r him, but all have failed. He has offered many gifts to the one who
gets it, and even the Red Swan will belong to the successful one. She
is a very beautiful maiden, and for her many young men have risked
their lives. You are very brave and will face great dangers. Go as
you have come, and you will be the one to win the precious wampum."

So Odjibaa travelled for several more days. At last he saw a lodge,
but before he came up to it he could hear the groans of some one
inside. Coming up to the door, he knocked, and a voice bade him come
in. On entering he saw a very old man seated in one corner. His face
was withered and his head bare and bloody. He seemed to be in great
pain.

The young man spoke kindly to him and asked him how he lost his scalp.
Then the old man told his story: how the young men had cheated him, and
how they were abusing the scalp now. Odjibaa looked very sorry, and
when the old man saw this, he began to coax him to try and get it back.
He promised him blankets and many other things that make an Indian
rich. But he did not mention the Red Swan. Odjibaa noticed that a
wall divided the lodge into two parts. He guessed that the Red Swan
was behind the wall, for he thought he heard her dress rustle. After
he had talked with the old man, and had learned many things about the
unfriendly Indians, he said:

"I shall go in search of the cap. When you hear the noise of a hawk,
put your head out of the door, so I may put the scalp on you quickly."

Early next morning he set out, and before the day was over had come
near the Indian village. As he drew near he could hear the sound of
much shouting, and in a few minutes could see hundreds of warriors
dancing and yelling around a pole. On the top of this pole was the
scalp. He changed himself into a humming-bird and flew by their heads.
When they heard the soft, humming noise, they said, "What is that?" He
flew on, until he came near the pole. Then he changed himself into a
blue butterfly and fluttered up to it. He took the scalp in his mouth
and lifted it from the pole. A mighty shout went up from the Indians
when they saw what was happening. But they could not reach the
butterfly, as it was so high up in the air. It began to float slowly
away with the scalp. This was hard work, and the load was almost too
heavy for Odjibaa, but he hung on until he was safe outside the
village. Then he changed himself into a hawk and flew rapidly away.