MYTHS OF THE WOOD CREES 2 II 



as they were descending a hill, and leaped upon him and pinned 

 him to the earth. 



" Come, my brother, let me go," he entreated. 



" No, so long as the earth remains and waters run you must 

 stay here," said the rock. Wisagatchak then fell asleep; he 

 awakened after the lapse of years to find that his face was 

 overgrown with lichens and his hair was full of moss. Then 

 he called to the thunder, " My brother, take this rock from 

 my back." 



The crushing weight was immediately broken and scattered 

 over all the land, where the fragments are seen to this day. 



Okaskewaysesuk. 



As Wisagatchak was going along, one day, he came upon a 

 pack of young grouse. 



" What is your name," said he. 



"Okaskewaysesuk" (I-startle-you), they said. 



" You cannot startle me," said the manito as he continued 

 upon his way. The old grouse returned to find her brood sadly 

 frightened. Meditating revenge upon Wisagatchak, she col- 

 lected a great covey of her friends and relatives together upon 

 the banks of a small river, where they concealed themselves in 

 the path of the advancing manito. When he reached the bank 

 of the stream Wisagatchak concluded that he could jump across 

 it. Moving back some distance to gather impetus he rushed 

 down the bank only to pause at the brink without leaping. A 

 second time he ran, and a second time his courage failed him. 

 "I will jump this time," said he, and the listening grouse knew 

 that he meant to make the attempt. Just as he was springing 

 into the air the grouse started up in a body, producing such a 

 sudden noise and confusion that Wisaga,tchak, instead of clear- 

 ing the stream fell with a splash in the middle of the current. 



"Yes, it is true they ought to be called Okaskewaysesuk," 

 he soliloquized as he pulled himself up on the bank. 



How the Ermine's Fur came to change with the Season. 



Wisagatchak was once more free. As he was going along, 

 he fell upon the track of a bear. The bear turned upon him 

 saying, "You will be a dead man before the day is done. 

 Gather firewood at once, I am going to roast you." 



