Fairy tales -- Canada; Folklore -- Canada; Indians of North America -- Canada -- Folklore
The boy put the moccasins on his feet, and with one step he reached
the distant hill. There he met another old man, to whom he gave the
birch bark. This man gave him another pair of moccasins and a large
maple leaf bearing a strange symbol, and told him to go to another
spot, where he would receive final instructions. He did as he was
told, and here he met a very old man, who said, "Down yonder there is
a stream. Go towards it and walk straight into it, as if you were on
dry ground. But do not look at the water. Take this piece of birch
bark bearing these magic figures, and it will change you into whatever
you wish, and it will keep you from harm." The boy took the bark and
did as he was told, and soon found himself on the opposite bank of the
stream. He followed the stream for some distance, and at evening he
came to a lake. As he was looking about for a warm place to pass the
night, he suddenly came upon the dragon-man, now in the form of a
monster dragon, hiding behind the trees. The old woman's words had
come true, for his enemy had overtaken him before nightfall, as she
had said. There was no time to lose, so the boy waved his magic bark,
and at once he became a little fish with red fins, moving slowly in
the lake.
When the dragon-man saw the little fish, he cried, "Little fish of the
red fins, have you seen the youth I am looking for?" "No, sir," said
the little fish, "I have seen no one; I have been asleep. But if he
passes this way I will tell you," and he moved rapidly out into the
lake.
[Illustration: THE MAN GAVE HIM ANOTHER PAIR OF MOCCASINS IN EXCHANGE
FOR THOSE HE WAS WEARING]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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