it was that
the races had got into the condition in which they now are. So when the
old man had filled and smoked his pipe again, and had seemed to be lost
in thought for a time, he began once more:

"When the Great Spirit had made these different men, and given each
wives of their own colour, he went away to his dwelling place beyond the
setting sun, and there abode. After a while he thought he would come
back and see how these men were getting on. So he called them to meet
him at a certain place, and as he talked with them he found they were
unhappy because they had nothing to do. When the Great Spirit heard
this he told them to come back to-morrow and then he would make this all
right for them. On the morrow, when they had met, they saw that the
Great Spirit had three parcels. He laid them on the ground, and told
them they were to choose which they would have. As the parcels differed
very much in size it was decided that they would cast lots, and thus
settle who should have the first choice. When this was done it was
found that the black man was to choose first, the red man second, and
the white man would have to take what was left. So the black man chose
the largest parcel; and when he opened it he found that it contained
axes and hoes, and spades and shovels, and other implements of toil.
The Indian selected the next largest bundle; and when he had opened it
he found that it contained bows and arrows, and spears and lances, and
knives and other weapons used by the hunter. Then the turn of the white
man came, and he took up the last parcel, which was a small one; and
when he had opened it there was nothing in it but a book.

"When the black man and the red man saw that the white man had nothing
but a book they laughed out loudly, and ridiculed him very much. But
the Great Spirit reproved them, and said, `Wait a while, and perhaps you
will think differently.' And so they now do; for it has come to pass
that because of the possession of that book the white man has become so
learned and wise that he is now much stronger than the others, and seems
to be able to make himself master of the other races, and to take
possession of all lands."

CHAPTER EIGHT.

SEEKING FOR LIGHT.

Thus Oowikapun heard Mookoomis at the camp fires tell these weird old
stories, and in listening to him he tried to forget his own sorrows and
anxieties.

When he thought he had become so well acquainted with him that he could