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.
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