TALEI^FTHE BARK LOIX3EX Tales of the Bark Lodges By HEN-TOH Wyandot HARLOW PUBLISHING CO. Oklahoma City 1920 Copyright, 1919. By HARLOW PUBLISHING CO, First Edition November, 1919. Second Edition September, 1920. FOREWORD More than a quarter of a century ago, among the scattered bands of the Eastern American Indians, were many of the older members of the tribe, whom we among ourselves called, "old time Indians." I refer to those tribes whose ances tors had associated with and known the white man and his ways ever since the earliest Colonial settlements were made. Amalgamation with the civilized races had lessened the degree of Indian blood and they had become a civilized people. They were educated more or less, and were possessed of an innate refinement of thought and manner. They were reserved, closely observant, earnest and shrewd, and almost always serious. With all that they had gained from civilization, they retained and cherished closely, many of their old manners and customs, adapting these to the ever-changing times. They had a marked character and indi viduality of their own; and among them were those who, to a discriminating mind, were well worth knowing. Many of these, however much they had ac quired of the ways of others, failed in their use of ordinary English, to the most humorous de- 435501 iv FOREWORD. gree. The greater number of them yet used their own tribal language, and they found it dif ficult to think something out in this, and then transpose and express it in English. Yet, in spite of the many perplexities, when in the mood to do so, within the family, or circle of inti mates, the English language was often spoken to the exclusion of their own. And with all their natural earnestness and seriousness, they would drive straight ahead, paying no attention what ever to the strange and ludicrous quirks and turns they gave to English as they tried to speak it. They lived much in the past of their race, and they delighted to talk and tell of "the olden times." Lore and legend were very dear to them; and during the long nights of winter, the traditions, tales and myths, handed down from one generation to another for centuries, were often related by these older ones. I have always loved the old people and their olden tales, and in the broken dialect peculiar alone to the "old time Indian," I have attempted to give some of the old stories originally derived from the Lake Region Tribes. Since these have survived for unknown ages, and have been told and re-told to so many generations; and, since I and many of the friends I have known, have FOREWORD. v found a certain enjoyment in hearing them re lated, I have tried to again re-tell some of them for the pleasure of anyone who may find in them anything to please. Perchance, even I, may thereby win another friend. I have tried also to show somewhat of the in dividuality and view-point of these old people of the tribe; and it is to the dear memory of those who have long since passed beyond, and to the few that yet remain, that these stories and tales as now given, are dedicated. Doubtless, there will be some readers, who will at once say that the rights and privileges of "Uncle Remus" have been set at naught. I say: not so; and I believe that my life-long inti mate knowledge of Indian life and character en titles me at least to my opinion. Others may have theirs. I can well recall the time of my boyhood, when I saw the first of the "Uncle Remus Stories." I was delighted with them because I found so much in them with which I had been familiar from my earliest childhood. I hastened to call the attention of the older members of our family to them. And, more particularly did I hasten to read some of them to a dear old Aunt, a Wyandot woman of the old type, who lived with us. vi FOREWORD. Like myself, she was pleased with them, but at once said as many of the episodes were recognized : "They re Indian stories; not whiteman; not nigger." I heartily agreed with her, and while we both enjoyed them, we were just a bit indignant because, so to speak, our title had been pre empted. Later, when the discussion was taken up by older and far wiser heads than mine, and when Professor Powell of the Smithsonian Institute stated that the stories exhibited more of Indian origin than of negro, I was satisfied as to my claim, and have never since had reason to doubt the fact of their Indian origin. That the origin of many of the episodes is purely Iroquoian, is to my mind too clear to admit of doubt or dispute. The Cherokee is an Iroquoian tribe, as is also the Wyandot. The Cherokees removed south at an early day in the history of this country and became slave-holders. Can it be doubted that much of their lore, and many of their old tales and traditions were ab sorbed by the negroes? The Wyandots remained until years later, with their kindred tribes in the north, where these same stories, legends, tales, and traditions had been preserved, with per haps slight variations among the several tribes, FOREWORD. vii for centuries. Yes, even centuries before such thing was dreamed of, as the coming of either the white man or the black man. Each of the many stories originally had some special significance which has long since been lost almost entirely. Their preservation was of tribal importance; and it was the duty of some of the older members of the tribe, to relate them to the younger ones. This had been an honored custom among them for un told ages. Story-telling furnished a vast source of amusement and entertainment, as well as in struction, to the dwellers in the long bark lodges near the Lake shores, during the winter nights. Stories were never related except at this season of the year; for it was the belief that the many spirits of nature thought to be awake and alert during the other seasons, would be perhaps of fended at hearing so much said about them. So, in the long, cold, and sometimes dreary winter season, when all nature seemed to be soundly sleeping, time was often whiled away, and even hunger and want forgotten while listening to a story well told. HEN-TOH, Wyandot. Ottawa County, Oklahoma. CONTENTS I. OLD Fox GOES FISHING 3 II. A DANCE AND A DINNER 16 III. OLD COON SLEEPS Too LONG 27 IV. OLD Fox MEETS His COUSIN 37 V. OLD COON VISITS THE SUGAR BUSH 51 VI. OLD Fox AND OLD COON TRY A NEW VENTURE 61 VII. A PRE-HISTORIC RACE 74 VIII. THE EAGLE FEATHER 84 IX. WHY AUTUMN LEAVES ARE RED 95 X. THE FERRYMAN 100 XI. OLD COON TEACHES THE WOLF TO HUNT 105 XII. THE HOLE IN THE SKY... ..113 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. I. OLD FOX GOES FISHING. "What you sed, Bra-ty? Yooht! You al! a time sed tell em OP Ouendot story. What for? He s bout all gone now, Ouendots. You jus lit l bit, you fatha , you motha jus lit l bit mo Ouendot. Look, you hair jus lik a sunshine if you ketch im an tie in bunch. Ouendot, his hair black like a night, an fine, jus lik you sistah yonda. Eyes black too. He an you motha an me, all looks lik Ouendot." So spoke a pleasant, kindly looking old Wyandot woman to a lit- [3] 4 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES tie boy who was sitting with her before a cheery open fire, where a row of streaked, juicy red apples were slowly roasting on the broad hearth. The boy replying to his old aunt, said: "Yes, I know, but Neh-ah, I m a Wyan- dot even if my hair is like what you say, and you know I just love to hear you tell me all of the old stories that the little Wy- andot children, yes, and the older ones too, listened to so many, many years ago. That was before they ever knew there was such a thing as a white man, I guess. I like to hear all about the olden times you often tell me about, and how the Wyandots lived and did things then. Anyway, you know that as long as I can claim a little bit of OLD Fox GOES FISHING 5 Wyandot blood, I am an Indian, a Wyan- dot, and not a white man." More than just a bit pleased, the old aunt said to him: "Well, I s pose it s jus that way, an it be that way too, all a time, with anybody what s Ouendot. Just say kin a proud, Tm Ouendot. Anyway, I tole you all a ol story what I think of, cause you all a time tell a me story bout nowa days, an read to me, book an pay-pa too, bout eva thing what s goin on in worl an all a diffunt place. All a Injun long go use tell em ol story, so young folk can le rn all bout ol times. Some time when hunta s don got back yet with meat, an mebbe so don t got much to eat in lodge, then jus -tell em story long time, and jus r 6 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES kin a fo got he s hungry. He s do that kin in a winta time. But you don eva much hungry; anyway look, we have good roas apple, tzhu-u-wat, prit soon. Well, anyhow, I tole you bout OP Fox an OP Coon, at s his couzzen. They jus all a time try to play trick on each otha them fellas. Jus like long time go, young fellas what go all roun diffunt village, an jus play trick on oP witch womans, an eva body they could, an jus make em big laff all roun cause they foolish em, heap all a time. "It s col frosty mornin long time go; winta time. OP Fox he s lazy to get up, jus sleep long time fo he get up an go roun to see what s goin on. By-um-by, he s jus walkin long riva bank, jus sing- OLD Fox GOES FISHING 7 in like to he-self, jus like he s feelin kin - a good. He s jus come roun by lit l hill an he see Coon comin up road. He s carry somethin on back, jus puffin lik it s heavy. 01 Fox he s wonda what s got 01 Coon. By-um-by he s come long clos , 01 Coon, an Fox he see em long string, lots crawfish, what s carryin OF Coon. " Good mornin Couzzen, he sed it 01 Coon, How you mek it? What fo you sing jus like happy, this time mornin ? Mebbe so it s gif you bad lucks, cause you sing so early. Mebbe so you bettah what you say, cut it out/ "OF Fox he jus grin an sed: Good mornin Couzzen Coon, I jus makin up new song fo nex Council Fire; I don* 8 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES tho t bout no bad lucks what you say; but what s you got, all lots a crawfish? Whe-e-e at s fine, how you ketch em? You jus all time lucky hunta , ketch eva thing easy; what makes all a time you do that way? "He sed it 01 Coon: Oh, yes, me all time kill em ten. At s caus you don t see me come singin on road befo I eat em my breakfus ; an this kin , I jus pick em up down riva . At s easy. Seems to me you can do bettah as I can, caus you tail it s long an lots a-bushy. "OF Fox he think he s make a fun bout his tail, Coon, an sed it: Oh, it s good nuff my tail, but you don sed how you ketch em crawfish; I like to try ketch em/ " Oh, you lik ketch em, 01 Coon, he say, It s easy, but you haf to waitin long OLD Fox GOES FISHING 9 time, jus waiting but you don t haf to watchin nothin , jus waitinV "Fox he say, Well, you tell-a-me, an I do what you sed. I lik to try to-day, right now/ "Or Coon he point back which way he come an he say: Right down on riva , roun that bank, it s good place on ice, it s lots lit l hole in ice, all ova . You look, fin good one, big nuff jus put it in, you tail, jus way down in wata ; he ain t cold much, wata . You jus sit there, tail in wata , waitin long time. By-um-by, crawfish he come long 1-o-t-s ov em, he get all tangle up on you tail. You jus waitin long time; afta while it s feel heavy, but you jus waitin some mo an by-um-by when you 10 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES waitin 1-o-n-g time, you jus jump quick, jus high lik you can. You tail it s be pull out hole, an it s all scattah ova ice craw fish, lots ov em. You mus pick em up hurry, fo he s crawl back to that holes. It s sure bes kin fishin I do long time. Sure ketch em plenty crawfish, mebbe. "01 Fox he s jus lis n to Coon talk bout it, an he say: Well, I try im what you sed, Couzzen, cause I lik to ketch em mo what you ketch em, crawfish; I think I go try now. "Coon he sed: Well, you go try. I m jus bout froze it now, stan here tole you bout it, fishin ; nobody don tole me, I jus mek em that kin fishin . Then he s go on jus lik he s hurry, that 01 Coon. OLD Fox GOES FISHING 11 He s go lit l way, an jus laff to he-self, much, cause he s jus foolin im, that 01 Fox; he don ketch em crawfish that way, lik what he sed it. "Fox, he s jus b lieve im all of it; jus cause he s got more big tail than 01 Coon, he s jus think he ketch em heap crawfish. He s go down on ice by riva, jus hurry, cause he s want fin hole, so he can do it. that waitin . He s by-um-by fin it good one, hole, but it s col wind blow strong, jus freezin , but he don care nothin cause he s want try that waitin . He s put in hole his tail, an he s set down on ice. That ice c-o-1 , an jus make sheever, jus lik eva thin . He s jus think it s be good eatin that crawfish, an jus keep on sheever. 