in sight, but this time there were only two of
them, as the youngest had stayed at home. The air was warm and damp,
and the snow soft and slushy, and the elder brother's bowstring hung
loose, while the bow of the younger caught in a tree and snapped in
half. At that moment the dogs began to bark loudly, and the bear
rushed out of the thicket and set off in the direction of the
mountain. Without thinking that they had nothing to defend themselves
with, should the bear turn and attack them, the boys gave chase. The
bear, who knew quite well that he could not be shot, sometimes
slackened his pace and let the dogs get quite close; and in this way
the elder son reached the mountain without observing it, while his
brother, who had hurt his foot, was still far behind.

As he ran up, the mountain opened to admit the bear, and the boy, who
was close on his heels, rushed in after him, and did not know where he
was till he saw bears sitting on every side of him, holding a council.
The animal he had been chasing sank panting in their midst, and the
boy, very much frightened, stood still, letting his bow fall to the
ground.

'Why are you trying to kill all my servants?' asked the chief. 'Look
round and see their shades, with arrows sticking in them. It was I who
told the bear to-day how he was to lure you into my power. I shall
take care that you shall not hurt my people any more, because you will
become a bear yourself.'

At this moment the second brother came up--for the mountain had been
left open on purpose to tempt him also--and cried out breathlessly:
'Don't you see that the bear is lying close to you? Why don't you
shoot him?' And, without waiting for a reply, pressed forward to drive
his arrow into the heart of the bear. But the elder one caught his
raised arm, and whispered: 'Be quiet! can't you tell where you are?'
Then the boy looked up and saw the angry bears about him. On the one
side were the servants of the chief, and on the other the servants of
the chief's sister, who was sorry for the two youths, and begged that
their lives might be spared. The chief answered that he would not kill
them, but only cast a spell over them, by which their heads and bodies
should remain as they were, but their arms and legs should change into
those of a bear, so that they would go on all fours for the rest of
their lives. And, stooping over a spring of water, he dipped a handful
of moss in it and rubbed it over the arms and legs of t