among the fishes ! " 



The children perceiving they were freed from their tormentor 

 continued their route more at leisure, and after traveling some days 

 they arrived at a large camp very hungry and very tired. It was 

 the camp of their father, and he was there as its chief. When he 

 saw his children he abused them for having a bad mother, would not 

 let any person give them food nor take them into their lodge. He 

 brought cords, bound the children's hands, and taking them outside 

 the camp raised them into a tree, tied them both together and to the 

 top limb of a large tree. He then ordered the whole camp to move 

 off and thus left his children to perish. After all had gone he again 

 looked that his children were secure and examined the camp to see 

 that no one remained behind, but perceived nothing but a little old 

 dog lying on an extinguished fire, with his head in a large shell 

 for a pillow, apparently sick. "Why do you remain behind the 

 camp? " inquired the man. "Because I am sick and can not travel," 

 answered the dog. The man was enraged, told the dog to begone, 

 kicked it, but he only howled and w T ould not raise his feet. The 

 chief after beating the old dog so that he thought him dead left 

 and followed his people. As soon as he departed and was out of 

 sight the dog rose and sought the tree where the children were, com- 

 menced gnawing at the root of it, and in four days and nights it fell 

 to the ground. 



He then gnawed off their cords, which occupied two nights more, 

 and the children found themselves free but so very weak they could 



