192 THE MENOMINI INDIANS [eth.ann.14 



The runners were now ready to start — two Moose to represent the 

 Moose people, and the hunter and his eldest brother-in-law the cboice 

 of the Elk people. At a given signal they started away over the ice, the 

 Moose soon widening the distance between themselves and their rivals. 

 The brother-in-law of the hunter came next after the Moose, and last 

 of all, and gradually losing, tbe hunter himself, who was last not because 

 he could not run, but because he wanted the Moose people to think 

 that he would lose the race, and finally cause them more chagrin at 

 being deceived. When the runners approached the spreading mist, 

 the Elk threw some snow back at the hunter to intimate that the Wolf 

 was there awaiting him. So soon as the latter reached the point where 

 the Wolf was he jumped astride the Wolf, 'and with his brother-in-law 

 was soon far in advance of the Moose runners. 



With every muscle strained the runners turned the half-point of the 

 course and were speeding toward the goal. The Moose runners were 

 again gaining on their competitors, but this did not last long, for the 

 latter soon reached the Fox, when the hunter felt the Wolf slide from 

 beneath him and the Fox take his place. 



While the Elks 1 runners were apparently losing the race, the Moose 

 people became greatly excited, and urged one another to start forward 

 to attack the Elk people and whip them. The more thoughtful, how- 

 ever, hesitated, saying, "Wait; we will have plenty of time to punish 

 them after the race." The Elk people, also, said to one another, "Now 

 get your sticks and clubs ready to beat the Moose, for we shall surely 

 win." So each side was watching the other, ready to make an attack 

 ,so soon as the race was finished. 



When the hunter felt the Fox beneath him, both the Elk runners were 

 far behind the Moose, but now they started ahead, and with a tremen- 

 dous rush they passed the Moose, reaching the goal first. Now there 

 was a scamper of the Moose to their village, while the Elk people came 

 on after them, whipping them all the way back. 



The Moose were now thoroughly aroused at the frequent defeats 

 with which they had met, and called together all of their people to hold 

 council to decide on what they might next devise to bring destruction 

 to the hunter and defeat to the Elk people. 



One of the old Moose suggested that they all pass the hunter's wig- 

 wam so as to get him to shoot at them and exhaust himself, when he 

 might be killed. The speaker said, "We will all pass his house tomor- 

 row when he is taking his vapor bath, at which time he will have laid 

 aside the wolf-claw bracelet, upon which his strength depends. After 

 he has exhausted his arrows he will use his club, and that will soon 

 tire him so much that our men can easily destroy him." 



The Moose, being ma'nidos, knew what the hunter would do, espe- 

 cially after his success of that day; so all agreed to follow the plan 

 which had been suggested. 



When, after the race, the hunter returned to his wigwam he laid him- 

 self down to thiuk of what he should do the next time the Moose came 



