myths of the wood crees 217 



The Moose and the Jackfish. 



As a jackfish was lying with its back out of the water, a moose 

 came down to the stream to drink. 



" You look very proud," said the jackfish. 



" You, also, look very proud," replied the moose. 



"Oh, no! I am kind-hearted; I allow the women and chil- 

 dren' to catch me, and I keep them from starving. But you are 

 a coward. You run away if you see a man's track in the bush." 



The moose was angry at this, and struck the fish upon the 

 head with its forefoot. 



"Your head shall always be shaped like my hoof," said he. 

 And so it is to this day. 



The Owl and the Cascade. 



Pafunagesup, the little owl, was the husband of Wahpenao, 

 the ptarmigan, and brother of Ohomashoo, the night owl. 

 Pafunagesup was going along, when he came upon a cascade. 

 Perching upon a lofty branch of a dead tree, he said to the 

 waterfall, " We shall see who can call the longer." 



The fall stopped and answered, "Oh, no, my little grand- 

 child, you will never call as long as I; for I shall call as long as 

 the world shall stand." 



" Never mind, I shall call the longer, anyway," said the vain- 

 glorious little pafunagesup, as he began his cry. Soon the 

 cascade again stopped to remonstrate. " My little grandchild, 

 it is of no use for you to continue, for I shall never stop." 



But the owl would not desist. After a long time, the cas- 

 cade again ceased its roaring. "Aha! I told you that I would 

 call longer than you," said the owl. 



" No, I only stopped to warn you, for the last time, that I 

 shall call forever; " and again they continued. Little pafunage- 

 sup called and called, until his head dropped off, and his neck 

 was all worn away, which accounts for the apparently headless 

 condition of the bird to this day. 



How Sea Water became Unfit to Drink. 



At the beginning, all the small fur-bearing animals were in 

 constant fear of their lives, owing to the existence of a very 

 large skunk which preyed upon them. They at last gathered 



