aster of Life, will come to you
in a dream and tell you what you must do to become wise in council and
brave, strong, and skillful in war.'

"'Father,' said the boy, 'I will do whatever you bid me. But I fear that
I am not able to do what you wish.'

"'Make your heart strong,' answered the father, 'and all will be well.
Most of the young men fast only four or five days. I want you to fast
for twelve days, then you will have strong dreams. Now I will go into
the forest and build your fasting lodge for you. Make yourself ready,
for to-morrow you must begin your fast.'

"The little boy said no more and on the morrow his father took him to
the fasting lodge and left him there. The boy stretched himself upon a
mat, which his mother had made for him, and lay still.

"Each day the old chief went and looked at his son and asked him about
his dreams. Each time the boy answered that the Man-i-to had not come.

"Day by day the boy became weaker and weaker. On the eleventh day he
spoke to his father.

"'Oh, my father,' said he, 'I am not strong enough to fast longer. I am
very weak. The Man-i-to has not come to me. Let me break my fast.'

"'You are the son of a great warrior,' said the father sternly; 'make
your heart strong. Yet a little while and the Man-i-to will surely come
to you. Perhaps he will come to-night.'

"The boy shook his head sadly and his father went back to his wigwam.

"The next day when he drew near to the fasting lodge, he heard someone
talking within it.

"'My father has asked too much,' said a voice which sounded like, and
yet unlike, the voice of his son. 'I am not strong enough. He should
have waited until I became older and stronger. Now I shall die.'

"'It was not the will of the Man-i-to,' said another voice, 'that you
should become a great warrior. But you shall not die. From this time you
shall be a bird. You shall fly about in the free air. No longer shall
you suffer the pain and sorrow which fall to the lot of men.'

"The old chief could wait no longer. He opened the door of the lodge and
looked within. No one was there, only a brown bird with a gray breast
flew out of the door and perched upon a branch above his head.

"The old chief was very sad, but the bird spoke to him and said, 'Do not
mourn for me, my father, for I am free from pain and sorrow. It was not
the will of the Man-i-to that I should become the greatest warrior of
the tribe. But because I was obedient to you and did the