Glooscap the great chief, and other stories - ElectricCanadian.com

ANIMAL STORIES 157
up an old tree and began knocking his head
against it, trying to peck as the woodpecker
girl had done. Soon his head was bruised, and
torn, and bleeding. The pretty Antawaas
looked on and laughed at him.
"Pray, what is he trying to do up there?"
one whispered to the old grandmother.
Oh, dear ! I suppose he has seen someone
else do that, and he thinks he can do it too,"
answered the old grandmother, shaking her
head.
"
Oh, come down!" one Antawaas called to
Ableegumooch, "and give me your
dish."
Ableegumooch came down and the Antawaas
climbed up the tree and soon had the dish full
of dainty food, which the grandmother boiled.
And they all had dinner.
But Ableegumooch could never seem to learn
wisdom by experience. One day, not long after
his adventure in the beech tree, he happened to
be in the wigwam of his neighbour, the Bear,
and he noticed how easily the bear, who was a
magician, could get the meat for his dinner.
The great kettle was placed over the fire, and
the Bear took a sharp knife and quickly cut off
a small piece from the sole of his foot, and put
it into the kettle to boil. Soon the whole kettle
was full of meat, and they had a great meal.
Ableegumooch thought it was the best meal he
had ever eaten.