216 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



is sometimes called Gray Wolf, and the Wise Men now 

 say Timber Wolf ; but the simple word Wolf stands for 

 both cruelty and cunning. His family history, from 

 the time the white men came to settle in this land, is 

 full of dark deeds and darker punishments. The Ind- 

 ians repeat manj^ tales about him, and tell how that 

 long ago the Wolf ate of the meat of knowledge. This 

 meat was the flesh of the great wide-eared, hornless 

 Deer who is no longer living, but who was so wise 

 in Ills day that he taught the winds how to blow. 

 Whoever among the fourfoots should take one of these 

 Deer by fair hunting, and eat its flesh, won great 

 wisdom for his race, Avith keen eyes to read hidden sign 

 languages and a nose to scent every message of the 

 wind. 



" The Bear only licked a bit of this magical meat ; 

 this brought it cunning and stupidity. The Fox, being 

 too small to hunt it, nibbled at a piece he did not kill; 

 this gave him cunning, together with the penalty that 

 he should be hunted by the beasts of his own tribe. 

 The Puma seized a piece of flesh another beast had 

 hidden, and so was given cunning and a sure, swift leap, 

 but heavy paws that weigh in running. Then a Wolf 

 slew the last wing-eared Deer of all, not by fair chase, 

 but by trap and treacherj', so that the Deer in dying 

 branded the Wolf a coward. . 



" ' Hunt and be ever hunted,' he shrieked. ' Hunt 

 with hanging head and tail ; hunt treacherously with 

 wile and snare, for you will have great need of cunning. 

 An enemy comes from far across the seas, who walks 

 upright as ISears walk, having a raoou-white face, in 

 one hand carrying fire, and in the otlier the fine white 



