Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/348

 1 6 Journal of A merican Folk-Lore.

the Wildcat to the top of the bank overlooking the landing-place, and hid herself in the adjoining bushes. Her husband came back with more beavers, and as he came up the bank he said to the Wild- cat which he saw above him, "Are you waiting for me ? What are you laughing at me for ? " for the shrivelled and grinning head ap- peared to be laughing. But when he saw that the Cat was dead, he exclaimed, " Ah, that is what the trouble is," and he began to weep. He stayed a long time at the camp, and finally carried the Wildcat away into the forest. At last he started for home, and his wife ran back in time to be at work carrying wood when he arrived. The W r olverine asked, "Why is there no fire ? " " I have been out all day gathering wood," replied his wife ; " why are you back so soon to-day?" "Because I have found a new place where there are plenty of beaver," said the Wolverine. But he was very sad and unhappy for some time afterward. " Why are you so different lately ? " asked the Wolf. But he would not tell her, and hunted very faithfully and brought home many beavers, so that they lived very contentedly together ever afterward.

SLAVEY TRIBE.

Told by Tenegorley. (Simpson, winter of 1897-98.)

IV. THE GREAT BEAVER (TSE-Nl' TCl').

A family of very large beavers lived on the Great Slave Lake, long ago, and the lodge is still there. Well, they all started down the Mackenzie River, and when they had gone a long distance, one of them killed one of his companions and roasted the flesh, but left it hanging before the fire while he fell asleep. While he slept a wolverine came along and took the roasted beaver and left a roll of moss in its place. After a time the sleeping beaver awoke. When he found that the roasted flesh was gone he was vexed, so he took the bark dish that he had placed under the roasting meat to catch the fat and emptied it into the fire, saying, "Burn, and never go out." And so the fire burns to this day. 1

Then he went down-stream until he came to some high rocks, where he met a wolverine, with whom he wished to fight ; but the wolverine said, " No, I will not fight with you, and you cannot catch me." He then tried to escape by running up the face of the cliff. Then the beaver said, "Stay there, and never come down." And the wolverine was turned into stone, and can be seen there to this day. 2

1 Beds of lignite along the banks of the Mackenzie a few miles above Bear River, have been burning for a century at least.

2 Roche Carcajou, an anticlinal uplift of Devonian limestone, one thousand feet high.

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