Sometimes when the
lightning's flash set a tree on fire they would have it for a little while,
but they did not seem to be able to keep it going, and they were often very
cold and generally had to eat their food without cooking it.
"Nanahboozhoo was then still living with his grandmother, Nokomis, and was
sorry to see that she often suffered from the cold and that the food was
miserable because it was not cooked. So he set his wits to work and decided
that something must be done. As he should now have to deal with the Muche
Munedoos, evil spirits, he had to be very careful. He put himself in
various disguises and at length he heard all about how the coyote had
stolen some of the fire from the watchers in the underground world, who
possess enormous quantities of it. It frightened him a little when he heard
that there was so much fire in the world under us, but he was not apt to be
afraid very long and so as he went on searching, and on the sly listening
to the talks of windegoos and others, he found that the fire for which he
had been so long searching was in the possession of a fierce old medicine
warrior who guarded it with the greatest care. Those who had employed the
coyote to get it had intrusted its keeping to him. In those days they had
an idea that fire was such a dangerous thing that it would be almost
certain destruction to the race if it was given to all. This old warrior
had his two daughters, who were great, fierce women, to assist him in
guarding the fire.
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