f
the White Canoe and how a great warrior honored his parents."

Nokomis had no request. She was a fine story-teller herself and
interested in hearing everything that might be related.

Then, to the joy of his hearers, the story-teller began.

First he delighted the children by telling of the ground hog that
saved his own life by teaching a new dance.

The next tale was about the first animals and how they came to live in
the forests and on the plains.

After the story-teller had explained how sickness came into the world,
Fleet Deer wanted to be a medicine man and find all the plants that
cure disease.

And so they all listened to one tale after another until the midnight
stars shone overhead and the embers grew white where the burning logs
had sparkled.

Now you may read for yourselves the stories that were told in an
Indian lodge on a winter evening.

THE GROUND-HOG DANCE

Seven wolves once caught a ground hog. "Now we'll kill you and have
something good to eat," they said.

But the ground hog replied: "When we find good food we must rejoice
over it, as people do in the green-corn dance. I know you mean to kill
me, and I can't help myself, but if you want to dance I'll sing for you.

"I will teach you a new dance. I'll lean up against seven trees in
turn, and you will dance away, then come back toward me. At the last
turn you may kill me."

The wolves were very hungry, but they wanted to learn the new dance.
So they told the ground hog to go ahead. The ground hog leaned up
against the first tree and began the song.

All the wolves danced away from the trees. When the signal was given
they danced back in line.

[Illustration]

"That's fine!" said the ground hog, as he went to the second tree and
began the second song. The wolves danced away, then turned at the
signal and danced back again.

"That's very fine," said the ground hog; and he went to another tree
and started the third song.

The wolves danced their best, and were praised by the ground hog. At
each song he took another tree, and each tree was a little nearer to
his hole under a stump.

At the seventh song he said, "Now this is the last dance. When I give
the signal you will all turn and come after me. The one who catches me
may have me."

So the ground hog began the last song, and kept it up until the wolves
were many steps away. Just as the signal was given he made a jump for
his hole.

The wolves turned and were after