The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales — John Shaqi
The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
Children's literature
All day long the fight was kept up, and Manabozho had fired all of his
arrows but three without effect, for the Shining Manito was clothed in
pure wampum. It was only by immense leaps to right and left that
Manabozho could save his head from the sturdy blows which fell about
him on every side, like pine.trees, from the hands of the Manito. He
was badly bruised, and at his very wits’ end, when a large Woodpecker
flew past and lit on a tree. It was a bird he had known on the prairie,
near his grandmother’s lodge.
“Manabozho,” called out the Woodpecker, “your enemy has a weak point;
shoot at the lock of hair on the crown of his head.”
The first arrow he shot only drew a few drops of blood. The Manito made
one or two unsteady steps, but recovered himself. He began to parley,
but Manabozho, now that he had discovered a way to reach him, was in no
humor to trifle, and he let slip another arrow which brought the
Shining Manito to his knees. Having the crown of his head within good
range Manabozho shot his third arrow, and the Manito fell forward upon
the ground, dead.
Manabozho called the Woodpecker to come and receive a reward for the
timely hint he had given him, and he rubbed the blood of the Shining
Manito on the Woodpecker’s head, the feathers of which are red to this
day.
Full of his victory, Manabozho returned home, beating his war drum
furiously and shouting aloud his song of triumph. His grandmother was
on the shore to welcome him with the war dance, which she performed
with wonderful skill for one so far advanced in years.
MANABOZHO IS ROBBED BY THE WOLVES
Adapted from H. R. Schoolcraft
Shortly after this the Old Wolf suggested to Manabozho that he should
go out and try his luck in hunting by himself. When he chose to put his
mind to it he was quite expert, and this time he succeeded in killing a
fine fat moose which he thought he would take aside slyly and devour
alone.
He was very hungry and he sat down to eat, but as he never could go to
work in a straightforward way, he immediately fell into great doubts as
to the proper point at which to begin.
“Well,” said he, “I do not know where to commence. At the head? No,
people will laugh, and say, ‘He ate him backward.’”
He went to the side. “No,” said he, “they will say I ate him sideways.”
He then went to the hind quarter. “No, that will not do, either; they
will say I ate him forward. I will begin here, say what they will.”
He took a delicate piece from the small of the back, and was just on
the point of putting it to his mouth when a tree close by made a
creaking noise. He seemed vexed at the sound. He raised the morsel to
his mouth the second time, when the tree creaked again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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