e proud and forgot the Great Spirit.

TALE 44

The Wood-witch and the Bog-nuts

Once upon a time there was a rich boy, who knew all about the city, and
nothing about the woods. He went for an outing into the wilderness, and
got lost. He wandered all day until he was very tired and hungry. The
sun was low when he came to a little pathway. He followed it, and it led
to a small log cabin. When he knocked, an old woman opened the door. He
said, "Please, Ma'am, I am lost and very hungry, will you give me
something to eat?"

[Illustration: The Wood-witch and the Bog-nuts]

The old woman looked sharply at his clothes, and knew that he was
rich, so she said: "Poor people are wise, they can take care of
themselves in the woods. They don't get lost. But you rich people are
fools, and I wish you would go away."

"I will, if you'll give me something to eat," he answered.

Then the old woman said: "Listen, foolish rich boy, in the woods beside
you right now is a friend who feeds the poor people, maybe she will feed
you. She is tall and slim, her eyes are brownish purple and her hair is
green, and by this you may know her--she has five fingers on one hand
and seven on the other. Her house is in the brier thicket; she climbs to
the roof and stands there all day waving her hands, and shouting out in
wood-talk, 'There are cocoanuts in my cellar.'

"Now go and find her, maybe she will feed you. She always feeds us poor
folks," and the witch slammed the door.

The boy was puzzled. As he stood in doubt, there was a loud noise, and
his friends arrived. They brought him the food and comfort that he
needed.

Then he said: "I wish to know what that old wood-witch meant by the lady
with the purple eyes and green hair." So he went again to the log cabin
and knocked.

When the old woman came, and saw a lot of people about, she was
frightened for she knew she had been unkind. But the boy said: "Now
Granny, you needn't be afraid, I want you to show me the friend that has
seven fingers and a cellar full of cocoanuts."

"I'll show you, if you promise to do me no harm," she answered.

"Of course, I'll promise," replied the boy.

Then Granny Wood-witch went hobbling to the nearest thicket and cackled
out loud, as she pointed out a trailing vine that had sometimes five
leaflets on a stalk and sometimes seven. "See, see, that's the lady.
See seven fingers on that hand and five on this. Now follow her feet
down and dig in the ground."