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trying to deceive me’; and, setting the wooden images in place, he himself danced 
and sang in front of them, pointing an otter skin with weasel and muskrat appendages 
towards the sky just as medes do now to ensure fine weather for the Grand Medicine 
rites. Quickly the clouds disappeared and the sky became clear again . 1 
Nenibush now determined to punish the manidos that had killed his brother. 
He wandered all over the land, but could not find them, for they were water- 
serpents. Then one day he discovered them sleeping in the sun on a sandy beach. 
He tried to draw near them, but they recognized him and retreated into the water. 
Early the next morning he returned to the same place and transformed himself into 
a stump. The serpents emerged from the water, led by their leader who was as 
white as a winter rabbit. They were suspicious of the stump, and sent “tiger” to 
investigate it. He clawed it, and when it did not move returned to his companions 
and said ‘ It is only a stump.’ Still suspicious, they sent a big snake, which wound 
itself all round the stump. Still Nenibush did not move, and the snake, like the 
“ tiger,” reported that he was only a stump and that they could sleep in safety on 
the beach. But as soon as the animals slept Nenibush changed himself into a man 
again and shot an arrow through their leader’s heart. Leader and all, they leaped 
into the water, which rose rapidly and flooded all the land. Nenibush fled to the top 
of a mountain and climbed a tall pine tree. The water followed him until it reached 
to his neck, but receded again to its proper level. Nenibush then descended, built 
a large raft in case it should rise again, and resumed his travels. 
One day he met in the woods an old woman who carried a bag on her back, 
weeping. * Why are you weeping,’ he asked ; and she answered, ‘ Our chief has been 
shot by Nenibush and is near to death. I am looking for a medicine to cure him.’ 
‘ What do you do when you enter his house’? he asked. ‘I administer my medicine 
alone, admitting no one, and sing over him.’ Straightway Nenibush killed her, 
dressed himself in her clothes, set her bag upon his back, and went to the chief’s 
house. The people took no notice of him when he entered, for they thought he 
was the old woman. Then he killed the chief with his knife, skinned him as he 
would a deer, tied the skin into a bundle, and fled to his raft. The serpent people 
pursued him, and the water rose so rapidly behind him that he had barely time to 
reach the raft.. Animals and birds of all kinds took refuge with him. for the water 
covered even the mountain tops, and this time did not subside. Nenibush said to 
them, ‘We had better create some land. Let some one dive down and bring me 
up a little sand.’ Otter went down. He could not reach the bottom and was almost 
drowned; but Nenibush pulled him on to the raft again and revived him. Loon 
dived, and failed also. Then they sent down muskrat, who rose at last so near 
to death that Nenibush had difficulty in reviving him. 1 Did you see any land ’? he 
asked; and muskrat replied ‘Yes. When I was nearly dead I saw it. I couldn’t 
gather any of it in my mouth but I scratched up a few particles in my claw.’ 
Nenibush planted these particles of sand on the water, and laid on them the smallest 
ants, which ran around and made the land grow larger. Then he placed the rats on 
it, and, as it grew, larger animals. Last of all, when the land had the form that we 
know today, he released the moose and the bear. 
Nenibush finally went west and joined his brother. There he remains, and a 
giant cedar tree grows from his head. He wanders no more/’ 
i This was the version given by Jonas King and Tom King. Other Indians gave variants as 
follows : 
" When Nenibush wept for his brother Wolf his body swayed to and fro, shaking the whole universe 
so that the sky-people almost fell down to earth. They sent a messenger to invite Nenibush to visit 
them. He refused them three times, but the fourth time he accepted the invitation and ascended. They 
gave him a water-drum ( buankik ) and taught him the rites and powers of the Grand Medicine Society. 
As he was descending to earth again Nenibush tried out his new powers by restoring his brother Wolf to 
life again, but immediately banished him to the west to rule over the dead ” (Charles Judge). 
" Nenibush’ s child died, and Nenibush sat down and wept. Twelve manidos assembled, led by 
Nigankwam, the first thunder of spring, and presented him with a water-drum and a human figure 
carved from wood. He accompanied them inside a large wigwam where there were twelve men and 
twelve women, and they danced. Nigankwam then said to him ' Behold your blessing,’ and ordered the 
wooden image to cure the sick and raise the dead. They brought a sick man inside the wigwam, and 
the image danced around and cured him. Another sick man they carried in, and the image cured him 
also. But afterwards an evil spirit complained that Nenibush had received all the power, and demanded 
authority for himself over wicked people. Nenibush consented, and although he afterwards repented of 
his mistake, he was unable to recall his gift ” (Jim Nanibnshb 