12 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES He s don care fo that kin , sheever, he s jus want em heaps crawfish. "By-um-by, it s kin pull lit l bit, his tail; it s freezin that wata , but he don t know, he s jus think it s much crawfish tangle on his tail. He s think, I jus wait- in some mo cause it s what mek em come lots crawfish. I sure beat im, 01 Coon, ketch em crawfish, then I tell im, I bes one fishin . So that ol feller, he s jus waitin , an waitin til by-um-by, it s his tail all freeze in ice; it s tight one, freeze, you bet cha. "He s waitin lit l mo , an sed to he-self: It s must-a-be many crawfish now, I think time to jump now. So he s try to jump high, but it s freeze tight, his tail, an jus OLD Fox GOES FISHING 13 pull h-a-r-d. He s jus almos holler, cause it s make hurt; but he s jus think it s so lots ov crawfish, he don care fo lit l bit hurt. He s jus jump h-a-r-d notha time, an it s almos pull it off his tail; then he jus think, He s foolish me that 01 Coon. He tell lie, he don ketch em this way, that crawfish; he s jus lie all-a-time. He s do me bad one, this trick; but I ll pay back, I ketch im. He s fin out/ "Well, anyway, it s freeze up his tail, all tight plenty; what s goin do get em loose, don know, cause it s hurt much eva ? time he s try pull em. Jus pull em h-a-r-d, it s bout break it, his tail. He s feel jus b-a-d, now. "By-um-by, he s lookin roun , and see somethin lik black nose, right ova tha 14 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES in hole, clos to bank; then it s come up lit l mo an it s sharp eye, too, an 01 Fox he s sed: Uncle Beaver, I sure got it bad fix, mebbe so you help me/ 01 Fox he s go head tell im, Beaver, what s that he s tell im do, 01 Coon. He s tell im all bout it 01 Fox. Beaver, he s jus lis n, an look like he s try hard not laff, an by-um- by he s go back in watah. He s swim ova unda ice, an he s work long time, jus like eva thin , and he s get em loose OF Fox, his tail ; then he s come up top gen an tell em 01 Fox : Now I guess you pull em out ice, you tail, my fren , an nex time he s tell you how do somethin , 01 Coon, mebbe so you don lis n good. "01 Fox he s lis n what say, OP Beaver an think it; but he s want do something OLD Fox GOES FISHING 15 too, so he s sed it: Uncle, you come, I like fix it somethin so I member it what you do. Beaver, he jus come ova by 01 Fox, an Fox he s jus take hands an gatha up lots lit l sof white snow, an he s jus rub it e-a-s-y all roun it s his nose, OP Beaver. It s jus change color lit l bit that hairs roun his nose, OP Beaver, an meks look nice, lit l bit. It s jus stay that way eva since. "That s how he say, Old People, long go it s that way." II. A DANCE AND A DINNER. Another evening when the Boy and Neh- ah were sitting before the same cheery fire, while outside the northwest wind swirled and whistled through the bare branches of the walnut trees, Neh-ah, knowing well that a story would soon be asked for, said : "Bra-ty, I don tole you bout how he s went to Big Council, 01 Coon, is it? That o? scamp, he s jus know he betta keep out his way, 01 Fox, lit l while, anyhow, caus he s jus hope 01 Coon, mebbe so, his couz- zen he ll forgot it bout that craw-fishin , when he s prit near los it his tail. [16] A DANCE AND A DINNER 17 "Co se not, he don t fo get it, OF Fox, an he don tole nobody bout that kin fishin neitha ; an he s jus hope UncP Beaver wouldn sed bout it to nobody too. But that OF Beaver, he s good ol fella, and jus heap like im eva body; anyhow, he s jus got tell im his fren that OF Otter. "That 01 Otter, he s jus jolly fella, an all a time jus laff good bout all a kin a things ; an that Beaver, he s jus all a time likes to hear im laff big, so, jus tell im eva time, anything, that Otter. "Any-how "It s jus few days afta OP Coon tole it, his couzzen how to ketch em crawfish, he sed to he-self, OP Coon: Mebbe so I get out a way lit l time, cause Fox he might 18 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES try it somethin to get even/ Any how it s jus bout that time, it s come Rah- shu, it s what you call em moccasin, he s go all roun diffunt village, an tell em somethin , eva body. He sed this one, it s goin be big Council way down notha place. "OP Coon he s always like to go, cause he s good singa , an he s talk good some times, too. Anyhow he sed: I go, bet cha 01 Fox he s don be there. Then he s jus laff, an he sed : I tell em all those fellas how s 01 Fox he s ketch em crawfish. "So s he s get ready an he s go. He s fin lots of em that place when he s got there. Somebody he sed : Where is it 01 Fox an* Turtle, it s always come them A DANCE AND A DINNER 19 fellas, wonda where is it an why don come/ But afta while 01 Coon tell em bout how ketch em crawfish, OP Fox, he don say that no mo , jus laff good. "They all stay that place three-fouh days, talkin bout lots thing, then Coon, he sed : Well, time I go, an he s pick up his lit l drum an start back. He s jus* travel long all day, sometime he s sing lit l bit, sometimes he s talk to he-self. He neva see nobody, til he s jus bout home, when sun, he s bout go ova hill; then he s meet Turtle, jus comin long slow, he s goin home too. ""Kway, my fren P he s sed it, 01* Coon, What fo you don bin there, Big Council? We look fo you, all time, we want you make good talk. 20 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES "OP Turtle, he sed: I goin bin there, but jus when I start, OP Fox, his woman he come my lodge, an he sed somethin wrong OP Fox, he s bad cross, don like nothin . He want me come see im, OP Fox. So I tell im I go see OP Fox, mebbe so he s sick, I doctah him. So, I go see him, but I can t know what s mattah with im. He s jus cross like dickens all time, an it s heap sore, his tail. "OP Coon he s jus lis n an laff lit l bit, then he sed : OP Fox, he be a right in few day. I go, now, I gotta fin suppa some kin . So he s go on. By-um-by he s come out of bush, right by lake, oh it s nice one, that lake, jus blue watah and jus clos to sho it s swim roun lots of goose; A DANCE AND A DINNER 21 he s fat one, too. 01 Coon, he s jus look at those lots of goose, then he say: To-ho,, my fren s, you come, I tell it you some- thin ; where I jus come, it s eva body jus sing an dance. It s new dance. You fellas jus come out on nice sand, I show you how do it. It s all those goose, he jus come step out on sand, jus walk like soldier, long string. 01 Coon jus take off belt, his lit l drum, an sed it: Well, my fren s, you jus make it big ring, I stay in niiddel. I sing an beat it drum. When I stop sing an play drum, all you gooses jus shut eyes tight an dance slow jus like what I showed you now. Then 01 Coon he s jus dance nice to show em how, all those goose. He say, 01 Coon: You 22 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES musn t stop dance till I begin sing gen, an jus* keep shut all time, yo eye. It s how they dance eva body, down that place I jus come now. "So all that gooses jus make ring, like he s tol em OP Coon, an all jus shut his eye an list n while he s sing good, OP Coon, an jus beat it that drum. He s jus sing: Ho-he-yah, ho-ha, Yah-dra-wah, ho-ye-yah, Ho-ha, yah-dra-wah. "Then when OP Coon, he quit sing- in , all those old goose jus dance roun slow an easy like, all his eye jus shut. Now OP Coon jus reach out queek, an grab one oP fat she-goose, jus snap his head off fore he could squawk, an thro A DANCE AND A DINNER 23 it behin him in hurry. Then he s sing agen, an when he s stop sing, those goose jus dance roun slow like, an he grab notha one, fat one, an queek, twis head off an throw behin him, then he do same thing, an get notha one. But jus when he s ketch em las one, lit l oP she-goose dancin , open one eye jus lit l bit, cause he want see if he ain t bes dancer. That she- goose when he see what he s do that OP Coon, jus holler loud an sed: Oh, he s kill us! an all those goose he s fly way, like big hurry. "OP Coon he s jus laff, an pick em up his three goose an lit l drum, an start on to his lodge. He s think he s got good sup- pa now. 24 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES "While he s goin long, he s say to he- self: I b lieve I like em betta roas gooses/ So when he s come his lodge, he s fix his gooses, an pick up lots of stick to mek big fire, cause by-um-by it s burn all down an meks good lots coal an* ashes, good place to roas em gooses. It s good suppa he s got now, by-um-by, soon. "It s w-a-y down long river, 01 Fox, his lodge. By-um-by he s look out an see big light, big fire on hill clos by his lodge, 01 Coon. 01 Fox he look, an he say to he- self: I wonda he s come home, that ol rascal, an what fo he s got big fire. I jus slip roun that way an see what he s do/ So he s call his little nephew what s live with him, an tole im don t need to A DANCE AND A DINNER 25 mek fire in lodge, cause he s goin way an not come back til late. It s what he sed, 01 Fox, an tell em nephew: Tou go sleep. "Well, bout that time, his fire, 01 Coon, it s all burn down, an make good ashes an hot coal. He s take stick an scrape all way that hot coal, an lay em down that gooses on his back, all, one, two, three, in row, his foot all stick up straight out ashes jus like beans what s jus come up in garden. "It s gettin dark now, an wind it s blow. He could hear im up in limbs on tree. 01 Coon, up high on rocky hill, he s set down by fire an jus lis n. He s kin* tired that 01 Coon, an it s jus soun easy 26 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES that wind, an make im feel sleepy like. He s lis n to riva down there, too, jus* soun s good, an by-um-by he s jus sleepy like eva thing. So, he say to he-self: I could take it nap while it s cook, my sup- pa , I do that cause nothin botha it tall "It s some limbs way up high ova he head, jus makin noise cause wind it s blow and jus mek squeek when it s rub togetha that limbs. 