“Nanahboozhoo felt that he was indeed in a tight place.  He did not, however, intend to be overtaken, and he sped on, if possible faster than ever, until there was only a large dried-up, barren meadow between him and the spot where he had tied his canoe on the shore of the lake.  The girls were only a few hundred yards behind him, and he resolved to fight them with this sacred fire.  So, as he rapidly continued his flight, he plunged the now blazing firebrand into the dry grass, here and there, on each side of the trail.  The wind was in his face, and it carried back the fierce blaze and dense black smoke and not only quickly hid him from the sight of his pursuers but also made it very dangerous for them to follow him.

“Nanahboozhoo thus succeeded in reaching his canoe, and fixing the burning brand in one end of the boat he was soon rapidly paddling over the waters toward his distant home.  The flying sparks of the torch burnt him badly in several places, but he did not much mind this, and he dared not stop to dress his wounds for fear that his pursuers would yet overtake him.

“Fortunately he succeeded in reaching his distant home.  There at the shore to welcome his return was Nokomis, who had been full of anxiety about him.  She carefully dressed his burnt face and hands and gladly received the gift of the fire, which has been such a blessing to the Indians ever since.

“At first there was a good deal of trouble among the Indians to keep the fire burning.  Sometimes the watchers appointed to look after it, especially in the summer months, would forget to add fresh fuel, or would go to sleep and neglect it.  Then they would have to send off to some perhaps distant wigwam, where the people had been more careful, and secure some live coals from them.

“Nanahboozhoo was troubled about this.  He feared that if it were allowed to die out at the same time in all of the wigwams he might not be so successful again if he had to try to get a fresh supply from the fierce old man and his now wrathful daughters.  So he went out into the woods and at length a good spirit came to him in a dream and told him of various ways in which the fire could be obtained.  He showed him how it could be made, by rapid friction, with dry sticks.  Another way he revealed to him was by the striking together of a flint stone and a piece of iron; sparks of fire could thus be produced which, caught in punk, would soon become a blaze.  So now the Indians do not have to cover up the fires as they were formerly obliged to do; thanks to Nanahboozhoo’s dreams, they can make it fresh whenever they want it.”

“Hurrah for Nanahboozhoo for his good work this time!” said Sagastao.

“Well, I think he was a mean fellow, to so fool those two nice girls who took him in and warmed him when he was a poor little wet shivering rabbit!” said Minnehaha.

“Took him in?” the lad retorted.  “Well, I guess it was well he was able to take them in as he did, by setting fire to that old grass in the meadow, for if he had not done so they would soon have had his scalp.”