Native American Legends
The story of a Partridge and his wonderful Wigwam
An Algonquin Legend
Once a man was traveling through the woods, and he heard afar off
a sound as of footsteps beating the ground. So he sought to find
the people that made it, and went on for a full week ere he came
to them. And it was a man and his wife dancing about a tree, in
the top of which was a Raccoon. They had, by their constant treading,
worn a trench in the ground; indeed, they were in it up to their
waists. Then, being asked why they did this strange thing, they
answered that, being hungry, they were trying to dance down the
tree to catch the Raccoon.
Then the man who had come said, "Truly there is a newer and better
way of felling trees, which has lately come into the land." As they
wished to know what this might be, he showed them how to cut it
down, and did so; making it a condition that if they got the game
they might have the meat and he should get the skill. So when the
tree fell they caught the animal, and the woman, having tanned the
skin, gave it to the man, and he went his way.
And being afar, in a path in the forest, he met another man, and
was greatly amazed at him because he was bearing on his head a house,
or a large birch wigwam of many rooms. He was frightened at first
at such a sight, but the man, putting down his house, shook hands
with him, and seemed to be a right honest good fellow. Then while
they smoked and talked, the Man of the House, seeing the skin of
Hespuns, or that of the Raccoon, in the other's belt, said,
"Well, that is a fine pelt! Where did you get it, brother?" And
he, answering, told all the story of the Dancing Man and Wife; whereupon
he of the House became mightily anxious to buy it, offering one
thing after another for it, and at last the House, which was accepted.
And, examining it, the buyer was amazed to find how many rooms it
contained, and how full it was of good furniture. "Truly," said
he, "I can never carry this as you do!" "Yes, you can," replied
the Pil-wee-mon-soo-in (one who belongs somewhere else,--a
stranger). "Do but try it!" So he essayed and lifted it easily,
for he found it as light as any bassinode or basket.
So they parted and he went on carrying his cabin till night-fall,
when coming to a hard-wood ridge, near a good spring of water, he
resolved to settle there. And, searching, he found a room in which
there was a very fine bed, covered with a white bear-skin. And as
it was very soft, and he was very weary, he slept well.
In the morning, when he awoke, what was his astonishment and delight
to see above him, hanging to the beams, all kinds of nice provisions,--venison,
hams, ducks, baskets of berries and of maple-sugar, with many ears
of Indian corn. And as he, in his joy, stretched out his arms and
made a jump towards all these dainties, behold the white bear-skin
melted and ran away, for it was the snow of winter; and his arms
spread forth into wings, and he flew up to the food, which was the
early buds of the birch, on which they hung. And he was a Partridge,
who after the manner of his kind had been wintering under a snowdrift,
and now came forth to greet the pleasant spring.
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