01 Cool he s sed: Hey, you noisy fellas up tha , I want sleep lit l nap, you woke me if it s botha anythin bout my suppa . He s say a right that limbs, an by-um-by that 01 Coon he s curl up an sleep good, jus lit l ways from fire." III. OLD COON SLEEPS TOO LONG. A stick of wood in the fire-place burned in two, and the sparks went flying up the chimney s black throat. The Boy took the poker and drew the other logs closer to gether. Meanwhile the tall old clock struck off eight resounding peals, finishing with its usual whirr. "Neh-ah, it only said eight, can t you go on and tell me if that poor Old Coon, hun gry as he was, got to eat his fine supper; or did it all burn up while he was taking such a good nap. He made such a great fire, I m wondering." [27] 28 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES After turning to the boy s mother, who was sitting near by sewing, and address ing a few words to her in Wyandot, the Old Aunt said : "No, it don burn it up, his suppa . Spec he don bin so mad if it did. He no bizness lay there an go sleep it so good ; but he s jus all a time such a smart, it s jus good nough fo him. I tole you lit l mo bout it, then you go bed. "Well, "It s a ready come up, big moon, down tha in east; but it s jus sleepin yet, 01 Coon, don wake im up, nothin . By- um-by, up there in rocks, bove where it s sleepin/ 01 Coon, you could see em sharp nose an sharp eyes too, jus roun edge OLD COON SLEEPS Too LONG 20 of rock, lookin down where s sleep, Or Coon. Then when see he s sleep good, that Coon, 01 Fox he s come down, jus walkin easy, he don t step on rocks, no nothin , jus walk sof an don mek it noise. He s look all roun that Fox, an by-um-by he s see em that six goose foots stickin out row in ashes. " Ah-e-e-e, he jus sed it easy, that s reason he s got big fire, 01 Coon. I glad I m fin it, an I glad I m come see bout it that big fire. I lik em roas gooses, an I could jus bout eat em three of it. He s good one, hunta, my Couzzen; but must a-be it s heap tired now. Too tired, can t eat em; well, I eat em that goose/ "He s look at that 01 Coon all-a-time, but he s jus sleepin good now, so Fox 30 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES he s jus step roun easy an get stick, an scrape way ashes from that gooses. It s roas nice, an jus smell good. It s some limbs up there in trees jus sque-e-k, but it don botha him, 01 Coon. "Fox, he s get busy eat it that goose an by-um-by it s jus nothin lef but pile bones it s got lots meat on yet, cause he s jus eat it bes part, that Fox. He s got nuff fo he s eat all of it; jus can t eat no mo . It s jus sque-e-k all-a-time that limbs, but don wake it up nothin that 01 Coon. "When he s eat all he want, that Fox, he pick up all-a bones an put em back in ashes, an he s cova all up gen jus lik it s don botha it nothin ; an 5 he s OLD COON SLEEPS Too LONG 31 stick in row gen, all that goose foots in ashes, jus same lik he s fix it, 01 Coon. "It s lit l pile sof ashes clos by, an he s go there, 01 Fox, an he s jus dance all ova it, so s he could fin it his tracks, that OF Coon when he s wake up. He sed it: I think my couzzen he bin glad I come see im, he bin glad I don woke im up, cause he s heap tired. "He s jus fix it eva thin that Fox, then he s go down hill towa ds riva . It s fine night, moonlight, an he s jus walk long riva bank til he s feel kinda tired and sleepy-like that s cause he s eat so much goose. By-um-by he s come to big one tree what s stan way out ova riva . It s 32 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES look like good place to sleep, so he s clim lip an fin good place to stretch out, an by-um-by he s go sleep. Big moon, it s yellow, shine jus ova that Fox, down through limbs what don ? got no leaf on it, and mek good shadow that Fox down in clear wata; it s jus 15k he s down tha in wata, that Fox. "Well, by-um-by up on hill, that 01 Coon he s jus wake up in hurry an he s sed: I guess I take good nap, mebbe. An he s jus stretch he-self an look roun . He s jus think: Well, I got good suppa anyhow, must-a-be cook good now. "He s go in hurry ova to fire an reach out bofe hands an ketch holt goose foots to lif it out of ashes. He s jus lif kind-a OLD COON SLEEPS Too LONG 33 hard, lik it s heavy, an he s jus tumble back an roll ova holdin that goose foots in his hand. He s jus feel lik funny, an he say: I guess it s cook too much, my suppa ." "He s get up an go ova there fire gen, an take it out that otha goose-foots one at time. He s don know what s mattah, an he s jus look lik funny eva time he s take it out that goose-foots; then he s take stick an scrape way that ashes, an don fin nothin jus pile bones with lit l bit meat on it. He s jus much mad, an he s sed it: " He s jus bin here, some lazy thief an steal it my supper. I jus like to seen it, I bet I bust im his nose. I jus like to fin 34 TALES OF THE BAKK LODGES out who done it, I bet I poun it good. Must-a-be it s that 01 Fox, he s the one. He s jus think he s get even fo that craw- fishin I tol im how to do it. At jus joke, that one. It s m-e-a-n trick, this one. It s a right for him, jus wait I ketch im, I poun im an lick im good, I don care fo hund ed snakes, how much he s holler, when I fin im. He s jus get madda all time that 01 Coon, an he s jus shake his fist at those limb up in trees, an sed: What fo you don do it like I sed it, wake me up when I sleep it? I tole you that way, ain t it? He s jus pickin meat off those bone, while he s scold it that limbs, an he s jus mad like eva thing. He s jue scold som mo that limb, and sed it: OLD COON SLEEPS Too LONG 35 " What f o you don keep still now, you don have to mek noise, you jus mek me mad all a time. If don stop you mekin noise, I come up tha when I finish pick this bones, an I mek you stop. That limb he s jus keep on squeek, sqe-e-e-k, all-a-time, an it s so mad that 01 Coon jus hurry and eat that bones, so he could go up an whip it those limb. "When he s get thro eatin that bone, he jus look roun and by-um-by he s fin it that place where he s dance, 01 Fox. 01 Coon he s fin it that tracks, an when he s look at it, he s jus m-a-d, some mo . An he s jus pick on that limbs som mo , an sed it: I jus come up tha an I fix it you fellas. So he s jus go up 36 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES that trees til he s come to that place where that limb it s kin a broke, an it s in fork, an wind it s blow an jus make it that noise where it s rub. 01 Coon, he s jus take hold that big limb with bofe han s an he s jus goin throw down. He s so mad he don see that mebbe so might pinch im that limbs, cause it s jus swing. Fust he s know it just ketch im his hand, that limb, an just pinch im tight. Oh, it s hurt like eva thing. He s jus pull an pull, that Coon, an jus make worse. By- um-by he s pull it out; but it s hurt b-a-d his hand. He s sure get hard time, that 01 Coon. He s jus slip off try to sleep mebbe." IV. OLD FOX MEETS HIS COUSIN. It had been snowing, and outside a keen, sharp north wind was rioting everywhere. The Boy, having finished his evening chores, came in with some hickory logs for the fire-place. The fire-light alone lit up the room, and the old brass andirons glinted in its glow. Neh-ah was sitting in her usual place, and the Boy, taking his, said: "Neh-ah, this is a fine evening for some more stories about Old Fox and Old Coon. I know it is so cold outside that no snakes [37] 38 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES or grass-hoppers or anything else will hear you telling them." "Yooht! What fo you don get tired hear em ol story? Jus seem like you want it all a time, ol story. Guess you betta go you UncP Jim, Canada, cause he could tole you that kin Injun story, all kin til you get tired to lis n. Long go when we all young folks, we go down Gram nia Hunt, his house, winta time, an jus lis n to ol story, lots of em. Was bes one to tell em story, Gram ma Hunt. Neva did get tired to lis n, an he s jus lik it to tole us that kin too. Only was some kin story jus fo 0? folks, he don tole to us that ones. "What bout I tole you las time? Oh, yes, 01 Coon he s los it his good gooses OLD Fox MEETS His COUSIN 39 suppa , an 01 Fox he s bin fill up plenty. "Well, seems like when 01 Coon so mad an mek that big talk bout how he s lick im that Fox, he s heard im sed it, that Mista Skunk; so that Skunk, he s jus go right now an tole im bout it that Fox what he s sed it that Coon, how he s goin lick im. Then he mad, that Fox, and he tell im Skunk: You jus see, I lick that Coon, myself, fust time I seen it. "He don had no chance fo few day tho , cause that Coon he s jus stay at home, cause it s bad sore, his hand. "One night, it s kin a late, that Coon he s think, I guess I go ketch em craw fish/ So he s go down by riva an ketch 40 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. em good many, take em his lodge an have good suppa . He don take it no naps this time. "When he s done his suppa he s jus think, I take lit l walk cause don bin no where, long time/ So he s start out long riva bank. Eva thing jus seem like good to that 01 Coon, he s jus trot long sing low like to he-self. He s jus like happy, an jus keep on goin . By-um-by he s get sleep like, an jus wish he s back his lodge; but it s long ways, so he sed it: I fin some place take nap. Right that time he s come long clos by that big tree What he s seen it 01 Fox. Jus grow leanin ova wata. 01 Coon, he s think it good place, so he s clim up in lit l fork OLD Fox MEETS His COUSIN. 41 limb. He s jus fix good bout go sleep, an he s hear somethin . "It s big moon yet, an jus bright. OP Coon he s look down riva -bank an he s see it comin 01 Fox, jus trot long trail. He s jus keep still, OP Coon, like he s sleep; but he s look straight down unda him an he s see his shadow in wata , looks jus like him. He s look at that OP Fox an he s lookin at that shadow, too. He s jus lookin m-a-d, an OP Coon he s hear him sed it, OP Fox: Here it is that Coon, in wata lookin fo craw-fish now. I jus slip up an jump on im give im lickin . So, Fox he s jus slip up edge riva -bank, eye jus snappin . He jus mek big jump down in wata where he 42 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. think it that Coon. He jus make it b-i-g splosh, an prit soon come up top wata ? an he s jus sputtah an blow b-i-g, jus like almos choke im. Then he s hear that Coon up in tree jus laff 1-o-u-d, an say: Hey, Couzzen, it s early to swim, ain t it? I hear Gran fatha Turtle he sed it, you mustn t jump when you don look, an you mustn t be too hurry/ "That Fox he s crawl out on bank an he s jus sheever. He don sed nothin , jus commence pick up stick an brushes an pile it foot of tree, lit l ways clos to mek fire. He s put 1-o-t-s stick an mek it big fire, an when it s burn good, he s jus sit down foot that tree, that Fox, jus like he stay there till he s come down tree, that Coon. OLD Fox MEETS His COUSIN. 43 "Prif soon, Coon he s sed it: My Couzzen, sure you not goin set tha long time. You coat lots wet, mebbe so ketch em bad cold. I glad to come down talk to you, mebbe so gif some my tobacco to smoke, cause must-a-be wet yours afta you jump in riva . I spec I stay here tho , it best one, cause I could see good up this tree. Mebbe so somebody comin long to botha you, I seen it an tole you bout it. "01 Fox he don sed nothin , jus set by fire, back up gainst tree, an jus keep it shut, his mouth. It s hard work tho , that kin . That Coon he could drop in wata an get way ; but he jus think he s stay in tree an talk an foolish im his couzzen. 