We found the other children already there,
and almost before we had seated ourselves,
Muskrat asked:

"Grandfather, why must we never kill the
Mice-people? Grandmother said that you
knew."

"Yes," replied War Eagle, "I do know
and you must know. Therefore I shall tell
you all to-night why the Mice-people must
be let alone and allowed to do as they please,
for we owe them much; much more than we
can ever pay. Yes--they are great people,
as you will see.

" It happened long, long ago, when there
were few men and women on the world. OLD-
man was chief of all then, and the animal-
people and the bird-people were greater than
our people, because we had not been on earth
long and were not wise.

"There was much quarrelling among the
animals and the birds. You see the Bear
wanted to be chief, under OLD-man, and so
did the Beaver. Almost every night they
would have a council and quarrel over it.
Beside the Bear and Beaver, there were other
animals, and also birds, that thought they had