••OTBl THE POLE STAR. 81 



the singer having been climmed, however, on account of his desire to 

 return to earth. 



A party of hunters were once in pursuit of a bear, when they were 

 attacked by a monster stone giant, and all but three destroyed. The 

 three together, with the bear, were carried by invisible spirits up into 

 the sky, where the bear can still be seen, pursued by the first hunter 

 with his bow, the second with the kettle, and the third, who, farther be- 

 hind, is gathering sticks. Only in fall do the arrows of the hunters 

 pierce the bear, when his dripping blood tinges the autumn foliage. 

 Then for a time he is invisible, but afterwards reappears. 



An old man, despised and rejected by his people, took his bundle and 

 staff and went up into a high mountain, where he began singing the 

 death chant. Those below, who were watching him, saw him slowly 

 rise into the air, his chant ever growing fainter and fainter, until it 

 finally ceased as he took his place in the heavens, where his stooping 

 figure, staff, and bundle have ever since been visible, and are pointed 

 out as Nage-tci (the old man). 



An old woman, gifted with the power of divination, was unhappy 

 because she could not also foretell when the world would come to an 

 end. For this she was transported to the moon, where to this day she 

 is clearly to be seen weaving a forehead-strap. Once a month she stirs 

 the boiling kettle of hominy before her, during which occupation the 

 cat, ever by her side, unravels her net, and so she must continue until 

 the end of time, for never until then will her work be finished. 



As the pole star was ever the Indian's guide, so the northern lights 

 were ever to him the indication of coming events. Were they white, 

 frosty weather would follow ; if yellow, disease and pestilence ; while red 

 predicted war and bloodshed : and a mottled sky in the springtime was 

 ever the harbinger of a good corn season. 



THE POLK STAR. 



A large party of Indians, while moving in search of new hunting 

 grounds, wandered on for many moons, finding but little game. At last 

 they arrived at the banks of a great river, entirely unknown to them, 

 where they had to stop, not having the material to build boats. Lost 

 and nearly famished with hunger, the head chief was taken very ill, and 

 it was decided to hold a council to devise means for returning to their 

 old homes. During the dance, and while the tobacco was burning, a 

 little being like a child came up, saying she was sent to be their guide. 

 Accordingly they broke up their camp and started with her that night. 

 Preceding them, with only a gi-wah, or small war-club, she led them on 

 until daylight and then commanded them to rest while she prepared 

 their food. This they did, and when awakened by her they found a 

 6e 