44 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. By-um-by, he sed it: Well, I sleep it lit l bit now/ So, he s curl up an sleep it. "Afta long time he s woke up. It s shine bright, big moon, way high. He s look down an its settin by tree yet, that Fox, jus soun sleep it. Coon he s jus slip down e-a-s-y, til he s clos to that Fox. He sleep it good, could heard im snore. Coon, he s jump easy down on groun . He don move nothin that Fox, sure nough sleep it. He s bad one, that 01 Coon, he s jus take it long one, stick, dry leaf on end, an he s tickle it his nose, that Fox; but he s so sleep don botha him nothin . "That bad one, 01 Coon, he sed it to he- self: It prit good chance, mebbe so I make it notha tricks on my couzzen. OLD Fox MEETS His COUSIN. 45 "So, he s jus slip long down by riva - bank where he fin it lots sticky mud, it s red. He s get big one, chunk, that muds an jus spread on flat rock, an put it on wata , jus stir lit l bit an make it heap sticky, just like what you call it, moh-lass. Then he s took it that muds an jus rub all ova his face, that Fox, put lots that muds on his eye. He s jus step back lit l bit, that Coon, an look at him, that Fox, an he s jus laff good to he-self, an sed it: My poor couzzen sure have good time to wash it face in mornin , if it s dry good that muds. I spec I start home now, mebbe so it s time. "Well, he s started that 01 Coon an go lit l piece, then he s jus roll ova on groun an jus laff big at that Fox till he s tired. 46 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. "It s bout gone that moon, jus comin* daylight in east, when he s woke up that Fox. What s matta ? He s woked up sure ; but can t see nothin , can t open it his eye, not jus lit l bit. He s jus stagger an run into stump an bush, jus fall down, almos tumble in riva . It be good thing he did, cause soak it up that muds; but he don done it. "He s jus rub it that dried muds but he don come off, an eye jus stick em tight shut, can t open. He s sure bad fix this time, an jus m-a-d like dickens. Jus sed it all a bad name could think of bout that 01 Coon, jus cuss him heap, I guess. It s don do no good that kin tho . OLD Fox MEETS His COUSIN. 47 "Well, he try to find path go to his lodge, but jus get tangle up in briar- patch, an it s stuck im all ova . It s b-a-d lucks fo him that Fox, sure. He jus don know what do nex . So, he s jus set still lit l bit, study what do. Prit soon he s hear, tap, tap, tap, on dead limb way up high his head. He s lis n gen an heard it, tap, tap, tap. " Yoh-ho, my fren , he s sed it, come here, got big trouble me, mebbe so you could he p it. "It s come fly down hurry, that lit l speckle wood-pecker bird, an sed it; What s mattah, my fren , what I can do he p it you now? "Fox he say: I like to have you tried 48 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. it, pickin this dry muds off my eye, so s I could see how open it my eye/ " Mebbe so, it s too much sharp my bill , it s sed it that wood-pecker bird. *I pick em prit hard, but I see what I do, I don hurt you, I can he p it. So it s go to work, wood-pecker bird, jus set on end his nose, that Fox, an pick em e-e-a-s-y as can, but it s sure make im come blood, cause it s sh-a-r-p that wood-pecker bird, his bill. Well, that Fox he could see how open it his eye, prit soon an jus looks good to him, eva thing. That lit l bird tell im to washin his face good in riva . "That 01 Fox, he s feelin kin a good gen, an jus thank it that wood-pecker bird, an sed it: What I can do fo you, OLD Fox MEETS His COUSIN. 49 my fren , cause you sure do big he p with me? "That lit l wood-pecker bird he sed it: Oh, my fren , long time I jus wish I could had it on my head, lit l spot, red jus 1-e-e-t l one spot, not big one like he s got, Great Wood-pecker, Quank-quank- queh. "Fox he s sed it: That s good, my fren , I fix it that lit l spot, red one. So he s took it some blood on his face where it s drop down, an he s paint it lit l spot, red one, on his head, that lit l she wood-pecker bird. It s jus stay there, too, that spot, eva since. "Oh, he s so glad that lit l she wood pecker bird, jus fly up in tree an try his 50 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. bes sing, but can t do it much. Well, he s got it red spot anyway, an jus lots happy. "That Fox, he s jus trot off on trail long riva an try to think what could do get even with him, that Coon." V. OLD COON VISITS THE SUGAR BUSH. The Father had been mending a crack in one of the Mother s treasured old maple- wood bowls, made more than a century ago by a Wyandot, when the tribe lived in Canada, along the beautiful Detroit. The Boy having watched the work of pouring the melted lead into the broken place in the bowl, turned to his aunt and said: "Neh-ah, you and I will make sugar this year. We ll tap the trees down along the bluff, and have some real maple syrup. We [51] 52 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. can take our lunch every day and have a sure enough camp. You can tell me stories while we boil down the sap/ Neh-ah nodded assent and replied: "Yes, that jus like you, always think some way to get story. Anyhow, I don tole you yet, what he s do nex 01 Fox an Coon, an what you talk bout minds me of it. He s always mek it maple-suga Ouendots. It s lots a work, too, but he don care fo that. Could jus keep im busy do somethin all a time. Don had no clock, no ah-man-ac them days, tell em how much time gone. I spec don get ol so quick, peoples them days." "Well, days bin get lit l long, sun he s start go back north. It s time come bright OLD COON VISITS THE SUGAR BUSH. 53 night an frosty mornin , an kin a warm sunshine day-time. It s jus bout time go suga -bush, those people, tap tree an mek em maple suga . Jus make lots of it, put in mo-cocks, use in winta time. It s kin a hard works mek em suga them days, cause got to mek-em lots trough birch-bark, ketch em sap. He s got b-i-g trough too, mek em out a big log. Don had no kettle them days; jus have to put em hot rock in big trough; but he don care fo nothin them peoples, don care fo hundred snakes, cause he s jus got lots a times, them days. Don got no times do nothin now days. "Jus bout this time year, he s jus like it to follow them peoples to suga-bush, that Coon. He s alway jus like it, poke 54 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. roun in suga -carnp, come night, an he s sleep it them peoples. That 01 Coon he s jus 1-i-k-e it to put it his nose in trough an drink it lit l bit sap, s-w-e-e-t one. He like it good that sap, an sometime if he don found it in lit l trough, he s try to get one drink out a that b-i-g trough. It s hard to do that one tho , cause mebbe it s prit hot that sap in big trough, an it s always jus keep cover up that big trough with nice boa ds, white ones, jus mek it out a lin-wood, them peoples. "Afta he s put it on that Fox that dry muds, it s long time no seen each otha that Fox an that Coon. He jus thought it 01 Coon, it s prit near even to him, that Fox; an mebbe so he won t try nothin notha kin tricks. He don want see im OLD COON VISITS THE SUGAR BUSH. 55 tho , an jus keep out a way, cause he might try mek notha tricks on im, that Fox. It s jus go on that way fo days, an 01 Coon jus bout think: Well, I guess mebbe so he s fo get it, that las trick, my couzzen. "But that Fox, he don fo get it nothin , no seh. He s prit sharp, an he jus all a time got it, that what you call em Vatch-full-a-waitin . He s know it 01 Fox, bout his couzzen all a time likes to foolish roun that suga -bush, when that peoples he s mekin suga , an he s know it how he like it to drink that sap, heap s-w-e-e-t. So, he s just keep it, his watch- full-a-waitin/ an when Skunk tole im: *01e Coon not home, bin gone three-fou 56 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. days/ that Fox jus sed it: I spec mebbe so it s gone suga bush, my couzzen, I guess I go see/ "Well, he s start that Fox to go suga - bush. It s fine days an when gets there, jus see all a peoples heap busy, work. Fox he s jus slip roun edge ov camp, all- a-time he s lookin fo sign ov that Coon. He s look 1-o-n-g time, an by-um-by he s fin tracks long edge lit l branch, that Coon he s bin lookin crawfishes, mebbe so. "It s late in evenin , while he s sleep it some place that Coon, 01 Fox he s jus get busy. Afta that peoples he s gone to all lit l ones, trough, to get it, sap, Fox he s come long behin , an he s jus turn it, bottom up, eva one that lit l trough. Then OLD COON VISITS THE SUGAR BUSH. 57 he s go look in big trough. It s prit near full sap, it s hot. "So he s sne-e-k roun some mo an watch it good ol squaw cover it big trough, all good with that white boa d. He s jus watch it roun till it s all fix it, eva thing, an them peoples it s all sleep it. Then that Fox he s slip up by big trough, an jus push it two that boa ds, lit l ways part. "Well, he s jus push it ova them two boa ds til end of it right on edges ov big trough. It s smell good that sap, prit near mak em Fox want some he-self; but he don botha it, fraid might ketch im his own trap, I spec . When he s all done fix it, that Fox, he s jus go lit l ways, hide in bushes an watch for him, that Coon. He s 58 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. wait long time, an by-um-by he s hear it comin somebody, jus grumblin to he- self. It s that 01 Coon, an Fox he s hear him sed it: Wonda what fo so steengy, them peoples; jus turn em upside bottom all lit l trough. Can t fin lit l bit sap. Mebbe I could get drink on big trough if don turn it upside bottom, too. "01 Fox he s keep it still, jus kin a chuckle tho , cause he knows goin ketch im that trap what he fix it fo 01 Coon. "That Coon jus come pokin long slow like, till he fin it that big trough. He s jus walk all roun kin a easy, jus sniffin an lookin fo crack. Fox he s fix it chunk right front where he s fix it that boa ds, an that 01 Coon he s jump on that chunk, OLD COON VISITS THE SUGAR BUSH. 59 his nose stick up in air, an* jus get good whiff that saps. It s kin a hot Well, he s set on chunk lit l bit an jus lookin roun . He don t seen nothing then he s jus mek notha jump an he s Ian right on end ov that boa ds what s he push it ova that Fox. That boa ds he jus slide ova otha way queek, an that 01 Coon he s jus go ker- plum in that hot saps. "Them boa ds make big rattle noise an* it s wake im up that 01 Squaw. He s come out lodge see what s matta an come by that big trough jus time he s crawl out 01 Coon. He s got big stick in his han that squaw, an jus hit that Coon good whack on side when he s run way. He s jus go hurry, 01 Coon, an by-um-by when 60 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. he s go thro bush, somebody sed it: Hoh, Couzzen, you like it to take good wash in hot sap, ain t it? Mebbe so ain t good nough wata ?" VI. OLD FOX AND OLD COON BOTH TRY A NEW VENTURE. "Neh-ah. you said there was one more story about Old Fox and Old Coon and that it was a long one, too. Now, this evening while everyone else is gone and just you and I are sitting by the fire, won t you tell it to me? I ll go down cellar and get some of those apples we like so well, and we ll have a regular party." After his return with the apples, ani after putting some hickory logs on the fire, the Boy seated himself in his accustomed place and waited for the story. [61] 62 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. "I wonda what s goin do when it s all gone, story. If you bin live long time go, ol man they took you, an jus mek story tella out o you, so you could tell em all a young mans when you get be oP man. Now- days jus have book an noose-paypa an eva thing an write down. It s seem funny to Injun first time he know that kin , jus think white man mek paypa talk. Mebbe so you could write it somethin story, some day, then won t have tell em, just could read it anybody. "Las time, that OF Coon jus bin foolin roun suga -camp, aint it? Good fo nothin jus spoil it all big trough sap fo that poor ol Injun woman. Anyhow, bout that time, spring jus begin think bout turnin ova . THEY TRY 4 NEW VENTURE. 