2i6 EXPLORATIONS IN THE FAR NORTH 



he crept about on his hands and knees searching for them, he 

 was discovered by a fox which caught up a stick and thrust the 

 end into the empty eye-sockets of helpless Wisagatchak, caus- 

 him to cry out with the pain. The fox was delighted with its 

 success and tried again, but the manito succeeded in catching it. 



"Now, I will kill you," said he. 



" Why do you not keep me, and I will lead you about?" asked 

 the fox. Seeing the wisdom of this, he spared the life of the 

 fox and continued his journey holding to its tail. Wisagatchak 

 soon tired of that manner of traveling and told the fox to bring 

 him some clear spruce gum. When he obtained this, he shaped 

 two pieces for eyes; after rubbing them a few times he was 

 able to see a little. Again he rubbed until his sight was wholly 

 restored. He then released the fox, saying, "Now, make your 

 own living." 



The fox ran off and soon fell asleep upon a grassy point 

 which projected into the lake. Wisagatchak fired the grass 

 and the fox perished in the flames. 



End of Wisagatchak. 



Continuing his wanderings he fell in with a family of bad 

 Indians, from whom he endeavored to escape, but was pursued 

 by muskrats, employed by his enemies to bring him back. 

 Wisagatchak blew upon the muskrats driving them back, say- 

 ing, " Go, build lodges for your children, and wherever there is 

 a people they shall know where you live and shall use your 

 skins." And the muskrat builds its lodge and is killed for its 

 fur down to the present day. 



But the rats drove Wisagatchak out of this country. The 

 narrators of the legends all agreed that this was his last adven- 

 ture in America. 



ANIMAL MYTHS. 

 The Moose and the Hare. 



A hare accosted a passing moose one day with the remark, 

 " You are proud." 



" I am no prouder than you are," was the reply. 



" Yes, you are, for 1 go into an)' snare ; even a woman's garter 

 will catch me. I serve as food for a great many." 



" I am more benevolent than that, for when a man kills me 

 he has a great deal of meat." 



