t much
frightened, and they eagerly set off on their journey.

"They were especially warned by their anxious mother not to go to the
east, as there was a narrow lake there to which many of these evil
creatures came for water, especially a great monster wolf that had devoured
many people. Yet they immediately started off in that direction, for, like
some other boys, they did not obey even their mother. It was noon before
they reached the lake. At first, as they examined it, everything seemed
very quiet and still.

"'Mother must have been mistaken,' said Sesigizit; 'I do not see any living
thing here.'

"But as they wandered farther along the shore, suddenly Ooseemeeid cried
out:

"'O see that great wolf on the other side!'

"They dropped down as quickly as they could, but the fierce brute had
already caught sight of them. He was very much larger than any of the
wolves that now howl in the dark forests. He not only destroyed many of the
people, but when he came to springs, or small streams, he either drank up
all the water or so spoiled it that it was unfit for use.

"The boys shot their arrows at him, but his sides were so tough, for he had
bones like jointed armor upon them, that he was only slightly wounded. He
was, however, made very angry by their attacks, and he picked up a magic
stick and threw it at them. They would have fared badly if they had not so
suddenly thrown themselves upon the ground that it passed over them.

"When the boys saw that their arrows were not swift enough to kill such a
great animal they decided to use the magic rabbit sticks which their
father, the sun, had given them, with orders that they were only to be used
when the arrows failed.

"The wolf, when he saw that one of his magic sticks had missed its aim, was
more savage than ever, and he seized his remaining one, for he only had
two, and he threw it with all his power at the boys. This time they both
jumped high up from the ground and the stick passed under them.

"It was their turn now, and so they both threw their magic sticks with such
force that the great bony armor of the wolf was crushed in and he was
killed.

"Sesigizit quickly ran around the lake to the spot where the great body lay
and cut out the heart of the wolf, while Ooseemeeid secured the two magic
sticks that the wolf had thrown at them, as well as their own weapons, and
then with these trophies they returned to their own home.

"'Where have you been?' asked t