Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/227

 him toward the water. Turtle pushed back he pushed back, and he cried. That is why someone said, "Let us drop him to the bottom of the water. That is the place for him." So it was done. They threw him in. They could see Turtle lying on his back on the bottom of the water. Then they left him.

At once Turtle turned over and swam to a log near the opposite shore. Turtle climbed on that log, and waved Eagle's feather high in the air. He shouted, "Ki-he." Truly, that is the cry of one who has overpowered his enemy.

Now Eagle's friends heard it. They gathered on the shore. They said, "Who will bring back Eagle's feather?" They held a council. One said, "No, I cannot go there." Another said, "No, I would be drowned if I went there." At last Otter said, " I will try it." So he did.

Now Turtle sat on that log waving the feather. Otter darted across the river and reached that log where Turtle was sitting. Turtle dropped off the back side into the water. Soon Otter began to yell, " Oh-oh, He is hurting me so badly!" Turtle was pinching him all over. Otter yelled, "Oh, he is pinching me all over!"

Therefore Turtle kept that feather of Eagle's. Turtle cannot be overpowered by anyone—so the Wyandots say.