[Illustration:  They were excited at his coming.]

“With this steed under him he sped along with marvelous rapidity.  At the half-way point of the race he overtook his brother-in-law, and giving him his hand, they were soon far in front.  When they rushed in ahead there was great excitement.  The Moose people were soon running back to their village with the Elks whipping them to the very doors of their wigwams.

“After this the Moose dare not challenge the Elks to any further contest, but they were so furious that they meditated murder in their hearts toward the young stranger, who had, they now saw, been the cause of their many defeats.  Nanahboozhoo, however, easily thwarted their evil schemes, but at length some of them were so bad that his anger was aroused and he exerted all his magic power.

“‘Moose you are by name,’ he said to them, ’and for your bad deeds I change you into the animals after whom you are named.  Hereafter you will live in the swamps, among the willows and young birch.  On them you will have to browse for a living.  For a little variety in your food you may, in the summer time, go out into the shallow waters and paw up and eat the great roots of the water-lilies.’

“Thus the Elks again had peace and quietness.  Gambling was never again allowed among them, and Nanahboozhoo, after receiving their grateful thanks, returned to his own country.”

“What did he do after that?” asked Sagastao.

“Not much, for a while; but after a time he decided to go away up North.  Each fall, however, he comes and looks around to see how everything is going on.  Then he rests on some of the mountains and has a big smoke, which settles down on the hillsides and valleys and makes the beautiful hazy time which we all call the Indian Summer.”

“Well,” said Minnehaha, “if the smoke of Nanahboozhoo’s big pipe of peace makes the beautiful haze of the lovely Indian Summer, it is about the best thing I have heard yet of tobacco smoke doing.”

And so say we all.

GLOSSARY

* * * * *

Ana-mak-qui, Evil spirits or magicians.

An-nun-gi-tee, The ghost with big ears.

Ja-koos, Strong-armed.

Keche-Wapoose, Great Rabbit.

Kin-ne-sa-sis, Little Fish.

Kosh-ke-e-wa-see, Partridge.

Ma-hei-gan, Wolf.

Mani-boos or Manitoos or Munedoos, Spirits.

Me-squah-be-me-sheen, Red Willows.

Minne-ha-ha, Laughing Waters.

Mis-ta-coo-sis, Aspen Tree.

Mis-mis, Grandfather.

Moos-wa, Moose.

Moo-she-kin-ne-bik, Sea Monster.

Musk-a-moot, Medicine Bag.

Mud-je-kee-wis, West Wind.

Na-nah-booz-hoo, Son of Mud-je-kee-wis—­West Wind.