Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/72

 climbed in and looked around him. He began to walk toward a bright house in the distance. It was Sun's house. As he came near it, a woman came out to pick up wood. When she saw Mink, she said, "Oh, little one! Where do you come from, sonny?" The woman went at once back into the house and told Sun.

Now Walking-through-the Heavens was tired that day. He did not climb the trail through the sky, but left it covered with clouds. Therefore it was gray and cloudy in the Earth Land. When there are clouds in the sky, that is the time that Walking-through-the-Heavens rests.

Mink told his father that the boys in the village teased him. He begged to be allowed to carry Sun's torches. Then Sun said, "Oh, you can't do it. I carry many torches. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon I burn small torches; but at noon I burn the larger ones."

Mink teased and teased. He said he wanted to carry the torches just once. Therefore one day Sun said, "I think I'll rest today. You may carry the torches."

So Walking-through-the-Heavens gave him the torches. He said, "Oh, child, take care! Walk in the morning, but don't walk too fast. Do not sweep your aunts, the clouds, away too quickly, or it will go hard with the people in the Earth World." Then he said