Story Hour Readers Part 3

Big Chief admired the dainty house with its dome-shaped roof.

Master Beaver's wife and his daughter gave the stranger a hearty welcome. They at once prepared a meal of poplar, birch and willow bark, and roots of water lilies.

This was choice food for beavers, but it was not the kind of dinner that Big Chief liked. Nevertheless he was very happy.

Master Beaver's daughter waited upon her father and his guest. She was so very fair that she won the heart of Big Chief.

He no longer wished to live alone. He asked Master Beaver to give the maiden to him, to be his bride. This pleased Master Beaver very much, for he liked Big Chief.

All the beavers and their neighbors were invited to the wedding. The next morning, some of the beavers arrived bringing clay. Then came otters, each carrying a large fish in his mouth as a present for the bride.

They were followed by the weasels, the minks, and the muskrats.

The guests enjoyed the wedding breakfast in the lodge of Master Beaver.

After the feast, the beavers invited the other animals to meet them on the bank of the lake. There they held a council.

They said, "We will build a lodge, which shall be the wedding gift of the beavers."

Then they chose a place under the birch trees that grew near the sh.o.r.e of the lake. Here the beavers began to build a lodge, of sticks of wood and the clay which they had brought with them. Soon the cozy lodge was finished.

Now came the greatest wonder of all. It pleased the Great Spirit to change the bride into a beautiful woman--a wife suited to the n.o.ble and handsome Big Chief.

Amid the cheers of their friends, Master Beaver led the happy couple to the cozy lodge near the lake. There they made their home.

MANITOU AND THE SQUIRRELS

"Please tell me one more story about the great Manitou, Grandmother,"

begged the little Indian boy.

The grandmother liked to tell stories to the boy. She sat down facing him and told him the story of the great Manitou and the squirrels.

This was the story she told:

Once upon a time, there was scarcely any food to be found. The great Manitou and his wife had fasted for many days, and they were very hungry.

"We must have meat," said Manitou.

Then he thought of a plan.

He lifted his bow and aimed a magic arrow through the door of the wigwam.

The arrow sped onward in the forest, until it pa.s.sed through the body of a bear. It held the bear fast to a tree.

Manitou and his wife went into the forest together. There they found the bear.

Then Manitou said, "We will have a feast and invite our friends."

The birds and beasts were glad to accept the invitation. A large company arrived.

The woodp.e.c.k.e.r was the first to taste the food. He began to eat greedily, for he was very hungry.

When he put the meat into his mouth, it turned to ashes.

The woodp.e.c.k.e.r began to cough. "This is very impolite; I must not let Manitou hear me cough," thought he.

The fox was the next to taste the meat. It turned to ashes, and he began to cough.

All the other guests began to cough as soon as they had tasted the meat.

They tried very hard not to let Manitou hear them.

They kept on tasting, but the more they tasted the harder they coughed.

At last Manitou became very angry.

"I will make you remember this," said he.

In an instant, the woodp.e.c.k.e.r, the fox, and all the other guests had disappeared. In their place were many squirrels, running up and down the trees and coughing as squirrels always do when taken by surprise.

To this day, squirrels do not eat meat, but instead they nibble acorns and nuts.

"If you have sharp eyes," added the grandmother, "you will find hollow places in the trees, where the squirrels hide their acorns and nuts."

THE SWIFT RUNNER

In the olden times, the animals were fond of sports. They often held contests, with prizes for those that won.

Once a prize was offered for the animal who could prove himself the swiftest runner.

The reward was to be a pair of great antlers. Each animal was to carry the antlers on his head, while running the race. The animal that should win, would have the antlers for his own.

A path through the woods was chosen for the race course. There were many bushes and brambles along the way.

All the animals gathered at the place of meeting. They chose Black Bear to be judge of the race. It was decided that the rabbit and the deer alone should try for the prize.

"They are the best runners. None of the rest of us could hope to win,"

said the other animals.

White Rabbit was given the first chance.