a coward to boot.
You haven't the courage to fight and you kill for pleasure and by
stealth."

Mee-ko started to talk back at Ko-ko-ka, but the big owl snapped his
beak angrily and rustled his wings. Mee-ko saw and heard and he didn't
wait to finish his remarks. He scurried along the branch, took a flying
leap to the next tree, and disappeared.

"Let him go. His room is better than his company," remarked Ko-ko-ka.

"That's so," said little Luke, "I never did like him much anyway. But
tell me, what did he mean about his forefathers?"

"Well," answered Ko-ko-ka, "I've had a good nap and haven't anything to
do till sundown. So, if you like, I'll tell you about it."

[Illustration]

XVIII. THE STORY OF THE FIRST RED SQUIRRELS

"Long, long ago," began the old owl, "when the world was new, there
dwelt upon the earth a wise and good man whose name was Gloos-cap. He
was a servant of the Master of Life, who had sent him to teach the men
and all the other creatures everything that was good for them to know.
So he went about from place to place, teaching the kindreds.

"He taught the Red Men how to build their wigwams and to plant corn and
care for it. He taught the beavers how to build their lodges and the
birds how to build their nests and care for their little ones. To all
the kindreds he taught the things which each most needed to know.

"At first all the creatures were good and heeded the teachings of
Gloos-cap. But after a time their hearts became evil. Gloos-cap often
spoke to them and did his best to turn them from their wicked ways, but
in vain. They grew more and more envious, spiteful, and quarrelsome. At
last they became so wicked that they began to fight and kill each other.
Worse than all else, the victors took to devouring the bodies of the
slain.

"The good Gloos-cap was grieved and disgusted. He made up his mind to
invite them to a feast and try once more to turn them from their evil
ways. When they came, he set before each one of them food in abundance.
Although each had enough and more than enough for himself, some of them
were not satisfied. They began to quarrel and fight, each striving to
take from the other his portion.

"Now Gloos-cap was a mighty magician. By his magic power, he caused the
food to turn to ashes in the mouths of the greedy ones. As soon as they
tasted the ashes, they tried to talk and scold, but they could scarcely
say two words on account of the ashes which got i