188 THE MENOMINI INDIANS [eth. anjj. 14 



they will beat all of us with sticks and clubs, as they always do when 

 we are defeated.'' 



The hunter came out of the wigwam, and advancing to the Moose 

 women, said, " I hear you want to play a game of plum-stones with 

 me; I am willing to play." They all became seated, when the hunter's 

 wife said to him, " Do not play with these women, for they have human 

 eyeballs instead of plum-stones, and they will win every throw." 



" I am not afraid of them," rejoined the hunter; " wait and see who 

 wins." Then the chief of the women began to argue and dispute with 

 the hunter about who should commence, when the woman brought forth 

 a dish, which she began to shake, but the hunter pushed it aside, say- 

 ing, "That will not do; those things in the dish are not plum-stones, 

 but human eyeballs. I will begin with my set." Whereupon he brought 

 forth his own set, shook the bowl, and when the eight plum-stones had 

 ceased rolling about he had won every point. This he did a second 

 time, when the Elk people began to say to one another, "Now get 

 ready j-our sticks to whip the Moose folk, for we shall surely be the 

 winners today;" but the Moose people, who had gathered about to 

 watch the result of the game, also whispered to one another, " Prepare 

 yourselves to whip the Elks, for they can not succeed." 



By this time the hunter had thrown the plum-stones a third time, and 

 the Elks were beginning to crowd onward toward the Moose. "When 

 the fourth throw was made, which decided the game in favor of the 

 Elks, the latter ran at the Moose, thoroughly thrashing them all the 

 way back to their village. 



The Moose were at first dumfounded at their unexpected defeat, and 

 next day considered what they might devise to defeat the Elk people 

 in the plum-stone game. 



Between the Moose village and the Elk village stood two high posts, 

 near together, and across the two from top to top was a piece of wood 

 from which was suspended a metal ball. On the ground lay a very 

 large, heavy ball, which but few could lift. The Moose folk, thinking 

 this would be a test for the hunter, sent word to the Elks to meet them 

 in order to see who of their number could lift and throw the heavy ball 

 so as to strike the one suspended from the crosspiece. 



The Elks responded by going out to the place where the Moose were 

 awaiting them. Then the best man of the Moose went to the ball, and 

 with great exertion lifted and threw it up, barely touching the sus- 

 pended smaller one. The Moose people then began to exult and to 

 whisper to one another, saying, "Now get ready to return the whip- 

 ping we got yesterday." 



The young brother-in-law of the hunter now approached the large 

 ball, and pretended that he could not move it. Then the Moose began 

 to push forward so as to rush upon the Elks, for they supposed the 

 young man could not succeed. When the hunter heard their remarks 

 he rushed forward, and grasping the ball sent it far over the poles, as 



