about in the
waves as seals are often seen doing.

"It was not long before he was seen by the people of the village, and, of
course, the men were very anxious to secure this valuable seal. Canoes were
quickly launched and away the men paddled with their spears to try and
capture it. But the boy, now transformed into the seal, quickly swam away
from them, as instructed by his grandmother, and so kept them busy paddling
on and on farther from the shore. When they seemed almost discouraged the
seal would suddenly dive down, and then reappear in the water just behind
them. Then, before the men could turn around and spear him, he as suddenly
dived under the water again. The pursuit was so exciting that these cruel
men did not notice how far out from land they had now come. They did,
however, after a time see their danger, for suddenly a fierce gale sprang
up, and the waves rose in such fury that they upset the canoes and all of
the wicked men were drowned. When the old grandmother saw this she once
more exerted the magical powers with which she had been intrusted by
Wakonda, and calling to her grandson to return home he instantly complied
with her request. He speedily swam back to her, and she at once transformed
him into his human form.

"Thus freed from his tormentors, he very rapidly grew up to manhood and
became a great hunter, and was kind to his grandmother as long as she
lived."

CHAPTER VI.

Souwanas Tells of the Origin and Queer Doings of
Nanahboozhoo--How He Lost His Brother Nahpootee,
the Wolf--Why the Kingfisher Wears a White Collar.

"Who was this Nanahboozhoo that we are hearing so much about?"

Thus was the old story-teller addressed by Sagastao, who always was anxious
to learn about those who interested him.

The old man began in this way:

"When the great mountains are wrapped in the clouds we do not see them very
well. So it is with Nanahboozhoo. The long years that have passed since he
lived have, like the fogs and mists, made it less easy to say exactly who
he really was, but I will try to tell you. Nanahboozhoo was not from one
tribe only, but from all the Indians. Hence it is that his very name is so
different.

"The Ojibway call him Mishawabus--Great Rabbit; the Menomini call him
Manabush. He had other names also. One tribe called him Jouskeha, another
Messou, another Manabozho, and another Hiawatha. His father was
Mudjekeewis, the West Wind. There was an old woman named Nokomis, th