hoffman] RACCOON AND THE BLIND MEN 213 



go out to try if I can not get some water." So taking the kettle from 

 Lis friend he started off. 



So soon as the first old man had returned to the wigwam, the Rac- 

 coon took the cord back and tied it where he had found it, then waited 

 to see the result. 



The second old man now came along, entered the lake, and getting 

 his kettle full of water returned to the wigwam, saying as he entered, 

 "My friend, you told me what was not true. There is water enough; 

 for here, you see, I have our kettle full." The other could not under- 

 stand this at all, and wondered what had caused the deception. 



The Raccoon approached the wigwam and entered to await the cook- 

 ing of the food. When it was ready, the pieces of meat, for there were 

 eight of them, were put into the bowl and the old meu sat down on 

 the ground facing each other, with the bowl between them. Each took 

 a piece of the meat, and they began to talk of various things and were 

 enjoying themselves. 



The Raccoon now quietly removed four pieces of meat from the bowl 

 and began to eat them, enjoying the feast even more than the old blind 

 men. Presently one of them reached into the bowl to get auother piece 

 of meat, and finding that only two pieces remained, said, "My friend, 

 you must be very hungry to eat so rapidly; I have had but one piece, 

 and there are but two pieces left." 



The other replied, " I have not taken them, but suspect you have 

 eaten them yourself;" whereupon the other replied more angrily than 

 before. Thus they argued, and the Raccoon, desiring to have more 

 sport, tapped each of them on the face. The old men, each believing 

 the other had struck him, began to fight, rolling over the floor of the 

 wigwam, upsetting the bowl and the kettle, and causing the fire to be 

 scattered. The Raccoon then took the two remaining pieces of meat 

 and made his exit from the wigwam, laughing ha, ha, ha, ha; whereupon 

 the old men instantly ceased their strife, for they now knew they had 

 been deceived. The Raccoon then remarked to them, " I have played a 

 nice trick on you; you should not find fault with each other so easily." 

 Then the Raccoon continued his crawfish-hunting along the lake shore. 



shika'ko, the skunk 



The following is an account of how the skunk is alleged to have made 

 some hunting medicine, the effect of the vegetal ingredients being as 

 overpowering as the offensive liquid with which this animal is said 

 to have killed the oak. 



The Skunk was once a larger animal than he now is. He was as 

 large as a hill, but he gradually became smaller and smaller; and as 

 his size kept diminishing, he determined to make a strong hunting- 

 medicine — one that would give him skill in killing great game and 

 plenty of it. He hunted around to find the plants he required for his 



