“After he had lived for years in the first wigwam which he had built, and taught the people of the earth many things, his father, the West Wind, held a council with the North Wind and the South Wind and the East Wind, and as Nanahboozhoo was never married, and was living such a lonely life, they determined to restore to life, and give to reside with him, his twin brother who had died at his birth.  The name of this brother was Nahpootee, which means the Skillful Hunter.  Nanahboozhoo was very fond of him, and took great care of him.  He grew very rapidly, and he and Nanahboozhoo were very great friends.  Like Nanahboozhoo, Nahpootee could disguise himself in any form he chose.  One favorite form he often assumed was that of a wolf, as he was often away on hunting excursions.  The evil spirits, or Windegoos, who dwell under the land and sea, had never been able to do much harm to Nanahboozhoo, he was too clever for them; and although they often tried he generally worsted them.  Now they were doubly angry when they heard that Nahpootee had been restored to life and was living with him.  Nanahboozhoo warned his brother of their enmity, and of the necessity of being on his guard against them.

“These brothers moved far away and built their wigwam in a lonely country on the shore of a great lake which is now called Mirror Lake, because of its beautiful reflections.  Here, as he was a hunter, Nahpootee was kept busy supplying the wigwam with food.  Once, while he was away hunting, Nanahboozhoo discovered that some of the evil Munedoos dwelt in the bottom of the very lake on the shores of which they had built their wigwam.  So he warned his brother, Nahpootee, never to cross that lake, but always to go around on the shore, and for some time he remembered this warning and was not attacked.  But one cold winter day, when he had been out for a long time hunting, he found himself exactly on the opposite side of the lake from the wigwam.  The ice seemed strong, and as the distance was shorter he decided that, rather than walk around on the shore, he would cross on the ice.  When about half-way across the lake the ice broke, he was seized by the evil Munedoos and drowned.

“When Nahpootee failed to return to the wigwam Nanahboozhoo was filled with alarm and at once began searching everywhere for his loved, lost brother.  One day when he was walking under some trees at the lake he beheld, high up among the branches, Ookiskimunisew, the kingfisher.

“‘What are you doing there?’ asked Nanahboozhoo.

“‘The bad Munedoos have killed Nahpootee,’ Ookiskimunisew replied, ’and soon they are going to throw his body up on the shore and I am going to feast on it!’

“This answer made Nanahboozhoo very angry, but he concealed his feelings.

“‘Come down here, handsome bird,’ he said, ’and I’ll give you this collar to hang on your neck.’

“The kingfisher suspected that the speaker was Nanahboozhoo, the brother of Nahpootee, and he was afraid to descend.