The broad back was very much
offended at the treatment he had received, for he knew he was right, and
now, though the Indians were close at hand, he did not again warn
Nanahboozhoo, so the enemies came and stole all of his cooked fowls. The
Indians carefully lifted out the fowls by their legs, which Nanahboozhoo
left sticking up. When they had eaten the bodies of the fowls they stuck
back the legs in the ashes, as Nanahboozhoo had left them.
"When at last his sleep was ended Nanahboozhoo arose ready for his meal of
nicely cooked fowl. Great, indeed, were his surprise and indignation when
he pulled out the feet from the ashes and found that the bodies of the
fowls were not there.
"He flew into a passion and resolved to punish his back. So he made a fire
of big trees and stood with his back very close to it. When his flesh began
to be badly burned it blistered, and made a noise like the roasting of
meat. Nanahboozhoo did not at first seem to mind the pain, and only said:
"'You may well say 'Zeeng, Zeeng,' in your burning. I will teach you a
lesson you will remember for not telling me that the Indians were stealing
my roasted waterfowl.'
"Nanahboozhoo then went on his way, but in spite of his magic powers he
felt a sort of a soreness in his back. He twisted his head around and saw
the blisters that had been made by the fierce fire. So he thought how he
must get rid of them, for they bothered him, although nothing could injure
him for very long.
Pages:
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197