🧚 Nanabush and the Ducks. (no. 8.)

Told by John York.1

One time Nanabush was walking, very tired and hungry.2 He came to a lake and looking around he saw a very nice sandy beach.3 Well, he thought, this is a nice shore to kill some ducks.4 There were lots of ducks on the lake.5 He called one of the ducks which came to him.6 He asked the duck, “Is your Chief Duck here at any place?”7 “Yes.8 He is here at the present time.9 He is chief of all kinds of ducks,” the duck replied.10 Nanabush then said, “I would like to see him and have a talk.”11 The duck said, “If you would like to see him I will go and get him.”12 Nanabush said, “Yes, go and bring him here.”13 The Chief Duck came.14 “Well,” Nanabush said, “do you know what is going to take place here very soon?”15 “No,” said the Chief Duck.16 “Well,” said Nanabush, “there is going to be a big dance.”17 “Who is going to furnish the music?” said the Chief Duck.18 “I am going to furnish the music,” said Nanabush and he reached out his hand and got his drum and began to sing, which made the Chief Duck dance right there.19 “Well,” said the Chief Duck, “when is this big dance coming off?”20 Nanabush said, “If you like to have it to-night, we can have it to-night.”21 “Well, it just suits me, and I will tell all the kinds of ducks to come,” said the Chief Duck.22 This pleased Nanabush very much, and the Chief Duck went away.23

Nanabush got everything ready.24 He made a big camp and made a big fire inside.25 Night came and all the ducks came in from all around.26 About dark Nanabush started to sing.27 He told the ducks that as soon as they came inside they would have to close their eyes.28 He started singing one of his songs which pleased all the ducks.29 He told them, “The time is now on” and all the ducks started to come in dancing with their eyes closed.30 He told them that they had to pass through right in front of him.31 Every one of them passed him and he grabbed them and twisted their necks.32 He got a lot of them, but one opened his eyes a little bit and saw what Nanabush was doing.33 This duck made a big yell and told all the (remaining) ducks what Nanabush was doing, and made for the door, but before he got out Nanabush kicked him and stepped on his feet (we now call this duck the Diver).34

Nanabush picked up all the dead ones and buried them in the ashes to cook.35 When he got them all fixed he lay down and told his anus to watch.36 He went to sleep and it happened to be that there was a lion close by who ate all the ducks.37 When Nanabush woke up he went to work and looked for the cooked ducks, which were gone.38 He said to his anus, “I told you to watch, I will burn you for not doing what I told you to do.”39 He laid his anus towards the fire and began to shove all the hot coals in to it.40 He started off and went through where there were a lot of little trees, going right over them.41 He twisted around and looked at the little trees which were red with his blood and said, “In future people will call those trees red willows.”42 He went on to a rock which he slid down; on looking back he saw the blood-stains on the rock which he called “red granite” (i.e. which became the red granite of nowadays).43

Note.—This lion was probably the American panther.44

NO. 26.45