234 THE MENOMINI INDIANS [etii.ann.14 



litter of children, who live in a cavern in the mountain." Turning around, 

 Ball Carrier saw a mountain, and, because he was possessed of won- 

 derful power of sight, he could observe the offspring of the witch hud- 

 dled together. He then went toward the mountain, and when he had 

 reached it, he. struck the ground with his warclub, causing great fissures 

 to appear; and when the cavern was exposed, he slew the whole litter 

 of the witch's children. 



Ball Carrier did not live long at this place ere he felt the need of con- 

 tinuing his journey; so he said to his wife, "Wife, you know I am a 

 traveler, and I must proceed on my journey to berid the people of their 

 enemies." 



The wife knew that remonstrance would be futile, so she allowed Ball 

 Carrier to use his own judgment. Gathering together his weapons, he 

 left, and after wandering through the forests for a long time, he reached 

 a piece of elevated ground upon which he saw a wigwam. Seeing no 

 one about, he approached it, and on peeping in at the doorway, he 

 espied a woman sitting within, making preparations for her evening 

 meal. The woman looked up, and seeing Ball Carrier at the door appear- 

 ing hungry and tired, said, "Come in, Ball Carrier, I am preparing food 

 for you; I have long been expecting you." 



Ball Carrier entered and seated himself on the robes on the ground. 

 He partook of the food the woman prepared, and seeing that she was 

 comely he asked her to be liis wife. The woman accepted the proposal, 

 and Ball Carrier felt satisfied to remain there and travel no farther. 



As Ball Carrier was out hunting one day, he came to a deep valley, 

 in the bottom of which was a lake. In the middle of this lake was an 

 island, partly covered by trees, but on the open grassy portion he saw 

 a large White Bear, the chief of the ana'maqki'ti, the bad underworld 

 ma'nidos. Now, Ball Carrier was desirous of destroying this greatest 

 of all enemies; but not being able to approach within arrowshot, he 

 blew his breath upon the water, which immediately began to freeze. 

 He continued thus to blow until the ice was so thick that the White 

 Bear could not break it, although he repeatedly ran down and butted 

 his head against the ice. Baffled by this failure, the White Bear called 

 on an immense rock at the hill top, asking it to roll down and break 

 the ice, that he might get into the water. The l-ock rolled dowu the 

 hillside and struck the ice with terrific force; but, instead of crushing 

 it, rolled off like a ball. At this the White Bear became very much 

 alarmed, and called upon the Suba'isiukkuk (wood ducks) to oome to 

 his aid. Instantly the Wood Ducks came from the south and flew 

 around in one spot over the ice, when it instantly began to thaw. 

 They circled this spot four times, when the ice became s<> thin that the 

 White Bear ran down, thrust his head upon the weakened spot, broke 

 it, and disappeared beneath the surface. 



Then the Wood Ducks also disappeared, and Ball Carrier turned to 

 go toward his wigwam. He had not gone far when he saw a large water 



