180 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



This went on for some time, until finally she went 

 away with the beaver to his home in the water. 

 Now when the man came home, he looked all about 

 for his wife, but could not find her anywhere. As 

 he was walking along the shore of the lake, he saw 

 her trail going down into the water. Now he knew 

 what had happened. He did not break camp, but 

 continued his hunting. After four days, the woman 

 came up out of the water and returned to her 

 lodge. She was already heavy with child. When 

 her husband returned that evening, he found her 

 in her usual place, and she told him all that had 

 occurred. 



" In the course of time the woman gave birth to a 

 beaver. To keep it from dying she put it in a 

 bowl of water, which she kept at the head of her 

 bed. In the evening her husband came in as usual, 

 and after a while, hearing something splashing in 

 water, he said, * What is that ? ' Then the woman 

 explained to him that she had given birth to a 

 beaver. She brought him the bowl. He took out 

 the little beaver, looked at it, and put it back. He 

 said nothing. As time went on he became very 

 fond of the young beaver and played with him 

 every evening. 



" Now the beaver down in the water knew every- 

 thing that was going on in the lodge. He knew 

 that the man was kind to the young beaver, and so 

 was not angry with him. He took pity on the 

 man. Then the father of the young beaver resolved 



