' But their hopes
were soon gone, for when Nanahboozhoo threw the plum stones the third time
he was as successful as at the first.
"This decided the game in favor of the Elks, who now rushed upon the Moose
people and thrashed them all the way back to their own village.
"The Moose were very much humiliated at this defeat. They had not only had
a good beating but, according to the custom of the tribes, they were
obliged to restore much of the property which they had won from the Elks in
their previous contests. A council was called not long after and there was
quite a discussion among them as to the best plan to be adopted to defeat
the Elks and regain supremacy. They decided on a trial of strength, for in
such encounters they had generally been victorious. They had two high poles
erected with a crossbar on the top, and the contest was to see which side
could produce the man who should throw the heaviest stone over that bar.
They sent their challenge to the Elks to meet them if they dare.
"The Elks quickly responded and were soon at the place where the Moose
people, who were awaiting them, had erected the high poles with the
crossbar. When everything had been arranged their strongest man took up a
heavy stone and, with a tremendous effort, succeeded in barely throwing it,
so that it struck the crossbar and carried it down to the ground. When the
crossbar had been replaced a son of the chief of the Elks went forward, as
though he would be the competitor on the side of the Elks.
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