THE SILVER BRACELET 83

in great reverence by all the tribe and all his offenses
were forgiven. For many years he had been care-
fully sheltered and fed and protected, for he alone
knew the secrets of the winds and waves and clouds.

Shim could foretell a storm which not even the
most weather-wise could predict. He could under-
stand the cries of the gulls, what the birds were talking
about in the forest, what the ravens were saying when
they gathered in the tops of the tall cedars. Some
said that Thaimshim himself whispered secret warn-
ings in the ears of the Foolish One and gave to him
wisdom above that of any other man. Because of
these gifts Shim’ was honored by the Haidas, and
Maada knew that his maddest pranks would be over-
looked and forgiven by the chief, her father.

Maada had suddenly thought of Toona, the head
shaman’s cross bear which he kept in an inclosure of
pointed logs behind his lodge at the end of the village.
Toona the Evil One, in whom were imprisoned all
the evil spirits which Kilk the shaman had removed,
in his hollow bone spirit-catcher, from the sick and ail-
ing and loosed in the body of the bear. Ferocious and
snarling was Toona the Evil One, hating dogs, hating
people. All day long when he was not sleeping, he
trotted around and around his prison, longing to be
free, growling, uttering horrible noises that sent the
chills chasing up and down Maada’s spine when-
ever she heard them. Cries of the imprisoned evil
spirits, the shamans said.