ey all declared war
against him.

Some of the bears proposed to make weapons and use them. But the chief
said: "It is better to trust to the teeth and claws which Nature has
given us."

As no one could think of other plans, their chief dismissed the
council. The bears returned to the woods, and have done little harm to
man ever since.

The deer next held a council. They decided that any one who killed a
deer without asking his pardon should be lame with many pains.

The reptiles and the fish talked the matter over. They agreed to
punish man by making him dream of snakes and of eating raw fish.

In the last council the birds, rabbits, squirrels, ducks, and the
smaller animals came together. All complained of stolen nests, stones,
and arrows.

The ground squirrel alone said a good word for man. This made the others
so angry that they fell upon the little animal and tore him with their
claws. You can see the stripes on his back even to this day.

Then all the squirrels that had lost legs or tail by arrows, all
rabbits running on three legs, all birds that had seen their little
ones die, all wild ducks lamed, and all animals that had ever been
wounded for sport rose up and called for revenge.

"Let the pains and the trouble that man has sent to us and our
children be sent to him and his children," they demanded.

"But how can we do this?" asked the others. "We cannot turn man's
weapons against him."

"Let us send new diseases," proposed a limping fox.

All rose up with pleasure at this proposal. And they commenced to
invent diseases so fast that they had soon named every kind of
sickness that you ever heard of. Had they thought of many more, no
human beings would now be alive.

The grubworm, who had been stepped on by man, was so delighted that he
fell over backwards and has had to wriggle on his back ever since.

But the plants continued friendly to man. When they heard what the
animals had done, they promised to help him and his children forever.

Every tree and plant, even the grass and the moss, agreed to furnish a
cure for one of the diseases sent by the animals.

Each said in turn: "I shall help man when he calls on me in his need."

Thus came medicine. And if we only knew where to look, we might find
among the plants a cure for every kind of sickness.

HOW SPRING CONQUERED WINTER

Far to the North lives the terrible giant, Winter. When he leaves his
home, all people dread his coming. He