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〃Remember your promise。〃
〃Yes； but I am weary。 Go now and drink。〃
〃Ek…hey； I feared it would be so。 Now trouble is coming upon us；〃
said the lover sadly。 He walked to the river； sprang in； and lying
down in the water with his head toward land； drank greedily。 By
and by he called to his friend。
〃Come hither； you who have been my sworn friend。 See what comes of
your broken promise。〃
The friend came and was amazed to see that the lover was now a fish
from his feet to his middle。
Sick at heart he ran off a little way and threw himself upon the
ground in grief。 By and by he returned。 The lover was now a fish
to his neck。
〃Cannot I cut off the part and restore you by a sweat bath？〃 the
friend asked。
〃No； it is too late。 But tell the chief's daughter that I loved
her to the last and that I die for her sake。 Take this belt and
give it to her。 She gave it to me as a pledge of her love for me；〃
and he being then turned to a great fish； swam to the middle of the
river and there remained； only his great fin remaining above
the water。
The friend went home and told his story。 There was great mourning
over the death of the five young men； and for the lost lover。 In
the river the great fish remained； its fin just above the surface；
and was called by the Indians 〃Fish that Bars；〃 because it bar'd
navigation。 Canoes had to be portaged at great
labor around the obstruction。
The chief's daughter mourned for her lover as for a husband； nor
would she be comforted。 〃He was lost for love of me； and I shall
remain as his widow；〃 she wailed。
In her mother's tepee she sat； with her head covered with her robe；
silent； working； working。 〃What is my daughter doing；〃 her mother
asked。 But the maiden did not reply。
The days lengthened into moons until a year had passed。 And then
the maiden arose。 In her hands were beautiful articles of
clothing； enough for three men。 There were three pairs of
moccasins； three pairs of leggings； three belts； three shirts；
three head dresses with beautiful feathers； and sweet smelling
tobacco。
〃Make a new canoe of bark；〃 she said； which was made for her。
Into the canoe she stepped and floated slowly down the river toward
the great fish。
〃Come back my daughter；〃 her mother cried in agony。 〃Come back。
The great fish will eat you。〃
She answered nothing。 Her canoe came to the place where the great
fin arose and stopped； its prow grating on the monster's back。 The
maiden stepped out boldly。 One by one she laid her presents on the
fish's back； scattering the feathers and tobacco over his broad
spine。
〃Oh； fish；〃 she cried； 〃Oh； fish； you who were my lover； I shall
not forget you。 Because you were lost for love of me； I shall
never marry。 All my life I shall remain a widow。 Take these
presents。 And now leave the river； and let the waters run free； so
my people may once more descend in their canoes。〃
She stepped into her canoe and waited。 Slowly the great fish sank；
his broad fin disappeared； and the waters of the St。 Croix
（Stillwater） were free。
THE ARTICHOKE AND THE MUSKRAT
On the shore of a lake stood an artichoke with its green leaves
waving in the sun。 Very proud of itself it was； and well satisfied
with the world。 In the lake below lived a muskrat in his tepee；
and in the evening as the sun set he would come out upon the shore
and wander over the bank。 One evening he came near the place where
the artichoke stood。
〃Ho； friend；〃 he said； 〃you seem rather proud of yourself。 Who are
you？〃 〃I am the artichoke；〃 answered the other； 〃and I have many
handsome cousins。 But who are you？〃
〃I am the muskrat； and I； too； belong to a large family。 I live in
the water。 I don't stand all day in one place like a stone。〃
〃If I stand in one place all day；〃 retorted the artichoke； 〃at
least I don't swim around in stagnant water； and build my lodge in
the mud。〃
〃You are jealous of my fine fur；〃 sneered the muskrat。 〃I may
build my lodge in the mud； but I always have a clean coat。 But you
are half buried in the ground； and when men dig you up； you are
never clean。〃
〃And your fine coat always smells of musk；〃 jeered the artichoke。
〃That is true；〃 said the muskrat。 〃But men think well of me；
nevertheless。 They trap me for the fine sinew in my tail； and
handsome young women bite off my tail with their white teeth and
make it into thread。〃
〃That's nothing；〃 laughed the artichoke。 〃Handsome young warriors；
painted and splendid with feathers； dig me up； brush me off with
their shapely hands and eat me without even taking the trouble to
wash me off。〃
THE RABBIT AND THE BEAR WITH THE
FLINT BODY
The Rabbit and his grandmother were in dire straits； because the
rabbit was out of arrows。 The fall hunt would soon be on and his
quiver was all but empty。 Arrow sticks he could cut in plenty； but
he had nothing with which to make arrowheads。
〃You must make some flint arrowheads；〃 said his grandmother。 〃Then
you will be able to kill game。〃
〃Where shall I get the flint？〃 asked the rabbit。
〃From the old bear chief；〃 said his old grandmother。 For at that
time all the flint in the world was in the bear's body。
So the rabbit set out for the village of the Bears。 It was winter
time and the lodges of the bears were set under the shelter of a
hill where the cold wind would not blow on them and where they had
shelter among the trees and bushes。
He came at one end of the village to a hut where lived an old
woman。 He pushed open the door and entered。 Everybody who came
for flint always stopped there because it was the first lodge on
the edge of the village。 Strangers were therefore not unusual in
the old woman's hut； and she welcomed the rabbit。 She gave him a
seat and at night he lay with his feet to the fire。
The next morning the rabbit went to the lodge of the bear chief。
They sat together awhile and smoked。 At last the bear chief spoke。
〃What do you want； my grandson？〃
〃I have come for some flint to make arrows；〃 answered the rabbit。
The bear chief grunted； and laid aside his pipe。 Leaning back he
pulled off his robe and； sure enough； one half of his body was
flesh and the other half hard flint。
〃Bring a stone hammer and give it to our guest；〃 he bade his wife。
Then as the rabbit took the hammer he said： 〃Do not strike too
hard。〃
〃Grandfather； I shall be careful；〃 said the rabbit。 With a stroke
he struck off a little flake of flint from the bear's body。
〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？ So big？〃 he asked。
〃Harder； grandson； strike off bigger pieces；〃 said the bear。
The rabbit struck a little harder。
〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？ So big？〃 he asked。
The bear grew impatient。 〃No； no； strike off bigger pieces。 I
can't be here all day。 Tanka kaksa wo！ Break off a big piece。〃