e came forward at a
great speed and made a leap. But just as he did so, the
prairie-chicken flew up at his feet, and he fell face downwards in the
swampy water.

Wesakchak was very vexed, and he called out to the prairie-chicken,
"This is a mean trick you have played on me, and in punishment you
shall not be able to fly very well after this." The prairie-chicken
heard him and began to fly towards the forest, but its wings seemed
shorter than they used to be and it fluttered away amid the tall grass.

As Wesakchak waded out through the reeds, each bent before him, making
a path that has remained there ever since. When he reached the shore,
it look him a long time to clean his beautiful suit, and by the time he
was ready to go on, it was nearly evening. He was anxious to reach the
village before nightfall, so he hurried on, wishing he could find some
one to take him the rest of the way, for he was feeling tired.

After a time he came in sight of a little lake, and there saw two swans
floating on the water. He called to them, but they did not seem to
hear, so he jumped into the water and dove down to the bottom. Then he
came up under the swans and caught each one by the legs. They flew up
with him hanging to their feet.

"Take me to the village that is built on the river bank," Wesakchak
said to them. They did not answer, but flew rapidly through the air.

After they had gone some miles, he noticed they were not taking the
right direction. He called to them and told them to turn to the east,
but they did not reply. When he saw they were not going to obey, he
hung on tightly by one hand, and reaching up, he caught one swan by the
neck. He tried to pull its head down so that he could talk to it, but
the harder he pulled, the firmer it held its head up, until at last its
neck was turned into a curve. He then tried the other swan, but with
no more success, so now both birds had their beautiful, white necks
curved like the letter S. When Wesakchak saw they would not listen to
him, and that they were taking him in the wrong direction, he let go
his hold of their feet and dropped like a stone through the air. He
landed on a hollow stump, and with such force that he sank deep into
the soft wood. Not a sign of him could be seen; he had disappeared
entirely. After some time two squaws came to get the soft, yellow wood
from the stump. They use this wood to smoke their buckskins, because
it gives the skin a nice