"
The hunter's name was Mitchihess, the Partridge. When she came to his
lodge he was absent. So she arranged everything for his return, making
a bed of boughs. At night he came back with one beaver. This he
divided; cooked one half for supper and laid by the other half. In the
morning when she awoke he was gone, and the other half of the beaver
had also disappeared. That night he returned with another beaver, and
the same thing took place again. Then she resolved to spy and find out
what all this meant.
So she laid down and went to sleep, wide awake, with one eye open. Then
he quietly rose and cooked the half of the beaver, and taking a key
(_Apkwosgehegan_, P.) unlocked a box, and took out a little red
dwarf and fed him. Replacing the elf, he locked him up again, and lay
down to sleep. And the small creature had eaten the whole half beaver.
But ere he put him in his box he washed him and combed his hair, which
seemed to delight him.
The next morning, when her husband had gone for the day, the wife
sought for the key, and having found it opened the box and called to
the little fellow to come out. This he refused to do for a long time,
though she promised to wash and comb him. Being at length persuaded, he
peeped out, when she pulled him forth. But whenever she touched him her
hands became red, though of this she took no heed, thinking she could
wash it off at will.
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