pipe. Stoical though he was, his dark eyes flashed with pleasure at the
unanimous call of the children, but, Indianlike, it would have been a great
breach of manners if he had let his delight be known. Then, again,
Indianlike, it would never have done to have seemed to be in a hurry. The
Indian children well knew this, but who ever heard of white children that
could sit like statues, grave and dignified, while the story-teller took
time to finish smoking a large pipe of tobacco?

So it was in this case. In their wild excitement and eagerness to have the
story begin, both Sagastao and Minnehaha sprang up and, rushing toward
Souwanas, vied with each other in seeing which could first pluck the
half-smoked calumet from his mouth. Such audacity appalled the Indian
children and fairly took the breath away from the older Indians. For was
not Souwanas a chief, and the calumet almost a sacred thing while between
his lips?

Souwanas, however, was greatly delighted. Here was a new experience, and
the very boldness of the children of the palefaces was an evidence of their
unbounded confidence and love. To little Sagastao the calumet was
surrendered, and, with the children cuddled around him, Souwanas began his
story:

[Illustration: "With the children cuddled around him Souwanas began his
story."]

"Now, you must know that Nanahboozhoo was a queer fellow. He could make
himself as tall as a tree or as small as a turtle or snake. Nothing could
kill him. He could not be drowned even if dropped hundreds of feet into
the lake, nor burned to death even if he tumbled into the fire. He often
met with accidents, but he always came up right again and was ready for