558 THE (@EGIHA LANGUAGE—MYTHS, STORIES, AND LETTERS. 
one of his children, to whom he said, “Take that to him! Do not go near him, but 
throw it to him when you are at a great distance from him, as he is always very talk- 
ative.” So his child took the tobacco-pouch to return it to Ictinike. But when he was 
about to throw it to Ietinike the latter said, ‘Come closer! come closer.” And when 
he took the pouch closer Ictinike said, ‘‘ Tell your father that he is to visit me.” When | 
the young muskrat reached home he said, “‘O father, he said that you were to visit 
him.” The Muskrat replied, “As I apprehended that very thing, I said to you, ‘Throw 
it to him while standing at a great distance from him.’” Then the Muskrat went to see 
Ictinike. And Ictinike said to his wife, “ Fetch water.” Ictinike’s wife went after 
water. She filled the kettle and hung it over the fire till it boiled. When !ctinike 
upset the kettle, only water came out. Ietinike wished to do just as the Muskrat had 
done, but he was unable. Then the Muskrat had the kettle refilled, and when the 
water boiled he upset it, and an abundance of wild rice was there, which he gave to 
Ictinike. And thereupon the Muskrat departed, leaving plenty of wild rice. 
On another day Ictinike said to his wife, “I am going to see your grandfather, the 
Kingfisher.” When he arrived there the Kingfisher stepped on a bough of the large 
white willow, bending it down so far that it was horizontal; and he dived from it into 
the water. He came up with a fish, which he gave Ictinike to eat. And as Iectinike 
was Starting home, he left one of his gloves, pretending that he had forgotten it. So 
the Kingfisher directed one of his boys to take the glove and restore it to the owner; 
but he charged him not to go near him, as Ictinike was very talkative and might 
detain him too long. Just as the boy was about to throw the glove to Ictinike the 
latter said, “Come closer! come closer!” So the boy earried the glove closer. And 
Ictinike said, ‘“‘ Tell your father that he is to visit me.” And the boy said to his father, 
“O father, he said that you were to visit him.” The Kingfisher replied, “As I appre- 
hended that very thing, I said, ‘Throw it to him while you stand at a great distance 
from him.’” Then the Kingfisher went to see Ictinike. When he arrived there Ictinike 
climbed upon a bough of a large white willow, bending it till it was horizontal; he 
leaped from it and plunged beneath the water. And it was with difficulty that the 
Kingfisher seized him and brought him to land. Ictinike had swallowed more of the 
water than he liked. Then the Kingfisher plunged into the stream, brought up a fish, 
which he gave to Ictinike. But the Kingfisher departed without eating any portion 
of if. 
On another day Ictinike said to his wife, ‘‘I am going to see your grandfather, 
the Flying-squirrel.”. So he departed. When Ictinike arrived the Flying-squirrel 
said to his wife, Hand me that awl.” He took the awl and climbed up on his lodge. 
When he reached the very top per testes subulam impulit, causing a great many black 
walnuts to fall to the ground. Thus he provided black walnuts, which Iectinike ate. 
And when I[ctinike departed he left one of his gloves, as before, pretending that he 
had forgotten it. In like manner did the Flying squirrel send the glove to Ictinike 
by one of his sons. And Ictinike sent by the son an invitation to the Flying-squirrel 
to visit him. When the Flying squirrel reached the lodge of Ietinike, the latter took 
an awl and climbed to the top of his lodge. He had barely reached the top of the 
lodge when per testes subulam iinpulit. And he forced out very dark blood. ‘ Why,” 
said the Flying-squirrel, ‘he has surely hurt himself severely!” So the Flying-squir- 
rel took the awl and climbed up on the lodge. And the Flying-squirrel made a large- 
quantity of black walnuts for Ictinike. 
ie 
