ge. He still wore the plain, dull-colored suit.

The birds again called a council. Each was told to select a suit from
those that _Gah gah go wah_ had brought, and put it on. This they did.

Then the birds in their beautiful feathered suits began to walk and fly
about the Turkey Buzzard, and to make fun of his plain, dull dress.

But _Gah gah go wah_ held his head high. He walked proudly about among
the birds. He looked with scorn on their beautiful suits. After a time
he spoke.

He said, "_Gah gah go wah_, the Turkey Buzzard, does not want your
suits. He had the pick of them all. He likes his own suit best."

Adapted from Erminie Smith's _Myths of the Iroquois_.

[Illustration]

WHY THE PARTRIDGE DRUMS

[Illustration]

It was after the Great Spirit had made all the beautiful birds, that the
Evil Spirit came along. He saw the beautiful birds and heard their
beautiful songs. He saw that the earth people liked the birds and liked
to hear them sing.

Now the Evil Spirit did not wish people to be happy, so he said, "I will
make a bird that will make people afraid. I will make a big bird that
will not sing, but will make a great noise."

So the Evil Spirit went to work. In a short time he had made a big bird,
that could not sing, but could drum.

The big bird flew away into the wood. That night a drumming noise was
heard in the wood. The people were afraid. They could not sleep, because
of the noise.

In the morning, they went into the woods to search for the noise. Deep
in the forest could still be heard that strange drumming. They followed
it, until they came to a deep, dark place in the woods. There was a loud
fluttering and whirring of wings, and a great bird flew out from among
them, along the ground and over the trees.

The people were afraid. They called to the Great Spirit to help them.

The Great Spirit was near. He heard their cry, and went after the bird,
for he was very angry.

The Great Spirit said, "I will not have my people frightened by this
great bird; it shall die."

The big bird gave the Great Spirit a long chase. At last the Great
Spirit came upon it. He seized it, and threw it against a large tree.

As the big bird struck the tree, drops of blood flew in all directions.
They changed into smaller birds that went whirring into the woods, just
as the big bird had done. There they began to drum.

Like the big bird, these smaller birds like to startle people. They
flutter