ther good and brave men, always
spoke the truth, answered that "she was indeed a most beautiful
Musk-rat--what a pity that she was still a Musk-rat!"

"True, but she is the finest Musk-rat in the waters of the lake,"
answered the father; "and she knows better than any other the best
method of keeping a house tidy. And as for her knowledge--Musk-rat
knowledge--who has more? and for cunning and stratagem, match me my
little daughter among all the females of the lakes. What say you to
marrying her?"

"All you have said in praise of your daughter, no doubt, is very
true," answered the Nanticoke, "but she has four legs, and besides is
too little to be the wife of a big fellow like myself."

"She has no more legs than you have," answered the wise creature.
"What are your arms pray, but legs? But all her faults can be
remedied. Wait here till I return."

So saying, the chief of the Musk-rats retired behind a little hillock,
and, digging a small hole in the earth, he filled it with a kind of
red sand mixed with mud. When he had done this, he dropped into it
seven drops of a kind of green water, and seven times repeated the
word "Tuscaloosa," which was, as he said, the name of the guardian
Spirit of the Musk-rats. When he had done invoking the name, he laid
himself down upon the earth, hid his head between his paws, and his
tail between his legs, and pretended to be sleeping. Presently, the
Nanticoke saw arise from the bottom of the lake a creature shaped like
a Musk-rat, but larger than any beast he had ever seen. Each of his
legs was as large as a tree, and his tail was broader than the length
of a man, and his ears were of great size. He had a great white ring
around his neck, and around each leg, and his belly was as red as the
leaf of the maple in autumn. But the most singular things about him
were his face, which was like the face of a man, and his fore-paws,
which were like the hands of a man. The strange creature, who was the
guardian Spirit of the nation of Musk-rats, came swimming along as a
frog swims, and in scarce more than two breaths landed upon the shore
where they sat. Going up to the chief of the Musk-rats, he gave him a
slight blow on the back, exclaiming:

"What is your wish?"

"Take away from my daughter the shape of a Musk-rat, and give her the
shape of a Nanticoke," answered the father.

"Not of me, but of my master must the favour be asked," answered the
Spirit. "I will try what can be done for y