The snow fell thick and fast. It covered the prairie for miles in
every direction. In some places it was deeper than Timid Hare was
tall. A thick crust formed over the top.

Young Antelope set to work to make himself new snowshoes. As he bent
the hoops for the frames and crossed them with networks of leather
strings. Timid Hare looked on with longing. She had had snowshoes of
her own before, and she had enjoyed skimming over the snow fields on
them, but they were far away--very far away.

"I will help you make some shoes," Young Antelope told her, when he
caught the look. "You can do the easy part, and I will do the hard."

Timid Hare was pleased because Young Antelope did not notice her very
often. The snowshoes were soon made and the little girl longed to try
them.

The very next day Young Antelope went out with the men on a winter
hunt. There were large stores of meat in the village, but the cold was
bitter and more warm buffalo robes were needed for beds and coverlets.
Moreover, at this time of the year the fur of the animals was heaviest.

"It will be easy to get our prey," Bent Horn said to his son the night
before the hunt. "There is little snow on the south slopes of the
hills, where the buffaloes will be feeding. We can take them by
surprise and drive them down into the ice-crusted fields. They are so
heavy that their feet will fall through. Then the hunter can draw near
on his swift snowshoes, and will pierce the heart of his prey with his
spear without trouble."