e if I
cannot find some lodges." After walking some time he saw a lodge at a
distance. The children were playing at the door. When they saw him
approaching they ran into the lodge, and told their parents that
Manabozho was coming. It was the residence of the large redheaded
Woodpecker. He came to the lodge door and asked him to enter. He did
so. After some time, the Woodpecker, who was a magician, said to his
wife, "Have you nothing to give Manabozho? he must be hungry." She
answered, "No." In the centre of the lodge stood a large white
tamarack-tree. The Woodpecker flew on to it, and commenced going up,
turning his head on each side of the tree, and every now and then
driving in his bill. At last he drew something out of the tree, and
threw it down, when, behold! a fine, fat raccoon on the ground. He drew
out six or seven more. He then descended, and told his wife to prepare
them. "Manabozho," he said, "this is the only thing we eat. What else
can we give you?" "It is very good," replied Manabozho. They smoked
their pipes and conversed with each other. After eating, the great
spirit-chief got ready to go home. The Woodpecker said to his wife,
"Give him what remains of the raccoons to take home for his children."
In the act of leaving the lodge he dropped intentionally one of his
mittens, which was soon after observed. "Run," said the Woodpecker to
his eldest son, "and give it to him. But don't give it into his hand;
throw it at him, for there is no knowing him, he acts so curiously."
The boy did as he was bid. "Nemesho" (my grandfather), said he, as he
came up to him, "you have left one of your mittens--here it is." "Yes,"
said he, affecting to be ignorant of the circumstance, "it is so. But
don't throw it, you will soil it on the snow." The lad, however, threw
it, and was about to return. "List," said Manabozho, "is that all you
eat--do you eat nothing else with the raccoon?" "No," replied the young
Woodpecker. "Tell your father," he answered, "to come and visit me, and
let him bring a sack. I will give him what he shall eat with his
raccoon meat." When the young one reported this to his father, the old
man turned up his nose at the invitation. "What does the old fellow
think he has got!" exclaimed he.

Some time after the Woodpecker went to pay a visit to Manabozho. He was
received with the usual attention. It had been the boast of Manabozho,
in former days, that he could do what any other being in the creation
coul