-tellers of the tribe were telling many
of their magic tales. One of them spoke, and said, "A wigwam stands in
the deep. At the bottom of the lake a big turtle lies asleep in this
wigwam. Around him swim white fish and trout, and the slow-worm goes
creeping by. The scream of the sea gull and the shouts of the rovers
do not waken him. Nothing can disturb his slumber but the magic song."

Then one of the Indians spoke, "Let us sing the magic song. Let us
waken this big turtle from his long sleep."

So they all began to sing a strange, wild song. The sound floated out
over the quiet waters of the lake. Suddenly the waves began to rise
and roll to the shore, although there was no wind blowing. The centre
of the lake seemed to rise higher; then slowly there appeared above the
waters the curved back of the big turtle called Mishini-Makinak,
toiling up to answer their call. Then the dragging tail appeared like
a fleshy cape, and the jowl like a headland of dark rock. The Indians
stood along the shore, staring in frightened surprise, as the monster
arose like an island in the midst of the waves.

As the days went by, the turtle called his children from their silent
homes to come and play around him. Up the lake and down over the falls
came the dappled trout and the white fish, to play in the silvery tide,
and by night the fairies danced on the rocky cliffs. For many days the
red men watched eagerly, afraid to go to the magic island, but at last
they paddled their birch-bark canoes across the waves to the pebbly
beach. From that time Mishini-Makinak was their home.

THE ADVENTURES OF WESAKCHAK

I. THE WONDERFUL BALL

Wesakchak was once the only person living. He found himself floating
all alone on the water. Above him was the sky, and all around and
about stretched water. He called aloud, but no one answered. Then he
noticed a little, dark object floating near him. It was a rat.

"My little brother," said Wesakchak, "we are all alone in this world of
sky and water."

"Yes," said the rat. "But I am not afraid, for you are with me. Are
you afraid?"

"No," said Wesakchak, "for the Mighty One will take care of us both.
Do you go below and see if you can find any land."

The rat quickly obeyed Wesakchak and sank down through the water in
search of dry land. He was gone a long time, and Wesakchak began to
wonder if he were ever coming back. At last he floated up, but he was
dead, and in his pa