63 "Them days jus get some mo long. South wind, he s come now an mek it all broke up ice in riva an jus go float way. It s kind a blue smoky all roun an you could smell it that brush an leaf it s bin burnin , caus it s garden patch clean up them peoples. Buds on tree it s swell up an no mo peoples in suga bush, all gone back to village. Prit soon plant corn patch, when leaf on hick ry tree bout big as squir rel, his ear. "That Coon don see it, 01 Fox, since time 01 Coon he s fall in big trough. Some body sed it he s gone mek visit with fren way down end of lake, Ol Fox. "Coon, he s jus study all a time how get even on that Fox fo las trick he s bin 64 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. play. Jus think all kinds, cause he s want make em bes trick yet on that Fox, cause he s prit mad to him yet. "Well, South Wind he s drive it all way that snow and ices, even that patches long north side hills. Early mornin you could heard it lots wild gooses and cluck. Jus go, honk, honk/ like what you call it auto bile, when jus go long road like dickens, an seen somethin, in road, now- days. That goose an ducks he s comin back from south, an he s jus stop ova , visit few days all long. Could fin it lots good eat in marsh long riva , jus fore it s run in lake. "01 Coon an eva-body jus glad to see come back, an jus holla to him somethin THEY TRY A NEW VENTURE. 65 when he s fly ova. He s all a time glad ketch em two-three, too, if he could do it, foolish em or somehow. "One day, sun mo than half ova , 01 Coon he s start out try to ketch em goose. It s lots of em down marsh, an he s want try new way ketch em. He s jus slippin long e-a-s-y like, riva -bank, an he s meet im Lit l Fox, it s his nephew, OF Fox. He s live with im, his uncle, an he s treat im mean, all a time, that uncle. Jus mek im work hard, that po lit l nephew, an feed im nothin cep scraps. Eva-body know that kind, an jus feel sorrow fo it, cause that uncle jus whip it an mean to it all a time. He s prit near starve , you could count it his rib, an jus few hair on 66 TALES OF THE BAKK LODGES. it, his tail. Seem like, all a time, he s goin dodge somethin that lit l fella . "His garden-patch, 01 Fox, it s good one, beans, pumpkin, eva thing all good; cause that nephew an his aunt jus work it plenty. 01 Fox, he don t work lit l bit, but he s jus all a time brag it that garden- patch, an he s always tole it that nephew: Took care of it my garden-patches/ "Well, that time when he s met im 01 Coon, that Lit l Fox, he s look like he feel prit good, that lit l fella, an he s tole it to 01 Coon, his uncle bin gone on visit way down lake. 01 Coon he s always feel sor row for im, that lit l fella, an jus all a time be good to him. Jus take him go hunt, an showed it an tole it lots a things THEY TRY A NEW VENTURE. 67 bout how to hunt. He s tole im tho musn t tell im you uncle, cause it jus mek im mean to lit l fella some mo . So, when he seen im that time, 01 Coon, he s sed it: Well, Lit l Fella , my couzzen, what you look fo this time, is it come home you uncle? "Lit l Fox he s say: Mebbe so he s come back tomorro mornin . Mr. Skunk he s tole him las night, my aunt, when he s stop lit l bit our lodge. We bin all clean up garden-patches, an I jus think I go hunt it some game. OP Coon sed it: Well, young fella , jus stayed by me. I got good way, new one, try to ketch em gooses, mek em good one dinner, bofe of us, mebbe. Lit l fella, he sed it: Uncle* 68 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. you all a time mek good one, hunt, good one ketch em, all a time kill em ten, I spec so we ketch em heap this time. "So, they jus trot long togetha an 01 Coon jus splain bout that new way ketch em gooses. He s goin fin it lit l bunch gooses what s bin eat plenty, an jus swim- inin roun , prit clos to sho. Cause if he belly full, he don think bout nothin botha im, he s sed it, that Coon. He s got long rope, lit l one, what he s made out sof bark. It s stout one, too, an he s tie on it that rope, three-fou slip-knot. When he s fin it lit l bunch gooses, he s goin dive in wata an swim unda where s that gooses, an put it that slip-knots ova his foots, many as he wants them gooses. Jus jerk THEY TRY A NEW VENTURE. 69 em queek an swim to bank an pull em in them goose. "Well, afta-whiles they fin it lit l bunch ov gooses, an that Coon he s tried that new way ketch em. Prit soon he s got three ov it, jus like he sed it. It s su ah good ketch em that way. They jus go on some mo an by-um-by seen it notha lit l bunches goose. He s swim it close to bank. 01 Coon he sed it: Lit l Couzzen, you like tried it this time? It s good chance. So, lit l fella he s take that string an he s go afta it that gooses, an prit soon he s swim to bank jus pullin three fat goose. He s jus feel b-i-g, that lit l fella, an OF Coon he s jus glad f o him too. "So then, start home an OP Coon sed it: To-morro go gen, lit l fella , cause won t 70 TALES OP THE BARK LODGES. stay long now them goose, jus go north. I come by you lodge when sun jus pass mid- del, an we go ketch em some mo lots a gooses mebbe. "Nex day 01 Coon he s go down by that place what he sed it; but he ain t there, Lit l Fox. He s wonda what s matta lit l fella, don come. He s look prit soon an seen it that lit l fella jus workin hard in that garden-patches. Coon he s jus whistle low like, an that lit l fella he s heard it an he s come down there where is it 01 Coon. "Coon, he s sed it: Well, what s matta ? Le s go ketch em gooses gen. That lit l fella s he s jus look sorrow, an he s tell it, 01 Coon, can t go, cause his uncle, it s come home. He say his uncle ask im how he s THEY TRY A NEW VENTURE. 71 ketch it that gooses, an when he tole him, he sed it why don ketch em mo , he sed it his uncle : I could eat all of it that many my self. Lit l fella sed it, I tole im go gen to day, but uncle jus say, he go he-self, an tole him lit l fella get long rope, stout one, bes he could find, cause he s goin try ketch em gooses, he-self. So lit l fella say he got im good rope fo his uncle, an that uncle he jus went down to wa ds lake to tried it his lucks. He tole him, lit l fella to stayed home an clear out notha garden-patches. That Lit l Fox he s jus look sorrow, an that Coon he s lis n to him, an jus thinkin lit l bit. "By-um-by they jus heard it way down by lake, b-i-g squawk noise, an lots a honk, honk, soun like lots a auto biles, I guess, 72 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES. jus soun funny like holla lots a gooses. Jus bofe stop talk an lis n. Seems like comin close by, so that Coon an lit l fella jus run top lit l hill, it s close by, where could see betta down on lake. It s look that way, an could seen it b-i-g bunch gooses, jus fly eva which way an down low, jus make lots a squawkin an honk-honk noises. That Coon an lit l fella jus look at each otha , like say, what s matta ? Prit soon it s kin a strat en out that bunch a goose, jus fly mo high up, an then start out fly comin this way. When it s come lit l close, looks like they could seen it some- thin hang down, jus swingin like, unda that bunch a gooses. Jus comin close now, bout fly right ova where it is that Coon an Lit l Fox. Then they seen it, what tis; THEY TRY A NEW VENTURE. 73 it s that Or Fox. That rope it s tie tight on his middel, an it got lots goose foots tie on it too. He s jus swingin , looks like ridin good. When he s go by close, he s jus holla 1-o-u-d, that 01 Fox an sed it: Nephew, took good care my garden- patches, an jus keep right on ridin f-a-s-t. "01 Coon, he s try it not to smile an he s say: Well, Lit l Fella, I guess mebbe so, he tied it too much goose foots on his string, you uncle, he s got prit good string seem like. It s new way travel, but I spec he go long ways an fin it new place, mebbe so. I spec not come back, long time, mebbe so betta go some tell him, you aunt. "That 01 Fox he prit smart, afta . all, I spec mebbe so he s first one ride on airy- plane, ain t it?" VII. A PRE-HISTORIC RACE. "Neh-ah, in the last story, Old Fox was certainly right up to date/ wasn t he? He had an aeroplane with a motor that couldn t go dead on him, and besides, he had a honk- honk that could scare everything out of the way. Now that there aren t any more stories about Old Fox and Old Coon, I won der what you are going to tell me next. I ll read you some more of the Arabian Nights and you can think up some others." <r Well, that good, but spec betta tole you notha one tonight, cause jus bin think bout it today, when you tole to me bout it [74] A PRE-HISTORIC RACE 75 that air-ship race, you read in noose-pay- pa . That one mind me bout it, and jus* think it all ova this afta noon while I m piecin quilt. "It s bout one o you great-gran fathas I spec, cause you b long to Big Turtle clan, jus same as me and you motha , an our motha, cause all a childrens have to b long same clan as motha . Long go, always bin lots a good chief an warrior in Big Turtle clan. He s leader long go, way back, don know how many hund ed years. Lots ol story tole bout it. Big Turtle he s hoi the world on his back fo long time. Some day I tole you bout it. "That 01 Turtle, he s the one, he smart all a time. He jus same since long time 76 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES go, all a time know it what do. He can t scared him nobody, an can t beat im nothin . He s eva time come out head. "That why, long time go, 01 Buffalo, he s eatin roun clos edge of timber. He don t hungry, he s jus bite ova here, ova* tha . By-um-by he see 01 Fox in bushes, he sed it: Yo-ho, my fren, come ova here, I like tell you this/ "01 Fox he s lit l smart too; he s crawl out trap e-a-s-y; he s hard to fin it, too, sometime you hunt fo him. He s jus* wonda what s want 01 Buffalo, an what s got say; but he s come ova tha , jus jumpin easy an he s sed it: Well, my big fren , what you got say? "01 Buffalo, he says: My frien , I got A PRE-HISTORIC RACE 77 make race with Turtle. You kind a smart, an you got sharp eyes, you be judge, see who beat em. You tell him, 01 Turtle, I beat im on a groun or in a wata , jus how he like, I don care nothin . You tell im come tomorro ova there by lake when sun come up jus bout high as sycamo tree. You tell eva-body an he can come see race. I be down tha , you tell im that, OF Turtle. He s always best one, eva time; but I don t think he could run, it s too short his legs. Mebbe so he s run good in wata , tho . Me too, I could run fas in wata or anyhow. I bet I could beat im . "01 Fox he say: I tell im 01 Turtle an I tell im eva body. I go now/ So 78 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES he s go down by his lodge, 01 Turtle, an tell im all what he sed it, 01 Buffalo. "That Turtle, he s jus lis n an don say somethin for long time. By-um-by he say: That s good, I run race on wata . First one come to that island ova there, he s the one what beat. You tell im, 0V Buffalo, I be on han . I don say jus what I m do, but I do im. To-morro , wher^sun shine good, I come. "Fox, he s go back tell im, 01 Buffalo, what say 01 Turtle. All what he see on way, he tell em bout race. He sed it: *You tell em eva-body, you tell em come. "Nex day, ain t sun-up yet, 01 Wolf he s go down by lake. He s make it fire, make smoke jus go straight up, so can see eva body, an by-um-by, all come. A