he had dwelt for a long time on this peculiar chant, which he had
been used to sing in all his times of trouble, he laid his rattle aside
and determined to fast. For this purpose he went to a cave which faced
the setting sun, and built a very small fire, near which he lay down,
first telling his wife that neither she nor the children must come near
him till he had finished his fast.

At the end of seven days he came back to the lodge, pale and thin,
looking like a spirit himself, and as if he had seen spirits. His wife
had in the meantime dug through the snow and got a few of the root
called truffles. These she boiled and set before him, and this was all
the food they had or seemed likely to obtain.

When he had finished his light repast, Manabozho took up his station in
the door to see what would happen. As he stood thus, holding in his hand
his large bow, with a quiver well filled with arrows, a deer glided past
along the far edge of the prairie, but it was miles away, and no shaft
that Manabozho could shoot would be able to touch it.

Presently a cry came down the air, and looking up he beheld a great
flight of birds, but they were so far up in the sky that he would have
lost his arrows in a vain attempt among the clouds.

Still he stood watchful, and confident that some turn of luck was about
to occur, when there came near to the lodge two hunters, who bore
between them on poles upon their shoulders, a bear, and it was so fine
and fat a bear that it was as much as the two hunters could do with all
their strength to carry it.

As they came to the lodge-door, one of the hunters asked if Manabozho
lived thereabout.

"He is here," answered Manabozho.

"I have often heard of you," said the first hunter, "and I was curious
to see you. But you have lost your magical power. Do you know whether
any of it is left?"

Manabozho answered that he was himself in the dark on the subject.

"Suppose you make a trial," said the hunter.

"What shall I do?" asked Manabozho.

"There is my friend," said the hunter, pointing to his companion, "who
with me owns this bear which we are carrying home. Suppose you see if
you can change him into a piece of rock."

"Very well," said Manabozho; and he had scarcely spoken before the other
hunter became a rock.

"Now change him back again," said the first hunter.

"That I can't do," Manabozho answered; "there my power ends."

The hunter looked at the rock with a bewildered face.