In the morning, when he awoke, what was his astonishment and delight to
see above him, hanging to the beams, all kinds of nice provisions,--
venison, hams, ducks, baskets of berries and of maple-sugar, with many
ears of Indian corn. And as he, in his joy, stretched out his arms and
made a jump towards all these dainties, behold the white bear-skin
melted and ran away, for it was the snow of winter; and his arms spread
forth into wings, and he flew up to the food, which was the early buds
of the birch, on which they hung. [Footnote: Birch-buds are the food of
the partridge. The unexpected ending of this tale signifies the sudden
return of spring. As told by an Indian, it is very effective. This tale
was told me by Tomah Josephs.] And he was a Partridge, who after the
manner of his kind had been wintering under a snow-drift, and now came
forth to greet the pleasant spring.
_How the Partridge built Good Canoes for all the Birds, and a Bad One
for Himself._
When a partridge beats upon a hollow log he makes a noise like an
Indian at work upon a canoe, and when an Indian taps at a canoe it
sounds afar off like the drumming of a partridge, even of
_Mitchihess_. And this comes because that _N'karnayoo_, of
ancient days, the Partridge, was the canoe builder for all the other
birds. Yes, for all at once.
And on a certain day they every one assembled, and each got into his bark,
and truly it was a brave sight to see.
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