frightened," replied the man, "because I stand before the One who
raised me from the ground. I am faint from hunger, for I have eaten
nothing since I left the shell in the bank of the river."

"Look, Wasbashas," said the spirit, as he drew forth a beautiful bow
and arrow. Putting an arrow into the bow, he aimed at a bird in a tree
near by. He shot, and the bird fell. A deer passed just then, and the
spirit shot it, also.

"Now, Wasbashas," said the spirit, "I shall show you how to skin this
deer, and show you how to make a blanket. Then you must learn to cook
the flesh. I shall give you the gift of fire. For now that you are a
man, you must not eat raw food. You shall be placed at the head of all
the animals and birds."

After the spirit had shown him the things he had promised, both horse
and rider arose in the air and vanished.

Wasbashas walked on down the river until he came to a place where a
beaver was lying.

"Good-day," said the beaver. "Who are you?"

"I am a man. The Great Spirit raised me from a shell, and now I am
head of all the animals. And who are you?"

"I am a beaver. Will you come with me until I show you how we build
our lodges?"

Wasbashas followed the beaver and watched him cut down a tree with his
teeth. Then the animal showed him how they dammed up the river, by
letting the trees fall across it and filling the spaces between with
mud and leaves.

"Now will you come and visit my lodge?" said the beaver chief. He led
Wasbashas to his neat lodge made of clay and shaped like a cone. The
floor was carpeted with mats. The beaver's wife and daughter received
the stranger kindly. They busied themselves getting a meal ready, and
soon brought dishes of peeled poplar and alder bark. Wasbashas did not
like the taste of it, but managed to eat a few pieces. The beavers
seemed to enjoy the meal very much.

Wasbashas had been watching the daughter, and he liked her nice, tidy
ways and the respect she showed her father. In the evening he asked
the chief if he would give the maiden to him for his bride. The chief
was very pleased at the idea, for he liked Wasbashas.

The beaver invited all the animals to the feast, which was to be held
the next day. Early the following morning they began to arrive. First
came the beavers, each bringing a present of a lump of clay on his flat
tail. Next came the otters, each bringing a large fish in his mouth.
Later in the morning came the mink