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the animal； but she ven… tured upon a final appeal。
〃You must remember；〃 she said； 〃that in this offering you will call
upon him who looks at you from every creation。 In the wind you hear
him whisper to you。 He gives his war…whoop in the thunder。 He
watches you by day with his eye； the sun； at night； he gazes upon your
sleeping countenance through the moon。 In short； it is the Mystery of
Mysteries； who controls all things。 to whom you will make your first
offering。 By this act； you will ask him to grant to you what he has
granted to few men。 I know you wish to be a great warrior and hunter。 I
am not prepared to see my Hakadah show any cowardice； for the love of
possessions is a woman's trait and not a brave's。〃
During this speech； the boy had been complete… ly aroused to the spirit
of manliness； and in his excitement was willing to give up anything he had
even his pony！ But he was unmindful of his friend and companion；
Ohitika； the dog！ So； scarcely had Uncheedah finished speaking； when he
almost shouted：
〃Grandmother； I will give up any of my pos… sessions for the offering
to the Great Mystery！ You may select what you think will be most pleas…
ing to him。〃
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There were two silent spectators of this little dialogue。 One was
Wahchewin； the other was Ohitika。 The woman had been invited to stay；
although only a neighbor。 The dog； by force of habit； had taken up his
usual position by the side of his master when they entered the teepee。
With… out moving a muscle； save those of his eyes； he had been a very
close observer of what passed。
Had the dog but moved once to attract the at… tention of his little friend；
he might have been dissuaded from that impetuous exclamation：
〃Grandmother； I will give up any of my posses… sions！〃
It was hard for Uncheedah to tell the boy that he must part with his
dog； but she was equal to the situation。
〃Hakadah；〃 she proceeded cautiously； 〃you are a young brave。 I
know； though young； your heart is strong and your courage is great。 You
will be pleased to give up the dearest thing you have for your first offering。
You must give up Ohitika。 He is brave； and you； too； are brave。 He
will not fear death； you will bear his loss brave… ly。 Comehere are four
bundles of paints and a filled pipelet us go to the place。〃
When the last words were uttered； Hakadah did not seem to hear them。
He was simply unable to speak。 To a civilized eye； he would have ap…
peared at that moment like a little copper statue。 His bright black eyes
were fast melting in floods of tears； when he caught his grandmother's eye
and recollected her oft…repeated adage： 〃Tears for woman and the war…
whoop for man to drown sorrow！〃
He swallowed two or three big mouthfuls of heart…ache and the little
warrior was master of the situation。
〃Grandmother； my Brave will have to die！ Let me tie together two of
the prettiest tails of the squirrels that he and I killed this morning； to show
to the Great Mystery what a hunter he has been。 Let me paint him
myself。〃
This request Uncheedah could not refuse and she left the pair alone for
a few minutes； while she went to ask Wacoota to execute Ohi… tika。
Every Indian boy knows that； when a warrior is about to meet death；
he must sing a death dirge。 Hakadah thought of his Ohitika as a person
who would meet his death without a struggle； so he began to sing a dirge
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for him； at the same time hugging him tight to himself。 As if he were a
human be… ing； he whispered in his ear：
〃Be brave； my Ohitika！ I shall remember you the first time I am upon
the war…path in the Ojibway country。〃
At last he heard Uncheedah talking with a man outside the teepee； so
he quickly took up his paints。 Ohitika was a jet…black dog； with a silver
tip on the end of his tail and on his nose； beside one white paw and a white
star upon a protuber… ance between his ears。 Hakadah knew that a man
who prepares for death usually paints with red and black。 Nature had
partially provided Ohitika in this respect； so that only red was required and
this Hakadah supplied generously。
Then he took off a piece of red cloth and tied it around the dog's neck；
to this he fastened two of the squirrels' tails and a wing from the oriole
they had killed that morning。
Just then it occurred to him that good warriors always mourn for their
departed friends and the usual mourning was black paint。 He loosened
his black braided locks； ground a dead coal； mixed it with bear's oil and
rubbed it on his entire face。
During this time every hole in the tent was oc… cupied with an eye。
Among the lookers…on was his grandmother。 She was very near relenting。
Had she not feared the wrath of the Great Mys… tery； she would have been
happy to call out to the boy： 〃Keep your dear dog； my child！〃
As it was； Hakadah came out of the teepee with his face looking like
an eclipsed moon； leading his beautiful dog； who was even handsomer
than ever with the red touches on his specks of white。
It was now Uncheedah's turn to struggle with the storm and burden in
her soul。 But the boy was emboldened by the people's admiration of his
bravery； and did not shed a tear。 As soon as she was able to speak； the
loving grandmother said：
〃No； my young brave； not so！ You must not mourn for your first
offering。 Wash your face and then we will go。〃
The boy obeyed； submitted Ohitika to Wacoota with a smile； and
walked off with his grandmother and Wahchewin。
They followed a well…beaten foot…path leading along the bank of the
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Assiniboine river； through a beautiful grove of oak； and finally around and
under a very high cliff。 The murmuring of the river came up from just
below。 On the opposite side was a perpendicular white cliff； from which