Deep in the woods, at last, he found a great hollow tree which attracted him by a peculiar sweet smell. He sniffed and sniffed, and went round and round till he saw something trickling down a narrow crevice. He tasted it and it was deliciously sweet.
He ran up the tree and down again, and at last found an opening into which he could thrust his paw. He brought it out covered with honey!
Now the Racc.o.o.n was happy. He ate and scooped, and scooped and ate the golden, trickling honey with both forepaws till his pretty, pointed face was daubed all over.
Suddenly he tried to get a paw into his ear. Something hurt him terribly just then, and the next minute his sensitive nose was frightfully stung.
He rubbed his face with both sticky paws. The sharp stings came thicker and faster, and he wildly clawed the air. At last he forgot to hold on to the branch any longer, and with a screech he tumbled to the ground.
There he rolled and rolled on the dead leaves till he was covered with leaves from head to foot, for they stuck to his fine, sticky fur, and most of all they covered his eyes and his striped face. Mad with fright and pain he dashed through the forest calling to some one of his own kind to come to his aid.
[Ill.u.s.tration: SO THEY RAN AND THEY RAN OUT OF THE WOODS ON TO THE SHINING WHITE BEACH.]
The moon was now bright, and many of the woods people were abroad. A second Racc.o.o.n heard the call and went to meet it. But when he saw a frightful object plastered with dry leaves racing madly toward him he turned and ran for his life, for he did not know what this thing might be.
The Racc.o.o.n who had been stealing the honey ran after him as fast as he could, hoping to overtake and beg the other to help him get rid of his leaves.
So they ran and they ran out of the woods on to the shining white beach around the lake. Here a Fox met them, but after one look at the queer object which was chasing the frightened Racc.o.o.n he too turned and ran at his best speed.
Presently a young Bear came loping out of the wood and sat up on his haunches to see them go by. But when he got a good look at the Racc.o.o.n who was plastered with dead leaves, he scrambled up a tree to be out of the way.
By this time the poor Racc.o.o.n was so frantic that he scarcely knew what he was doing. He ran up the tree after the Bear and got hold of his tail.
"Woo, woo!" snarled the Bear, and the Racc.o.o.n let go. He was tired out and dreadfully ashamed. He did now what he ought to have done at the very first--he jumped into the lake and washed off most of the leaves.
Then he got back to his hollow tree and curled himself up and licked and licked his soft fur till he had licked himself clean, and then he went to sleep.
_The midnight hunter steals at his own risk._
SEVENTH EVENING
THE BADGER AND THE BEAR
SEVENTH EVENING
The night is cold and clear, with a full moon overhead, and soon after supper Tanagela appears in her snug doeskin gown and warm robe of the same, tanned with the hair on, drawing her little brother in a great turtle-sh.e.l.l over the crusty snow.
Old Smoky Day laughs heartily at the sight, standing just outside his teepee door to watch for the coming of the children. Nor is this all, for in the wake of this pair comes another dragging a rude sled made of a buffalo"s ribs, well covered with soft furs, while still another has borrowed his mother"s large raw-hide for the occasion. After their frolicsome ride through the brightly lighted village, they are all in a happy mood, ready to listen to the interesting story of
THE BADGER AND THE BEAR
The Badger lived in a little house under the hill and it was warm and snug. Here, too, lived mother Badger and the little Badgers, and they were fat and merry, for the gray old Badger was a famous hunter. Folks said he must have a magic art in making arrows, since he never failed to bring in meat enough and to spare!
One day, father Badger stayed at home to make new arrows. His wife was busy slicing and drying the meat left over from the hunt of the day before, while the little ones played at hide-and-go-seek about the lodge.
All at once, a big, clumsy shape darkened the low doorway. The children hid their faces in fear, but father Badger got up and welcomed the stranger kindly. He was a large black Bear. His s.h.a.ggy skin hung loosely, and his little red eyes turned hungrily on the strips of good meat hung up to dry.
"Ho! Be seated, friend!" said the old Badger. He lighted and pa.s.sed the long pipe, while his wife at once broiled a thick slice of savory venison over the coals and offered it to their guest in a wooden basin.
The Bear ate like a starving man, and soon after he had eaten he shuffled away.
Next day the Bear came again, and on the day after, and for many days.
At each visit he was invited to eat, according to the custom, and feasted well by the Badger, skilful hunter and generous host.
After many days the Bear came one morning looking fat and sleek, and he had brought with him his whole family. Growling savagely, he rudely turned the Badger family out of their comfortable lodge, well stored with good food and soft robes. Even the magic arrows of father Badger were left behind. Crying bitterly, the homeless Badgers went off into the woods to seek another place of shelter. That night they slept cold under a great rock, and the children went supperless to bed, for the Badger could not hunt without his arrows.
All the next day and for several days after he wandered through the forest looking for game, but found none. One night, the children were so hungry and cried so hard, that the poor old father at last said:
"Well, then, I must beg for you!"
So he crept back to his old home, where the Bear family now lived and grew fat. Standing in the doorway, he begged quite humbly for a small piece of meat.
"I would not trouble you," said he, "but my little folks are starving!"
[Ill.u.s.tration]
However, the Bear got up and turned him angrily out-of-doors, while the ill-natured little Bears chuckled and laughed to see how thin and hungry he looked!
All laughed but one, and that one was the smallest and ugliest of the cubs, who had always been teased and abused by the others. He was sorry for the poor Badger, and when no one was looking he slyly stole a piece of his mother"s meat and threw it into their hut, and then ran home again.
This happened several times, and now the family of Badgers were only kept from starving by the gifts of the kind-hearted little Bear.
At last came the Avenger, who sprang from a drop of innocent blood. He is very tall, strong and beautiful, and is feared by all wrong-doers.
The Bear saw him coming and began to tremble. He at once called to the Badger, who was not far off, and invited him to come and eat.
But the Avenger came first! Then the Bear called upon his wife and children to follow him, and took to his heels. He ran as fast as he could, looking over his shoulder from time to time, for he was really terribly frightened. He never came back any more, and the Badger family returned and joyfully possessed their old home.
_There is no meanness like ingrat.i.tude._
EIGHTH EVENING
THE GOOD-LUCK TOKEN
EIGHTH EVENING
"Ah, Teona, I saw you out to-day with your new bow and arrows! I hope you have not been hasty to display your skill with the new weapons to the injury of any harmless creature," says old Smoky Day, gravely, as the boy hunter arrives quite out of breath.