ey left some of the twigs round, but others they made into
flat splints. Sometimes they stained them with the green rind of
nuts, and sometimes they dyed them with pretty dyes.

[Illustration: _First step in coiled basketry._]

[Illustration: _Second step in coiled basketry._]

Instead of weaving the baskets, Willow-grouse sewed them with an
over-and-over stitch. In this way she made the soft grasses into a
firm basket. She began by taking a wisp of grass in the left hand and
a flat splint in the other. She wound the splint around the wisp a few
times then turned the wrapped portion upon itself. When she had
fastened it with a firm stitch, again she wound the splint around the
wisp and took another stitch.

[Illustration: _Three rows of coiled work._]

Sometimes Willow-grouse made baskets for boiling food, and sometimes
she made them for carrying water. The baskets she prized most were the
ones into which she put a prayer. The prayer was a little pattern
which she made for a picture of one of the gods. Sometimes it was a
wild animal and sometimes it was a bird. Sometimes it was the flowing
river and sometimes a mountain peak. And sometimes it was a flash of
lightning, and sometimes it was the sun.

All the Cave-men wanted the gods to be friendly and they wanted them
to stay near. That is why they took so much pains in making pictures
of them. That is why that soon after the rock shelter was made they
engraved a reindeer upon the wall.

[Illustration: "_Greybeard, now old and feeble, walked all the way to
the spot._"]

Greybeard, now old and feeble, walked all the way to the spot.
Fleetfoot and Flaker wanted him to perform the magic rites.

[Illustration: _A water basket._]

Not all the people who lived there were allowed to take part in the
ceremonies. Only the grown people were allowed to see the first part.
And only the wisest and bravest ones went into the dark shelter.

For a moment, those who went in stood in silence waiting for a sign.
Then, by the light of a torch, Fleetfoot chiseled a reindeer on the
hard rock, and Greybeard, holding a reindeer skull, murmured earnest
prayers.

A feeling of awe came over them while they worked. They began to feel
that the god of the reindeer was really there with them. They asked
the god to take good care of those who lived in the rock shelter, and
to send many herds of reindeer to the Cave-men's hunting grounds.

#THINGS TO DO#

_Make a rock shelter wit