e not so good and noble as the first
man. There was something of the animal in them.

"There are many stories of this sort, but some of them are long and hard
to understand. Perhaps you have heard of Tidoona and Tankadoona, the
Indoor One and the Outdoor One, in which the little boy is half-brother
to a Bear cub and they meet and play together in secret. To-night,
however, I will tell you another story."

WOOD-CHOPPER AND BERRY-PICKER

In the old days, when men and animals spoke one language, a young man
who had grown tired of living alone set out to look for a wife. He had
not travelled far when he came to a stream of clear water which had been
dammed to make a small, round pond. On the shore of the pond was a neat,
dome-shaped lodge, and just outside the lodge a pretty woman was busily
chopping wood.

The young man stood for some time watching her from behind a tree. Being
pleased with her looks and especially with her industry, he presently
showed himself, and the girl, whose name was Beaver-woman, received him
so kindly that in a short time they had decided to marry and go to
house-keeping.

When their little boy came, the proud father wished to take him back and
show him to his own people, but to this his wife would not consent.

"If you must return," said she, "very well; but we cannot go with you!"

So the young man, who had a great longing to see again the faces of his
kinsfolk, left them behind and journeyed to his father's village. He
made them a short visit, and then hastened back to his own home.

Alas, there was no home there! The lodge was destroyed, the dam broken,
the pond itself gone, the singing brook was only a thin trickle of
water, and his wife and son were nowhere to be found!

The unhappy young man lay upon the ground, mourning for his lost wife
and little boy, until a handsome young woman dressed all in black came
out of the woods. She supposed that he must be faint for want of food,
so she brought him sweet roots and berries. When he had eaten, she
kindly combed his hair and washed his face, and after he was refreshed,
she comforted him with loving words and caresses, so that he soon forgot
the Beaver-woman and took her to be his wife.

Together they went to look for a home. The young man chose a beautiful
open spot overlooking much country, but his wife, whose name was
Berry-Picker, laughed at him, saying:

"Our people never live in such an open place as that!"

She chose a shel