Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/114

 birds up, and tried to break the cords which bound them together; but he could not do it. Fisher then used his teeth, and the cords gave way, and behold! the Summer Birds flew about everywhere.

Then Herring got the pitch out of his mouth. He began to shout, "Fisher breaks the bundle! Fisher breaks the bundle! The Summer Birds!" Several times he called out until the man came rushing in, but by that time Fisher and the Summer Birds were a long way off. The Summer Birds dropped right down to the earth through a hole in the Sky Land, but the man closed the hole before they all got through. That is why it is not summer all the time. If all the Summer Birds had come to earth, it would always be summer.

Fisher did not have time to jump back to earth, so he rushed up among the stars. The man followed close after him, trying to shoot him with his bow and arrows. But Fisher got safely into Star Land. Only the man shot him once and hit him in the tail. That is why Fisher's tail is broken. You can see it today—so the Indians say.