Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/226

 Then they held their council. Each said what he would do in case of danger. Porcupine said, "I will shoot my quills through them when they come near me." They all said things like that.

Then the people from the council all ran away to where a big tree stood, for fear Eagle would come. For safety they all climbed the tree. Then Eagle came and stood over the smoke hole for the second time, but the feather was not there. Turtle had carried it away.

Now the tree that all the people had climbed was very rotten. A strong wind came and blew it down, so the animal people were scattered all about. Porcupine had been covered with bits of rotten wood. Therefore Porcupine climbed up on Turtle's back, to hide him, and they went away. Turtle carried the Eagle's feather. Now all along the way Porcupine kept scattering ashes on Turtle's trail so Eagle would not see him. But Eagle followed the trail of ashes. Then, just as he got to the bank of the river, Eagle's friends caught Turtle.

They said, "We will throw Turtle into the fire."

Turtle pretended to enjoy it very much. Then they struck him, but they hit Turtle on his shell. They could not see that he minded it. Then someone said, "Let us drown Turtle." Turtle began to cry, "Oh, no! I am afraid of the water!" Then they dragged