So the next day Glooskap, taking a bunch of _wawbap_ (P., wampum),
went, to the chief and proposed for Mikchich, [Footnote: All invitations
to festivals, or formal ceremonies, proposals of marriage, etc., were
preceded among these tribes by a gift of wampum.] and the mother at
once said "Yes." So the girl made up a bed of fresh twigs and covered
it with a great white bear-skin, and went to Mikchich, and they
returned and had dried meat for supper. So they were married.
Now Turtle seemed to be very lazy; and when others hunted he lounged at
home. One day his young wife said to him that if this went on thus they
must soon starve. So he put on his snow-shoes and went forth, and she
followed him to see what he would do. And he had not gone far ere he
tripped and fell down, and the girl, returning, told her mother that he
was worthless. But the mother said, "He will do something yet. Be
patient."
One day it came to pass that Glooskap said to Mikchich, "To-morrow
there will be a great game at ball, and you must play. But because you
have made yourself enemies of all the young men here, they will seek to
slay you, by crowding all together and trampling upon you. And when
they do this it will be by your father-in-law's lodge, and to escape
them I give you the power to jump high over it. This you may do twice,
but the third time will be terrible for you, and yet it must be.
Pages:
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76