when desperate from long fasting--and
when her appetite is satisfied, she seems to live over the scene, the
memory of which has made her what she is.

After all but she had eaten of the fish, the Elk related to them the
story of the large fish that obstructed the passage of the St. Croix
river. The scene of this tradition was far from them, but the Dahcotahs
tell each other over and over again the stories which have been handed
down from their fathers, and these incidents are known throughout the
tribe. "Two Dahcotahs went to war against their enemies. On returning
home, they stopped at the Lake St. Croix, hungry and much fatigued.

"One of them caught a fish, cooked it, and asked his comrade to eat, but
he refused. The other argued with him, and begged of him to eat, but
still he declined.

"The owner of the fish continued to invite his friend to partake of it,
until he, wearied by his importunities, consented to eat, but added with
a mysterious look, 'My friend, I hope you will not get out of patience
with me.' After saying this, he ate heartily of the fish.

"He then seemed to be very thirsty, and asked his companion to bring him
some water out of the lake; he did so, but very soon the thirst, which
was quenched for a time only, returned; more was given him, but the
terrible thirst continued, and at last the Indian, who had begged his
companion to eat, began to be tired of bringing him water to drink. He
therefore told him he would bring him no more, and requested him to go
down to the water and drink. He did so, and after drinking a great
quantity, while his friend was asleep, he turned himself into a large
fish and stretched himself full length across the St. Croix.

"This fish for a long time obstructed the passage of the St. Croix; so
much so that the Indians were obliged to go round it by land.

"Some time ago the Indians were on a hunting excursion up the river, and
when they got near the fish a woman of the party darted ahead in
her canoe.

"She made a dish of bark, worked the edges of it very handsomely, filled
it with water, and placed some red down in it. She then placed the dish
near the fish in the river, and entreated the fish to go to its own
elements, and not to obstruct the passage of the river and give them so
much trouble.

"The fish obeyed, and settled down in the water, and has never since
been seen.

"The woman who made this request of the fish, was loved by him when he
was a Dahcotah