f the elder sister who had chosen the bright
star was an old warrior with a shining name, but the husband of the
younger girl was a fine-looking young man, who had as yet no great
reputation.

The Star men were kind to their wives, who lived very happily in their
new home. One day they went out to dig wild turnips, and the old warrior
said to his wife:

"When you are digging, you must not hit the ground too hard!"

The younger man also warned his wife, saying:

"Do not hit the ground too hard!"

However, the Earth forgot, and in her haste she struck the ground so
hard with the sharp-pointed stick with which she dug turnips, that the
floor of the sky was broken and she fell through.

Two very old people found the poor girl lying in the meadow.

They kindly made for her a little wigwam of pine boughs, and brought
ferns for her bed. The old woman nursed her as well as she could, but
she did nothing but wail and cry.

"Let me go to him!" she begged. "I cannot live without my husband!"

Night came, and the stars appeared in the sky as usual. Only the little
twinkling Star did not appear, for he was now a widower and had painted
his face quite black.

The poor wife waited for him a long time, but he did not come, because
he could not. At last she slept, and dreamed she saw a tiny red Star in
the sky that had not been there before.

"Ah!" said she, "that is Red Star, my son!"

In the morning she found at her side a pretty little boy, a Star Boy,
who afterward grew to be a handsome young man and had many adventures.
His guides by night through the pathless woods were the Star children of
his mother's sister, his cousins in the sky.

TWENTY-FOURTH EVENING

NORTH WIND AND STAR BOY

TWENTY-FOURTH EVENING

"Hun, hun, hay! Old man Wazeya, the North Wind, is again on the
war-path! You are brave children to come out to-night! See, he shakes
his downy feather robe, and the little snow-flakes fly fast and faster!
He gives his war-whoop, and cowards seek the safe shelter of their own
wigwams. You are no cowards, I am sure of that, so I shall tell you of
the battle between Wazeya and one of our great heroes, the son of a
mortal maiden and a Star."

NORTH WIND AND STAR BOY

In the very old days at the beginning of things, Star Boy went about the
world as a champion, defending all feeble folk against the attacks of
their enemies.

The champion was so strong that he could not bend his bow of wood
wit