"Nanahboozhoo was troubled about this. He feared that if it were allowed to
die out at the same time in all of the wigwams he might not be so
successful again if he had to try to get a fresh supply from the fierce old
man and his now wrathful daughters. So he went out into the woods and at
length a good spirit came to him in a dream and told him of various ways in
which the fire could be obtained. He showed him how it could be made, by
rapid friction, with dry sticks. Another way he revealed to him was by the
striking together of a flint stone and a piece of iron; sparks of fire
could thus be produced which, caught in punk, would soon become a blaze. So
now the Indians do not have to cover up the fires as they were formerly
obliged to do; thanks to Nanahboozhoo's dreams, they can make it fresh
whenever they want it."
"Hurrah for Nanahboozhoo for his good work this time!" said Sagastao.
"Well, I think he was a mean fellow, to so fool those two nice girls who
took him in and warmed him when he was a poor little wet shivering rabbit!"
said Minnehaha.
"Took him in?" the lad retorted. "Well, I guess it was well he was able to
take them in as he did, by setting fire to that old grass in the meadow,
for if he had not done so they would soon have had his scalp."
But here Minnehaha appealed to Souwanas, and said:
"I have been wondering how it was the old man and his daughters got the
fire in the first place from out of the underground.
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