Souwanas, however, was greatly delighted.  Here was a new experience, and the very boldness of the children of the palefaces was an evidence of their unbounded confidence and love.  To little Sagastao the calumet was surrendered, and, with the children cuddled around him, Souwanas began his story: 

[Illustration:  “With the children cuddled around him Souwanas began his story.”]

“Now, you must know that Nanahboozhoo was a queer fellow.  He could make himself as tall as a tree or as small as a turtle or snake.  Nothing could kill him.  He could not be drowned even if dropped hundreds of feet into the lake, nor burned to death even if he tumbled into the fire.  He often met with accidents, but he always came up right again and was ready for some other adventure in some new shape.  He has left his marks on the rocks and trees, leaves and flowers.  Almost anywhere we look we see signs that Nanahboozhoo has been around.  As his temper was very uncertain he sometimes caused trouble and injured the appearance of things which were once more beautiful than they are now.  But in general he was the friend of our race and worked changes that were for our good.

“One day, as Nanahboozhoo was walking along on a sandy shore, he felt very hungry.  It was now in the autumn of the year.  As he wandered on he saw an object moving toward him.  He had not long to wait before he saw that this object was a great black bear.  He pulled up a young tree by the roots and hid himself, preparing to kill the bear when he should come near.  When the bear came near Nanahboozhoo made a big jump out of his hiding place and killed the bear with one blow.  Then he built a big fire, and having singed all the hair off the bear he cut him up and nicely roasted him.  When the meat was cooked Nanahboozhoo cut it up into fine pieces, for he intended to enjoy his feast by eating leisurely.

“While he was thus busy preparing his feast he was annoyed by a strange sound among the tree tops that rubbed together when the wind blew.  Nanahboozhoo was very quick-tempered, and as the noise continued he determined to stop it.  So he left his feast on the ground and climbed away up one of those trees to the spot where the other pressed against it.  He was endeavoring to pull the two great trees apart when one of his hands got caught between them and was firmly held.  While struggling to get loose he heard a pack of wolves running toward his bear meat.  This made him struggle the harder to get his hand free.  The fierce wolves soon scented the food and had a good time devouring it, in spite of the shoutings of Nanahboozhoo.