PKE-HISTORIC RACE 79 "Prif soon he s come along, OP Turtle; jus come slow an go down clos to edge wata . He don say nothin , jus go slow, lookin roun. Buffalo an Pox come too, an bofe jus talkin all a time. Then come eva body, Deer an Bear, Coon, he come too. Turkey, Prai chicken, Duck, an Quail, Hawk he s tha too, an Little Turtle, Snipe, an OP Beaver, Porkypine, Snake, an Mud-Turtle; it s come eva body I guess. "While all jus talk an visit roun , Buffalo he s go down where OP Turtle he s settin close to edge wata , he sed it : Well, my fren , you legs prit short, but I beat you this race, I think. Turtle he don say nothin , jus lookin cross lake to islan . Buffalo sed it: Tou say we race 80 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES on wata , I tell my fren Fox be judge. It s high rock right ova there, so Fox he s clim up an set down, an he could jus seen it, eva thin . "Buffalo sed it: Well, it s re dy. Wolf, you howl it, an hit it three times queek on drum, an we start. Wolf, he say, AP- right , an he took he place. Prit soon he s howl, an hit it three times on drum queek ; they gone. Buffalo he s swim fast to ads islan . Turtle he jus slip in wata , an can t see him, nobody. He s go jus like that wa boat you tell it bout on otha side Big Wata ; that Gemmany Keeza sum- ma-rine, unda wata , an when Buffalo jus lit l mo an half-way, swimmin fas , 01 Turtle jus crawl out slow on sho of A PRE-HISTORIC RACE 81 islan . Eva body looks funny, and Pox he s say: Turtle he s beat im. "Beaver he s try it an Turtle he s beats im. Nex Deer he try; he s way behin* an Turtle crawl out on islan . Coon he s sed it: I sure can beat im, I re dy now/ He s jus got start, when Turtle crawl out on otha side. Well, then Turkey say: I want beat im. He can t do nothin . Turtle he s right on islan when Turkey he s come. Prai chicken he say: Tm good racer, I could beat im ; but Turtle got tired waitin for him on islan befo Prai chicken got tha an start back. Quail, he s whist l big, an sed it: I m the one could beat im Turtle/ Turtle neva sed nothin , jus get re dy. They start an* 82 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES befo eva body don* heard Quail, his wings any mo , Or Turtle he s crawl out on islan . "Pox, he s got tired sayin Turtle s beat im ; so he said it: You can t do it, nobody. You can t beat im, Turtle. He s good racer in wata cause he s all a time good swimma . All what s got beat, mus gif to him somethinV "Well, all them fellas what s got beat, Buffalo, Deer, Bear, Raccoon, Turkey, Prai chicken, an Quail, they jus cut it off lit l bit they own meat. They gif to him, Turtle, jus one piece to time. Turtle he s took it each lit l bit when they gif to him ; don sed nothin , jus eat all of it. "Then Fox he s sed it somethin , gen: Long as he live that Turtle, it be jus A PRE-HISTORIC RACE 83 same; if them peoples kill im an roasted it or make em soup, it s tasted jus like all a kinds game meats. Turtle, he s take it first place, at head all kin s animal. He wise an brave, an he don all a time talk, he s do somethinV "Turtle, he don sed nothin . Jus ten his own business, don t buck in nowhere. Don botha nobody. It was that way. "But Turtle he s don tell it them peoples that ol Turtle, his brothah, look jus like im, live on that islan ." VIII. THE EAGLE FEATHER. "That race you told me about was a good story, Neh-ah, anyway that s what I think. Can t you think of another one about Old Turtle to go with it?" "It s jus all a time that way. I tole you one an you jus want it notha one kin a like it Some day it s goin be all gone, story, what goin do then?" "Oh, let s don t think about that. I know you ve got a whole lot of them yet, and if you do run out, why I ll just ask for some of the best ones, and you can tell them [84] THE EAGLE FEATHER 85 again. I never get tired of listening to any of them." "Yooht you jus like that OF Turtle, he jus get the best of im eva body. Don botha him nothin an he s just all a time go on an ten to his own bizness. He don worry bout it something he s jus think it out some way eva-time to come out head, an he s do it too. I spec that s why he s good leader, cause he jus all a time lis n, an lookin an thinkin fo he-se f. "Well, I tele you bout eagle featha . It s bes kind like em, Injun. Long time go, can t wear it eva body; womans, he don wear t all, an young buck he couldn t wore it till he s do something big. OF time it s that way. Nowdays, jus* stick 86 TALES OP THE BAFK LODGES im in his hat, eagle featha all a Injun, an any body. Jus same like that iron crosses what he s gif to all he so jers, that Gemmenny Keeza , you read me bout em in paypa . "It s this way he s get it, eagle featha , first time, Injun. It s long go, jus com mence worl I spec . It s ol man an he nephew live togetha , jus them two, it s all a people, them days. OP man he s jus 5 stay in lodge all a time. Young fella he s go out get it, game, hunt. Well, one time come back lodge, don t get it nothin . Uncle he s ask im what got, an young fella sed it: NothinV Next day it s same way, an jus same way, notha times. It s three time, then when come back, young THE EAGLE FEATHER 87 fella , an his uncle sed it gen, that young fella sed it: I pull it out eagle featha , an sure nough, he s got it that featha in his hand. 01 man he s jus shook it, his head an sed it: Oh, it s a big danger. "So he s tole young fella hang it that featha in smoke hole, top of lodge. He s do it, an prit soon they seen it that eagle fly slow like, ova that smoke hole. He don got that featha tho . "01 man, he s sed it gen: That s a big danger, must call animals to Council. Musn t let get it, Eagle, that featha . So young fella he s go tell em come to Coun cil, bout that danger. By-um-by they all come; Big Turtle, Otter, Skunk, Porkypine, an all of em. 01 man tell em, We musn t 88 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES let Eagle an his fellas take it way from us that feathaV He s pick out his crowd to hoi it that featha . All them animal jus talk heap bout what he can do. Some run fas , some could hide good, an some could jus make it big noise to scared it anything. OF man he s tol Deer don t want im, cause can t run fas nough. He don want Wolf, he s too much howl, an Bear cause he s too much all a time sleep it. "He s pick it out Big Turtle, Porkypine, an some mo fo he side. Prit soon they seen it, Eagle jus fly low ova smoke hole, gen. Some them fellas what he don take it, OP Man fo his side, jus get mad to him, an sed it: We goin he p it, Eagle/ "Turtle, he s slip roun an got it that THE EAGLE FEATHER 80 featha , an tole it his men: Le s go/ They start off lit l ways an come to big tree. Turtle sed it: Le s dim up/ So all of em clim tree. They look way off an seen it comin Eagle. Jus bout that time it s come big wind. It s rotten that tree, an jus broke it an fall down. They jus go eva which way, all them fellas. Porkypine, he s all cover up with rotten wood, but he s chawed it way an crawl out Mebbe so that s why he s all a time like to chawed it rotten woods, Porkypine. An he s kin a hurt too, lit l bit, Porky- pine, so, whett Turtle say: Le s go, hurry, Porkypine say he can t travel. Then he s tole im Turtle, Get on my back, an* he s give him basket ashes to scatta* 90 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES on his tracks, that Turtle, so can t fin trail, nobody, them otha fellas. "He s got it that featha , Turtle. Well, it s started all of em. Turtle Porkypine on he back, they las one. Porkypine he s jus get it busy scatta ashes on Turtle, his tracks; but shucks, it don t hide em track t all, jus make easy to see it trail. "They jus go on hurry, an way, an it s prit nea get to riva , when he s heard em comin, Eagle an his bunch. Jus bout edge of wata , Turtle, an they jus holla, Who-o! an jump out an ketch em that Turtle, Eagle, his bunch. They try to take it way Turtle, that featha ; but can t do it. Turtle got it in he mouth an can t let it go, an won t give up, that Turtle, e tha . THE EAGLE FEATHER 91 "So he sed it, them fellas: We fix it, OF Turtle/ An one of it jus mek it fire an when it s burn good, they jus pick im up Turtle an carry im bottom side up top, an jus hoi him ova fire. 01 Turtle sed it: Oh that such a nice, I jus like it that kind, plenty hot, don t took me out a fire my fren s, I like it. Them fellas jus mad an sed it: It don t hurt im fire, le s took im out, whip im. So they take it out fire, an some fellas get good sticks an jus beat im, Turtle, on his back. Turtle jus commence sing, jus like it was beatin drum, them fellas, an jus seem like a happy. He s mad some mo them fellas, an Turtle he s got it yet that featha . 92 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES "Somebody sed it: Le s throw im in riva . So they pick him up an start do that. That Turtle he s jus scream, an sed it he s fraid a wata an jus beg em not put im in riva . He s jus push back an holla an don t want go tall, jus mek em big fuss. Them fellas jus glad then to heard im, an sed it: We jus throw it in deepes wata we could find. An sure nough they jus pitch im that Turtle, way out in deep wata , ka-zowey. They could seen him sink down bottom of riva an layin on his back, like dead, but he s got that featha, yet. "Well, them otha fellas think its dead, Turtle; but prit soon they seen im swim out cross riva an dim up on big log, Brii THE EAGLE FEATHER 93 an he s jus wave that eagle featha an jus give big wah-whoops. "So, them fellas hold council, an they sed it: Somebody mus go get it, that featha ; but don t want go nobody, cause fraid of wata. By-um-by talk some mo , an send it, Otter. He s swim out that log quick, an Turtle, he s jus set there an hoi it up that featha . Bout time Otter he s get there, an goin crawl on that log, Turtle, he s drop in wata on otha side log. He s go unda log prit quick on otha side, gen, an he s bite on end Otter his tail. Then jus go roun an roun that log Otter an Turtle. That Otter he s jus holla ; Ow-we-e, he s hurt me, ow-we-e! Prit soon that Turtle, he s bite off piece 94 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES tail an Otter, he s get way, hurry, an swim to sho . "Turtle, he s get on log gen an wave that eagle featha an jus whoop em heap. "They couldn t beat im nobody, that Turtle, that s cause he s bes one yet." IX. WHY AUTUMN LEAVES ARE RED. A WYANDOT MYTH. It had been a clear winter s day, not cold and with just enough bright sunshine on the first light snow that had fallen. The boy had been out in the woods with his dog; and down in a sheltered place along the bluffs, he found some dog-wood shoots yet bearing their brillantly colored leaves. Gathering some of these he had brought them home and placed them in an old silver flagon that stood on the mantel-piece. They made a wonderful bit of bright, cheery color in the room. 96 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES Of course he called his Aunt s attention to them, for he well knew how much she liked bits of bright color. He saw her look thoughtfully at their scarlet and crimson and was all interest, yet not surprised when she said : "OF Ouendots use s tell story bout how come leaves get prit color in fall times. Not long one, story, but jus kin a nice. Cou se it s bout some animals, cause seems like long time go they was live first, fo peo ples. They somethin like peoples, too, I guess, cause they do so much things all a same like. "Didn t I ever tol you what s reason it s red an color, all tree leafs in fall time? "Well, it