88 
THE NORTHLAND BIRD LIFE 
and by I could trumpet very well. Then I 
went back and trumpeted for all the little 
folks. They thought it was so very nice that 
they all followed me about in a circle and we 
were having such a cheerful childhood. Oh! 
such a cheerful, cheerful childhood! Then 
all of a sudden Omnok the hunter came upon 
us and if I hadn’t hid my face in the water 
you would never have seen me again, I am 
sure. 
“After that, I decided I didn’t want a cheer¬ 
ful old age if I had to be frightened almost to 
death and perhaps killed, so today I just kept 
quiet and didn’t trumpet at all. 1 just floated 
about in the water while all the other folks 
were cheerful, but they weren’t very cheerful, ] 
for they thought I ought to go about and 
trumpet for them and be cheerful too. But I 
didn’t, and by and by I became very sleepy. | 
I thought it wouldn’t be a bit of harm for me I 
to take just a little nap with all the other little i 
folks all about me. So I put my head under ; 
my wing and went to sleep. And O Mother! 
if someone hadn’t bit me on the toe just when 
