ith the word that some hunters with their dog sleds had
called, and that they had with them a great wolverine which had been killed
in the woods not very far away. The children ran out to look at it.

Now the wolverine is known to be such a cunning, clever animal that the
killing of one is quite an event among the Indians, and the lucky hunter
who succeeds in destroying one is the hero of the hour. A man may on one
hunting trip kill several bears or wolves, or many other animals, and there
is not much said about it, but to kill a wolverine, that pest and scourge
of the hunters, is indeed a feat that any man is proud of.

"Why is it called a wolverine?" asked Sagastao.

"Because it was once like a wolf, and had small feet and long legs, but now
its legs are short and its feet are very large."

"What shortened its legs and made its feet become so large?" asked
Sagastao.

It was too cold a day to remain any longer outside looking at the
wolverine, or to learn more about it, so the children were obliged to
return to their warm schoolroom, where their lessons were resumed.

It was evident, however, that both Sagastao and Minnehaha were ready with a
couple of questions for Mary, and it was not long after school hours that
they sought her and asked:

"Mary, what was it that shortened the legs of the wolverine? and what made
his feet so big?"

"The wolverine," replied Mary, "was once the finest of all the different
kinds of wolves. He had the softest and nicest of fur. His legs were long,
and his feet were firm and handsome, but he was an awfully conceited
fellow. He fancied he was the handsomest creature in existence and looked
down with contempt on all the other kinds of wolves. He used to go to the
side of the clear transparent lake, where he could see his shadow reflected
in the water, and he would strut up and down and say: 'O dear, what a
lovely creature I am!'

"It is true he was very clever in many ways. He was so swift that he could
run down even the antelope and the elk, and at all the great animal
gatherings, where the different creatures met in council, he was the
swiftest there, and easily won the chief prizes at the great races which
the animals used to hold. Indeed, he won so many races that at length he
could get no animal to compete with him. He even tried to get up races with
the birds, but they laughed at him for his conceit.

"One day he happened to be hunting among the mountains. Near the top of