“I ought to have told you,” said Souwanas, “that this great monster was called by the Indians Mooshekinnebik.

“Nanahboozhoo at once responded to their request, for he was very angry when he heard how many industrious fishermen had been swallowed by this creature.  He was doubly angry when he returned with the deputation who had gone for him and further learned that, only the day before, Mooshekinnebik had been mean enough to come near to the shore and catch and swallow some boys and girls who had been out swimming that warm summer day.

“When Nanahboozhoo informed Nokomis of the request of the people for his help to deliver them from the long hated Mooshekinnebik she was very much frightened, and more so when he told her of the strange and dangerous plan he was going to adopt to carry out his purpose.  It was this:  he was going to allow himself to be swallowed by this monster who had already destroyed so many people.”

“O how dreadful!” said Minnehaha.  “We will never hear any more nice stories about Nanahboozhoo.”

“All a pack of lies; there never were any such monsters,” snapped out old Mary, who could not longer conceal her jealousy at seeing how interested the children were in the story.

“Hold on, Mary; not so fast,” cried Sagastao, taking the book from Souwanas and showing the pictures to Mary.

“There, Sakehow,” he said, using his favorite term of endearment, “look for yourself and see those lovely creatures—­some of them quite big enough to swallow us all without winking.”

But Mary was stubborn, as well as jealous, and would not give in, even when Kennedy, the favorite dog driver, who was present, told her that even now there were some of the great tusks and bones of animals that the officers called mammoths over at the Hudson Bay Company’s fort ready to be shipped to England next summer.  She was, however, quickly silenced when Sagastao sat down beside her and throwing his head into her lap said, very coaxingly: 

“Now, Mary, just be quiet and let us hear Souwanas tell the rest of the story of what Nanahboozhoo did to Mooshekinnebik.”

Peace being thus restored, Souwanas, who had been much amused by Mary’s ire, resumed his story: 

“When Nokomis heard her grandson describe how he was going to let the monster swallow him she resolved to come and pitch her tent on the seashore, among the people who had been so troubled, and there to await the return of her grandson, if he should ever come back from such a perilous adventure.

“Nanahboozhoo asked his mother for some magic singing sticks, and also for a very sharp knife.  Then he made for himself a small raft of logs and, bidding her good-bye for a short time, he sprang on it and was soon floating out, in search of the dreaded creature, over the great waters.

“When well out from the shore he began to make music with his magic sticks and to sing a defiant song: