🧚 The Beaver Stick · page 2

New Robe was awakened from his first night’s rest in the strange place by the old man calling him to arise and eat.83 He had scarcely begun to taste a fresh dish of the strangely made pemmican, when the water in the pool began to heave and rise, and then again sank to its level as one of the sons arose from its depths and stepped over to his couch, not a drop of water clinging to him or his garments.84 “Our pond is frozen over,” he said.85 “Not even an air-hole remains open.”86

“Hai!” the old man exclaimed.87 “Is it so?88 Well, winter has come, and,” turning to New Robe, “now you cannot leave us until spring comes and melts the ice.89 But do not be uneasy; we will treat you well, and try to make your life here pleasant.”90

So New Robe spent the winter in the beaver’s lodge.91 The days came and went, one after another, and easy contentment marked their flight.92 Most of the waking hours were passed by the beavers in praying to their medicines and in singing their sacred songs, and the young man, listening, learned much of their secret wisdom.93

The months passed, and one morning the water in the whirling pool was seen to be a little muddy.94 The next day, one of the sons reported that in places the ice had melted.95 The old man and the two sons went out to look about and inspect the dam, leaving New Robe and the old woman inside.96

“Kyi,” she said, “summer is now come, and you will soon leave us.97 Before you go the old man will make you a present; he will give you your choice of all his medicines.98 Choose that stick whirling about there in the pool, for it is the strongest of them all.99 He will try to make you believe it is worthless, but insist on having it, and finally he will give it to you.”100

Presently the others returned.101 “Well,” said the old man to New Robe, “spring has really come, and I know that you wish to return to your people.102 I am going to give you something to take back with you.103 Look about you, my son.104 See all these beautiful medicines hanging on the walls.105 Choose the one you fancy, and it is yours.”106

“Give me that,” said New Robe, pointing to the floating stick.107

“O-e-ai!” the old man exclaimed, in a surprised and pained tone.108 “O-e-ai!109 What?110 That old stick?111 Surely, my son, you must be crazy.112 Look about you; open your eyes and choose one of these beautiful medicines.”113

“Give me the stick,” New Robe repeated.114

“Come, come.115 Surely you do not know what you ask for.116 Now let me explain to you,” and the old man began to point out the different medicines and to tell what they were, explaining the wonderful and mysterious power of each.117 “There, you see,” he concluded, “how unreasonable was your choice.118 Now I have explained them all, tell me which will you have?”119

New Robe considered; he wondered if the old woman had not been mistaken in advising him to choose the old beaver cutting, but he caught her eye, and, assured by her meaning glance, replied as before, “Give me the stick.”120

Once more the old man tried with all his power to persuade him to make a different choice, and the sweat rolled from his brow as he entreated the young man to select something else, and once more New Robe said, “I want the stick.”121

“O-e-ai!” cried the old man in despair.122 “Four times you have asked for the old cutting, and when that sacred number is reached I cannot refuse.123 Take the cutting, my son.124 It is the most valuable and powerful of all my medicines.125 It is really a beaver which, at will, you can change to the simple cutting as it appears to be.”126

New Robe was pleased, and when he learned how powerful the medicine was that he had chosen he knew that he had not left the home of his people in vain.127 He was now obliged to put off his departure, for he had to learn the hundred songs and the many prayers that went with his gift.128 But at last he knew them all by heart, and the old man gave him some parting advice.129

“You must not look back,” he said, “when you leave us, not even once, or the medicine will leave you and return to me.130 Also, you must always carry it concealed beneath your shirt, hanging by the string I have tied to it.131 Never let any one see it, or your power will be broken.”132

Then they all bade him good-bye, and he dived into the pool, and presently rose to the surface of the pond.133 When he reached the shore he knelt down in the grass and cried, cried long and bitterly, for he felt very sad to leave the kind beavers.134 It was all he could do to keep from looking back for one last glimpse of them.135 But after a time he rose and walked on, out of the valley, up over the dry, wide plain.136 After a little he came to a river, swollen and swift with the melted snows.137 He placed a little cutting in the water, and it changed at once into a large, pure white beaver.138

“Little brother,” said New Robe, “the stream is high and dangerous.139 Cut me some logs so that I may make a raft on which to cross it safely.”140

At once the beaver began to fell some trees, and, as fast as he cut them into lengths, New Robe bound them together.141 In a little while there were enough to bear his weight, and he crossed to the other side in safety.142 Then, lifting the beaver up, it changed into the stick again, and, putting it safely in his bosom, he journeyed on.143

One morning he came in sight of the camp, and sat down on a neighboring hill, prepared to do just as the old man had instructed him.144

Pretty soon two or three young men approached, looking with wonder at the strange and beautiful robe he wore.145 When they had come near enough to hear his voice—for he kept his face covered—he told them to stand where they were, and asked them to go and tell the father of Raven Woman that he was New Robe, returned from strange adventures, and with a powerful medicine.146 “Ask him,” he said, “to have four sweat lodges built for me, in a row from east to west, and when the stones are heated to let me know.”147

The young men returned to the camp, and in a little while came back to say that all was ready.148 New Robe told them to walk ahead and warn the people to keep away from him, and, as they all stood in a big crowd on each side of his path, he came to the first sweat lodge and entered it.149 Sprinkling the water on the hot stones, he began the sacred songs that the old man beaver had taught him, and, as he sang, some of the fur with which his body had been gradually covered during the winter fell to the ground.150 Soon he left this sweat lodge and went into the next one, and the people crowded around the one he had left, looking with wonder at the little heap of shed fur.151 So he went into the four sweat lodges, one after the other.152

When he came out of the fourth sweat lodge, New Robe had shed the last of his beaver fur, and was so changed that no one recognized him.153 He was a beautiful, clear-eyed, long-haired young man.154 He went straight to Raven Woman, who was standing near, and took her hand.155 They were both so happy they could not speak.156 The girl’s father pointed to his lodge.157 “It is yours,” he said, “and everything it contains.158 Go and live happily, my children.”159

New Robe became a great chief.160 By the aid of his medicine he was able not only to cure sickness, but he became a great warrior.161 No river or lake could stop his way, and he was able to kill many of the enemy who were encamped by the shores of any water, for, whenever he asked it of his medicine, it took him safely down under the surface of the water, wherever he wished to go.162