202 THE MENOMINI INDIANS [eth.ann. 14 



Then the birds and animals asked the Rabbit what he had selected 

 to eat, and the Rabbit replied, "I will subsist on poplar sprouts." 



The Rabbit then asked the Sturgeon. "Sturgeon, what are you going 

 to select for your sustenance?" 



•' I will live on the clay which you see here in the river," responded 

 the Sturgeon. This may be why the Sturgeon is so yellow. 



Next the Rabbit said to the Buzzard, " Buzzard, what will you choose 

 for food?" The Buzzard replied, " I will live on fish and animals that 

 have died and become soft; they will be my food." 



Thus the birds and beasts selected the various kinds of food on 

 which they were to live, and when the council was over each went his 

 own way. 



While the Buzzard was soaring away through the air he saw Ma'na- 

 bush walking along. He flew a little toward the ground, with his 

 wings outspread, and heard Ma'nabush say to him, " Buzzard, you 

 must be very happy up there where you can soar through the air and 

 see what is transpiring in the world beneath. Take me on your back 

 so that I may ascend with you and see how it appears down here from 

 where you live." The Buzzard came down, and said, " Ma'nabush, get 

 on my back and I will take you up into the sky to let you see how the 

 world appears from my abode." Ma'nabush approached the Buzzard, 

 but seeing how smooth his back appeared said, "Buzzard, I am afraid 

 you will let me slide from your back, so you must be careful not to 

 sweep around too rapidly, that I may retain my place upon your back." 

 The Buzzard told Ma'nabush that he would be careful, although the 

 bird was determined to play a trick on him if possible. Ma'nabush 

 mounted the Buzzard and held on to his feathers as well as he could. 

 The Buzzard took a short run, leaped from the ground, spread his 

 wings and rose into the air. Ma'nabush felt rather timid as the Buz- 

 zard swept through the air, and as he circled around his body leaned 

 so much that Ma'nabush could scarcely retain his position, and he was 

 afraid of slipping off. Presently, as Ma'nabush was looking down 

 upon the broad earth below, the Buzzard made a sharp curve to one 

 side so that his body leaned more than ever. Ma'nabush, losing his 

 grasp, slipped off and dropped to earth like an arrow. He struck the 

 ground with such force as to knock him senseless. The Buzzard 

 returned to his place in the sky, but hovered around to see what would 

 become of Ma'nabush. 



Ma'nabush lay a long time like one dead. When he recovered he saw 

 something close to and apparently staring him in the face. He could 

 not at first recognize it, but when he put his hands against the object 

 he found that it was his own buttocks, because he had been all doubled 

 up. He arose and prepared to go on his way, when he espied the 

 Buzzard above him, laughing at his own trickery. 



Ma'nabush then said, "Buzzard, you have played a trick on me by 

 letting me fall, but as I am more powerful than you I shall revenge 