s like this one: Long go when WHY AUTUMN LEAVES ARE RED 97 it s all fix it up, Sky-land, by Little Turtle, Deer, he s got in hurry an went up tha fore it s all fix it fo animals. It s jus mek em mad, all of em, cause that Deer he s all a time such hurry to buck in. "Afta while when it s all ready eva- thing, Bear, it s his time to go up tha , so he s go up by that nice road what he s fix it, Little Turtle, an when he s got up tha prit soon, he s meet im, Deer. He s sed to him : What fo you come here so hurry, fo he s tol you, Little Turtle, it s ready? Deer, he s awfu proud like an he s jus shook his head, an sed it: Nobody but Wolf could ask that to me, he s the one to sed it, not you. An by-um-by, he s sed it, notha gen: Til jus give you whippin , Bear, 98 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES cause you such a smart/ an that Deer his eyes jus like fire, an hair on his back, jus stan up straight cause he s mad. "Bear, cause can fraid him nothin , he s jus stan tha waitin fo that Deer to jump on him, I spec . "Then Deer start it. Bear jus growl big, mek loud noise, jus like shake sky, an he sharp claw jus tear that Deer, an Deer, his sharp horn an foot, jus cut that Bear. They fight long time an mek big noise. They could heard it them otha s down on Great Island. Then they sent him up that Wolf to stop it that fight. "Wolf, he s get up tha an he s got hard time to mek stop it that big fight, that Deer an Bear; but he s do it prit soon, an when WHY AUTUMN LEAVES ARE RED 99 that Deer, he s run way, his horn jus all drippin with blood, that Bear s. That blood jus fall down on tree leafs on Great Island, an mek it all red color. It s that way yet, ev time come roun that time they fight it, that Deer an that Bear, leafs jus get that way, red. "They sed it long go, 01 Ouendots." X. THE FERRYMAN. When this story was finished, the old clock hadn t yet, as Neh-ah sometimes re marked: "He s sed it, eight." The Boy was ready with another sug gestion, and said: "Now Neh-ah, you ve told me such a good story about the red leaves, I think you ll have to tell an other about a rabbit. Old Jolly and I brought home seven. You d hardly believe it, but Jolly run one into a b-i-g hollow red- oak that stands down on the hill-side. Some one had cut a hole in one side of it and I crawled in; and down in the old hollow [100] THE FERRYMAN 101 roots running all round, I kept pulling out rabbits until I had seven. Mebbe we won t have a pot-pie, and I ll sell some of them in town, too." Neh-ah listened smilingly to the Boy, then said: "Well, guess can t cross riva no mo nobody, cause must be you kill all the ferrymans. You don t give im no good chance or mebbe so they foolish you like he done to one fella, one time. "I didn t tell you befo bout Rabbit, is it? He s live long time go down on riva , an he s got good canoe, an jus took em eva-body cross riva , like what you call it ferry-boat, aint it? "Well, one time Rabbit, he s sittin down on riva bank, jus singin an waitin like, 102 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES an* prit soon he s holla somebody, otha* side of riva. Rabbit, he s look and seen it, OF Wolf, so he s jus don mek no tention, jus keep on singin like don t heard nothin . That Wolf, he s mean one, all a time want kill em somebody, an Rabbit he don t like em. "Prit soon Wolf sed it: Hey, you fella you feet it s crooked out, come took me cross riva . Rabbit, he s jus ke p on singin , an by- um-by he s say : "Long go, I all a time dance plenty at feast, at s why it s crooked out, my foots." "Wolf sed it: Hey, you fella, at s got 1-o-n-g ears, jus stick it up straight, come took me cross riva . THE FERRYMAN 103 "Rabbit, he say: My ears stick it up, cause long go I could wear many eagle featha , ain t it? "Wolf, he sed it: Hey, you fella , it s split you lip, come take a me ova rivaV "Rabbit, he say: It s that way my lip, cause long go, I whistle much at big dance, ain t it? "Wolf, he s jus mad now, and sed it: Oh, you jus brag heap, all a time, I get you now. Then he s jus jump in riva an swim cross. Rabbit he s run an Wolf he s took af ta him. He s run long ways an jus gettin tired, but Wolf, he s comin , he s prit close now. Rabbit, he s come to hollow tree, an he s jump in hole, jus time Wolf he s goin ketch im. 104 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES "Wolf, he s mad, an he jus goin stand by that hole till that Rabbit, he s come out, n en he ketch em sure, so he s stay right tha . Rabbit he s rest lit l time, n en he s go out notha hole an go back to his canoe. L-o-n-g time afta Wolf, he s get heap tired that what you call it, watch-ful-a-waitin , an he s go back down riva . He s look otha side an seen it that Rabbit sit on his canoe, jus like bin tha all a time. "That s time he don ketch im Rabbit, that 01 Wolf, ain t it?" XL OLD COON TEACHES THE WOLF TO HUNT. Neh-ah and the Boy were sitting just in the fire light one night when the old woman said: "You jus always like it to hear em so much story bout 01 Fox an 01 Coon, I jus happen today, think of notha one kin a like it. Tain t 01 Fox tho , cause he s gone an I don eva hear if he s come back. Mebbe so if you heard it some day bout his come back, you could tell that story. But that 01 Coon he jus always took eva* [105] 106 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES chance what come long to play trick on somebody. "Any-how, I tole you this story jus same way you Uncl Jim Clark use tole it long go in Canada. He was good one to tole story, only some-time he jus put in lots a cuss words like he all a time sed it white- mans. Them Injun boy long time go at s jus first thing learn Inglis , it s the cuss words. I guess it s cause in Injun langwige they don got none, cuss words. "It s long time afta he s gone that Fox, one day OP Wolf he s prowlin long riva an he s meet im that Coon. 01 Coon he s bin on visit way out west to pra rie peoples, an he s bring it home big bundl buffalo meat. He s jus eatin piece when he s come long 01 Wolf. OLD COON TEACHES WOLF TO HUNT 10*7 "Wolf he s sed it: Hello, my Couzzen, what kin meats you eat em, an where you get it? I don had no good meats fo long time, it s kin a sca ce now days, ain t it? "01 Coon he s jus kin a grin, an gif to him piece of meat, that Wolf, an he s sed it: Oh, it s a buffalo meats what I got. I ketch em that kin buffalo out on pra rie, where I bin few day. It s lots of it there, buffalo, an it s kin easy to ketch em that kin too. "Wolf, he s jus eatin an it s sure taste good that meats. Prit soon he s say : How you sed it s easy to ketch it that kin ? He s big one than you are, an could run fas . I don see how you mek it easy to ketch em that kin . " Well, Coon sed it, I could tole you 108 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES how it s easy ketch em, you wants to tried it. He s big one, but he s easy to fraid, an when he s heap fraid, he s jus scare to death, jus run til it s kill himselV "Wolf he s say: You ketch im that way? " Yes, I ketch im, he sed it Coon. I jus tole you all bout it an you could tried it an ketch em good, then you have lots a good meats. You could start fo prai rie pri t soon an come to edge, long bout dark come, jus befo . You jus look roun good an fin it bunch buffalo, eat roun close to bushes. You watch em n afta whiles its tired eat it, an it s lay down sleep it. When he s good lay down sleep it, you jus go long easy, slip up behin an you jus tied it, that buffalo, OLD COON TEACHES WOLF TO HUNT 109 his tail roun you-sel , you middel. It s long hair on his tail, that fella". You mus tied it good, so can t slip off, cause if slip off, he s turn roun jus step on you, sure. When get it tie up good, you jus mek big noise whoo, whoo. Buffalo he s so scare he s jump up an run, an you jus took good ride, cause you jus go with im, an jus all a time go whoo, whoo. That buffalo he jus run heap, he s so scare, an prit soon he s jus drop dead, then you mus cut it, his throat, an you got heap good eat. "Wolf, he s jus lis n, an he s sed it: " It s soun good, I guess mebbe so, I tried it. Le s go, you jus watch a me, I kill em buffalo. "So Coon he s go long, an they start it 110 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES for pra rie. It s bout dark when they gets to edge of timber, an right clos by seen it bunch buffalo. Wolf an Coon jus lay down rest lit l bit, an watch it that buffalo. Afta while it s got nuff eat it, an jus all laid down to sleep it. "Wolf, he s jus feelin prit good an he s pick it out big fat, she one buffalo. Well, when he s sleep it good that ol she one, buffalo, Coon tell him betta go now, an he s slip out easy an he s tied he-se f good to that she one, buffalo, his tail, an when it s all tie up tight, Wolf, he s jus go holler: Whoo, whoo. That she one, buffalo, he s fraid plenty. He jus jump up an holler: Bra-a-h, bra-a-h, an jus go run, he so scare, jus like what s say white peoples: OLD Fox TEACHES WOLF TO HUNT 111 scare like hell/ He sure run fas an* that Wolf he s jus hoi tight on his tail, that she one, buffalo, an jus ride fas too. Eva once while, buffalo jus kick im in ribs an 01 Wolf he s go up in air. Prit soon he s gone out a sight, buffalo an wolf. 01 Coon he s jus kin a chuckle an sed it to he-self: I guess mebbe so, my couzzen, he s get prit good ride, now, won t get back fo many moons, mebbe so, spec he s go long ways/ "But that Wolf, he don ride such long time, cause that she one, buffalo, he s come to big mud hole, wide one, an jus bout time he s get middel that mud hole, he s mek big kick an that Wolf, he s break it loose from tail, jus go up in air, an come down tchi-wash in that sof muds. He s kin a 112 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES glad too, cause don want it no buffalo meats now. He s crawl out mud hole kin slow, cause prit sore, an start off kin a limp, an he sed it to he-self: That Coon he s don say how long got to ride it, that buffalo. I guess he s jus mek it foolish with me. Nex time I don t tried it what he say. It s jus same kin he s always foolish im that 01 Fox. He s bad rascal that Coon. XII. THE HOLE IN THE SKY OR HOW THE SUMMER BECAME LONGER. "Well, I guess that Old Coon never did stop playing his pranks. I only wish that more of his tricks had been told in other sto ries, for it is sure fun to listen to them." So the Boy said one evening when he was not quite sure that Neh-ah had another story for him. He was right pleasantly sur prised when she at once said : "I goin tell you notha one Uncle Jim s Story. 