6 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [More Ve

the woodpecker’s tail, which was instantaneously changed into fire’. Yet
the head passed through the flames and was still after them.

They then reached a very large lake, a lake so large that the oppo-
site shore was invisible. A narrow dam was formed across the lake, on
top of which they passed as on a trail. The dam was disappearing
immediately behind them, so that no roadway was left. Yet their
mother’s head was following them in the air. The eldest child sent it a

blow? with his dagger, whereupon two whales® jumped out of the water
and swallowed it.

When they had landed on the other side of the lake, the elder child
deposited his little brother down against a stump and made him a ball*
to play with.

While the little one was amusing himself therewith, an old man was:
sighted on the lake who manned an iron raft®. Soon after, the old man
landed his craft close by the two brothers. Now it happened that the
little child’s ball fell by accident on the stranger’s raft. As the babe was
crying for his toy, the old man bade his brother come and fetch it over
to hin. But as soon as the child was aboard, the old man drew out and
made for the middle of the lake. Which seeing, the babe left on shore
leaped out of his swaddling clothes and, transformed into a wolf, set out
to follow as well as he could the outgoing raft, even as a dog uses to run:
for us when we are navigating a piece of water.

Meanwhile his brother was bewailing his fate, and kept constantly
weeping after him. Therefore, to console him, the old man said: “Weep
not; I have at home two beautiful daughters: I will give them out to
you as wives.”

When they had reached the opposite side of the lake, the old mam
left the child on the iron raft, and went out to his lodge which was built
close by the shore. His two daughters were there. So he said to them:
“Go and bring over him who shall be your husband.” They therefore
went down to the beach, and as soon as they had seen the child® who
had so far remained on the raft, they remarked between themselves that

1The tail of that bird is red. Hence the passage is allegorical.
® Yots: alto, ‘struck at it,” but without releasing his weapon, as Moses did at the crossing
of the Red Sea.

3 - 3 ov SH)
Jo-tco, *‘ fish-big,

No land-locked fish is called by that name.

£ Nayak. Known to the prehistoric Carriers.

® Others say a copper canoe. Iron or copper, however, have here the same signification,
which is that the craft was of a magic or wonderful description.

§ Since he was of marriageable age, he must have been more than a child. Yet the legend
calls him a child down to the end. Consistency must not be sought out in aboriginal tales.