204 THE MENOJIINI INDIANS [eth.ann. u 



One of the Swans called out, "Ho! Ma'nabiish, where are yon going?" 

 To this Ma'nabiish replied, ; 'l am going to have a song. As you may 

 see, I have all my songs with me." Ma'nabiish then called out to the 

 birds, "Come to me, my brothers, and let us sing and dance." The 

 birds assented and returned to the shore, when all retreated a short dis- 

 tance away from the lake to an open space where they might dance. 

 Ma'nabiish removed the bundle of bark from his back and placed it on 

 the ground, got out his singing-sticks, and said to the birds, "Now, all 

 of you dance around me as I drum ; sing as loudly as you can, and keep 

 your eyes closed. The first one to open his eyes will forever have them 

 red and sore." Ma'nabiish began to beat time upon his bundle of bark, 

 ■while the birds, with eyes closed, circled around him singing as loudly 

 as they could. Keeping time with one hand, Ma'nabiish suddenly 

 grasped the neck of a Swan, which he broke; but before he had kdled 

 the bird it screamed out, whereupon Ma'nabiish said, "That's right, 

 brothers, sing as loudly as you can." Soon another Swan fell a victim ; 

 then a Goose, and so on until the number of buds was greatly reduced. 

 Then the "Hell-diver," opening his eyes to see why there was less sing- 

 ing than at first, and beholding Ma'nabiish and the heap of victims, 

 cried out, "Ma'nabiish is killing us! Ma'nabiish is killing us!" and 

 immediately ran to the water, followed by the remainder of the birds. 



As the "Hell-diver" was a poor runner, Ma'nabiish soon overtook 

 him, and said, "I won't kill you, but you shall always have red eyes 

 and be the laughing-stock of all the birds." With this he gave the 

 bird a kick, sending him far out into the lake and knocking off his 

 tail, so that the "Hell-diver" is red-eyed and tailless to this day. 



Ma'nabiish then gathered up his birds, and taking them out upon the 

 sandbar buried them — some with their heads protruding, others with 

 the feet sticking out of the sand. He then built a fire to cook the 

 game, but as this would require some time, and as Ma'nabiish was tired 

 after his exertion, he stretched himself on the ground to sleep. In order 

 to be informed if anyone approached, he slapped his thigh and said to 

 it, "You watch the birds, and awaken me if anyone should come near 

 them." Then, with his back to the fire, he fell asleep. 



After awhile a party of Indians came along in their canoes, and see- 

 ing the feast in store, went to the sandbar and pulled out every bird 

 which Ma'nabiish had so carefully placed there, but put back the heads 

 and feet in such a way that there was no indication that the bodies had 

 been disturbed. When the Indians had finished eating they departed, 

 taking with them all the food that remained from the feast. 



Some time afterward, Ma'nabiish awoke, and, being very hungry, 

 bethought himself to enjoy the fruits of his stratagem. In attempting 

 to pull a baked swan from the sand he found nothing but the head and 

 neck, which he held in his hand. Then he tried another, and found 

 the body of that bird also gone. So he tried another, and then another, 

 but each time met with disappointment. Who could have robbed him? 



