Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/115

 THE RAINBOW TRAIL

Wyandot

IG TURTLE had sent Small Turtle into Sky Land to make a light for the Earth Plain. So Little Turtle became the Keeper of the Sky. She lived in the sky. Whenever she was needed at a council, she was called by Deer, the herald whose voice "goes a long ways." At once she came down on a cloud.

After a while Deer wanted to go into Sky Land. He went to ask Rainbow to help him. Rainbow said, "Oh, no!" and Deer had to go away. But Deer kept thinking about the Sky Land. Then he went again to Rainbow. Deer said, "Please take me up into the Sky Land," so Rainbow spread wide the broad trail and Deer leaped up until he reached the top of it. Thus Deer went into Sky Land.

Now Big Turtle called a council of all the animals. All came except Deer and Little Turtle. Big Turtle asked, "Where is Deer?" but no one answered. Yet some of the animals knew. Big Turtle said to the runners, "Go find Deer." The runners came back after a long time. They said, "People say Deer has gone into