“But Michabo had mightier deeds to do than the slaying of the fat deer or the netting of the salmon.  His father was the mighty West Wind, Ningabiun, and he had slain his wife, the mother of Michabo.  So when Michabo’s grandmother had told him of the misdeeds of his father, Michabo rose up and called out to the four corners of the world:  ’Now go I forth to slay the West Wind to avenge the death of my mother.’

“At last he found Ningabiun on the top of a high mountain, his cheeks puffed out and his headdress waving back and forth.  At first they talked peacefully together and the West Wind told Michabo that only one thing in all the world could bring harm to him, and that was the black rock.

“‘Wert thou the cause of my mother’s death?’ questioned Michabo, his eyes flashing, and Ningabiun calmly answered ‘Yes.’

“So Michabo in his fury picked up a piece of black rock and struck at Ningabiun with all his might.  A terrible conflict was this, such as hath never been seen since; the earth shook and the lightnings flashed down the sides of the mountain.  So great was Michabo’s strength that the West Wind was driven backwards.  Over mountains and lakes Michabo drove him and across wide rivers, till they two came to the very brink of the world.  Ningabiun feared that his son was going to push him off and cried out: 

“Hold, my son, thou knowest not my power and that it is impossible to kill me.  Desist and I will portion out to thee as much power as I have given to thy brothers.  The four quarters of the globe are theirs, but thou canst do more than they, if thou wilt help the people of the earth.  Go and do good, and thy fame will last forever.’

“So Michabo ceased from the battle and went down to help our fathers in the hunt and in the council and in the prayer-lodge; but to this day great cliffs of black rock show where Michabo strove with his father, the West Wind.”

[Illustration:  Decorative]

CHAPTER III

MIDNIGHT IN THE FOREST

Nautauquas, son of Powhatan, was returning at night through the forest towards his lodge at Werowocomoco.  Over his shoulder hung the deer he had gone forth to slay.  His mother had said to him: 

“Thy leggings are old and worn, and thou knowest that good luck cometh to the hunter wearing moccasins and leggings made from skins of his own slaying.  Go thou forth and kill a deer that I may soften its hide and make a covering of it for thy feet.”

So Nautauquas had taken his bow and a quiver of arrows, and while Pocahontas and Cleopatra were sporting at the waterfall he had sought a pond whose surface was all but covered with fragrant water lilies, and he had hidden behind a sumac, bush, waiting patiently till a buck came down alone to drink.  Only one arrow did he spend, which found its place between the wide branched antlers; then the hunter had waded