01 Tah-too-tahn-yoh, he s ol Jib- [113] 114 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES way man what s marry to Ouendot woman, an live mongst our people in Canada, long go. Lots a boys jus go down his house winta time an he s tell em ol story, some times prit near all night. They jus pitch in an cut it lots wood fo ol man an he s tell em ol story. It s good story, this one, I like it my-se f . "Long time go, ol people use tole bout it, it s jus col all a time, prit near. I think mebbe so, it s that time, faint very ol world, cause it s them days, peoples and animals, jus kin a all a same like, sometimes they be peoples, sometimes some kin animal, jus what kin they like. They know how to do eva-thing them days, got power, jus like what call white peoples now, witch, I guess, How THE SUMMER BECAME LONGER 115 anyhow, could do jus what want do, any thing. "Well, it s them days, good hunta , he s lodge not far from Big Watah ; but it s no body live clos by, jus him an woman, an got one boy, lit l fella, jus bout half way grown to man. It s big country, lots tree, big ones all run where he s live, that hunt- ah. He s got strong power, could prit near do it anything. Sometime he s man, an sometime he s that lit l kin animal what dey call it, Fisher, jus kin a like that Otter, at s his Couzzen, an kin a looks like im, but he ain t that big. That 01 Otter, he s kin a funny fella, he s jus all a time, laff an sing, an have good fun. He s all a time talk heap, too; but he don sed nothin much-, 116 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES jus talk. He s good fella, tho, an jus try to do it anything what tell im, somebody. "That hunta he s all a time kill em heap deer, an eva kin a game, so, jus have plenty to eat. That woman, he s good one, too, jus take care that game what he s kill em, dried that deer meat an smoke im, an mek that fine buck-skin fo moccasin an leggins. "They jus like im, heap, that lit l fella too. That hunta he s mek im good lit l bow an arrows, an showed im how hunt bird an squirrels; an that woman, he s mek em lit l moccasins an leggin an huntin shirt. Snow shoes too, cause it s jus plenty snow that country all a time. It s that way them days, jus col an snow prit near all time. How THE SUMMER BECAME LONGER 117 "That lit l fella he s jus go hunt by him- se f an bring em back to lodge, bird an* squirrels; but he s jus get prit near freeze it eva time. His finger jus bout freeze it, an can t shoot good, an sometime jus mek im mad, an jus cried, cause it so cold, don* know what do. He s jus wish it don be so much freeze it an cold f o so many days. "Well, one time, that lit l fella , he s bin hunt, an jus comin back to lodge. Oh, it s col , an that lit l fella , he s bout froze it now. He s comin long, an he s seen it, squirrel, it s sit on bush lit l way head, it s eatin somthin . He s wonda that lit l fella why don run, squirrel, an he s jus fix it his arrow to shoot it. Bout that time, that squirrel, he sed it: 118 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES "Grandson, musn t shoot it, me. Put it down you bow cause I got somethin to sed to you. You jus lis n an you do what I sed it. Long time I seen it you don t like it heap col an snow, I seen you huntin an jus can t help it, cry some time, cause heap col . It s too plenty col all a time, anyhow, I don like it too. Now I tole you what do, an we fix it mo summa time. You f atha , he s strong power, he could do it prit near any thing. When you get you lodge, you mus jus cryin all a time. Yo motha , he s want know what s matta , you jus don sed nothin , jus cryin , an cryin heap. Jus keep it cryin all a time til he s come, you f atha ; then when he s ask it what s matta don sed nothin f o long time, but jus cryin How THE SUMMER BECAME LONGER 119 an cryin jus likes feel so bad, can t sed nothin . Then afta whiles, you tell im: Me, I don t like it too much col all a time, I jus want mo summa times. Just sed it: Oh, my fatha can t you have him, some body, make it mo summa times, an don have it so much col an snows. Oh, I don* like it so much col . "So, that lit l fella, he tole im, squirrel, he do that way, an he s got to lodge, he s jus cryin an cryin , jus like it hurt some- thin but don know what. He motha ask it what s matta , but jus shook head an don t sed it nothin , jus push way what s want im to eat it, his motha , an jus keep cryin til it s come his fatha , then he s do jus like what s tole im that squirrel. 120 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES "Well, he fatha sed it: My son, I try do that what you sed it. It s much hard thing to do, but I tried, cause my son want it that kin / So that lit l fella he s stop it cryin an eat it what gif to im his motha . That Fisher sed it, he mus make feast an call council for his frens . Nex day they cook it whole bear, an sen word to Otter, Beaver, Lynx an Badger to come that feast an council. Well, afta whiles, it s come eva body an had it big eats ; then all a them fella jus sit round an prit soon smoke it peace-pipe, then jus talk bout it, what s got do. "Afta talk bout it long time, all them otha fellas sed it they go with that Fisher an he p im. He sed it, they go in three How THE SUMMER BECAME LONGER 121 days. Time come that Fisher he tole it goodby, that woman, an lit l fella , an he s jus feel heap bad, cause he s know mebbe so he don seen it no mo . "Then he s start all of it, an jus go on, don t meet im nothin til bout twenty days, it s come to foot of high mountain. Jus could look up as want to, an can t see it top, it s h-i-g-h, that mountain. They fin it tracks, like kill it somethin , somebody, jus while go; you could see bloody, an that track goin up mountain. That Fisher he sed it, betta follow it that track, mebbe- so fin it somethin eat it. So, jus followed it, track, an prit soon, come to lodge. Fish er, he tole em, mus be still, don laugh fall. "By-um-by, they saw ol man stan in 122 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES door that lodge. He s jus crooked eva which way, jus 9 all twist up. He s got b-i-g head, an funny kin teetch, jus all stick out an he don t had no arms. Them fella s they wonda how he could kill em anything. That ol man he s ask em come in his lodge, cause it s jus bout night, come. "That ol man, he s strong Monedo, he could do anything. Well, afta whiles oP man he s bring out big bowl meat, an he s jus gif to them fellas some f o their suppa . He s jus move roun heap funny, an that Otter, he jus can t he p it, an prit soon he s laugh. That Monedo, he s jus look at im, an jus jump on him goin smother 1m, cause it s that way he s kill it anything. But that Otter, when he s felt oP crooked man How THE SUMMER BECAME LONGER 123 light on he s head, he s jus slip out from unda im an he s jus run out door an get way; but that Monedo he s sed it bad fo im that Otter. "Rest of em they eat, an smoke an talk, prit near all night. That ol man he s tole Fisher he could do what s he s want do ; but it s a hard one to do, an mebbe so, it s kill im. He s tole im which way to go, an sed it fo them to do like he said it, an if follow that road, it sure take em right place. Whe he s tole em all bout jus what to do it, eva - body sleep it lit l time. "Come nex mornin , started go on. Jus* gone lit l ways an meet it tha Otter, he s bout freeze it, an kin a hungry; but that Fisher, he s took long some that meat what s 124 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES gif to im that ol crooked man, so that Otter he s eat it. He don laff this time. "Weir jus travel eva day till it s bout twenty days gen, an they come to that place what s tell em bout, that Monedo. It s the highest mountain, yet. Have to clim long ways fo get to top, but they get up tha an jus sit down rest and smoke it, peace-pipe, cause got to do that kin ask em Great Spirit, he p em. Jus put it tobacco in that pipe, an hoi it up to sky, then to no th, an east, an south, an west, then to earth then smoke it. It s so high up that mountain, that looks like sky right tha , an think, an look all roun fo long time, an afta whiles, that Fisher, he sed it, We mus get ready, an he s tell em, We got to How THE SUMMER BECAME LONGER 125 mek hole in sky. He s tole it that Otter try it first. Jus jump up gainst it hard as you can, mebbe so break it hole. Otter, he s jus kin a laff, an sed it, I tried it, mebbe so. He s jus jump hard, jus hit that sky so hard it s jus bounce im back, an prit near knock stuffin out that Otter. He s fall on snow right on he s back, an it s kin slick that snow, an that 01 Otter he s jus go slidin like eva thing, clear to bottom that mountain. I bet he s neva travel that fas gen. When he s come to bottom, he s shake he-se , an sed it, I think mebbe so, I gone home, I don like make it that jump notha gen, so he s jus pull it out fo home. "Well, that Beaver, he s tried it, an it s fall down all a sense knock it out that fella . 126 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES Then Lynx, he s tried it an it s jus all a f-a-r, an it s plenty grass, plenty tree ; same kin , jus laid tha like s dead. " Now, he sed it, Fisher, to Badger, You tried it, it s strong, you people an ? could do heap. "Badger he s jus tried hard, an it s knock im back that sky, but don hurt im, so, he s jus jump up an he s tried it notha gen. This time, its look s kin a like it s crack, that sky, so Badger, he s jus puff up b-i-g, an he s jump, like a white peoples sed it: jus like a hell. It s bust hole in sky an Badger he s go through an that Fisher, he s jus jump in right afta im. "Them two fellas jus look roun an oh, it s fin place, jus like a prai e, could see How THE SUMMER BECAME LONGER 127 plenty all kin s flower. Jus lit! stream run eva which way, lots a birds jus ever kin prit ones jus singin eva direction, oh it s jus like a nice eva where. Right ova tha they seen it some good ones lodges an way ova good ways off could seen it lots a peo ples jus playin ball, havin good time. "Don t seen nobody in them lodges but could see lots mo-cocks an baskets an it s all jus full all kin birds, prit ones. That Fisher he s jus think of that lit l fella an they jus cut it open them mo-cocks an bas kets all they could an let it out all those kin birds an all of it jus go big bunch an fly down that hole in sky what s made it Bad ger. An all that warm weather what s roun tha it s go down that hole too, an 128 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES jus spread out all roun . Prit soon them peoples way ova tha they see it them fellas what s doin an jus come run ova that way; but time they get ova tha it s bout all gone through that hole, all a summa time weath er, jus bout lef nothin cep its tail, an one fella s he s come runnin , an he s hit it with big club, an jus broke it off tail; summa time bout to went through that hole. "That Badger, when he s seen em comin them fellas he s jus run fo that hole but that Fisher, he s jus keep on lettin out lots mo bird fo that lit l fella , an he s stay too long, that hole it s growed up an can t get through. Well, he s jus strike out run- nin cause to get way from them otha fel las, an he s run fas . Prit soon he s come How THE SUMMER BECAME LONGER 129 to tall tree an he s clim up. They come, them fellas , an shoot at im, arrows; but that fella you couldn t hurt im if you hit Mm, jus one place arrow could hurt im, jus bout one inch end of he s tail. Prit soon one arrow hit im on that place. It s prit bad. He s look down tha an seen it one them fellas , he s got totem same like what he s got. So, he s holla to him, this fella , an he s tole im, you my couzzen, tell em don kill me. When dark come them fellas quit shoot, an that Fisher, he s come down, he s feel prit bad, cause it s bleed heap. So he s start crawl long to north, mebbe so he fin hole in sky he can go through; but he s jus keep travel til he s bout give out, don 7 fin none. So, he s stretch out his legs, his 130 TALES OF THE BARK LODGES head to no th, an sed it: Well, I did that what s want, lit l fella. It s make it betta f o all of its peoples, have mo summa times now, maybe eight o nine moons, summa time, then he s jus die. Them fellas fin it nex day, stretch it out dead. You could see it in sky now, it s tha yet. While peoples call it that stars, Big Bear." THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH DAY AND TO $1.OO ON THE SEVENTH DAY OVERDUE. miM RECEIVED m LOAN DE LD 21-100m-7, 20511 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY