never married, and saying that he should not live alone. Then the uncle
said: "Poor and old and plain am I; I have not even garments fit for a
feast; better were it for me to smoke my pipe at home." "Truly, if that
be all, uncle," replied Glooskap, "I trow I can turn tailor and fit you
to a turn; and have no care as to your outside or your face, for to him
who knows how, 't is as easy to make a man over as a suit of clothes."
"Yes; but, nephew," said Mikchich, "how say you as to making over the
inside of a mortal?" "By the great Beaver!" answered the Master, "that
is something harder to do, else I were not so long at work in this
world. But before I leave this town I shall do that also for you; and
as for this present sport, do but put on my belt." And when he had done
that, Mikchich became so young and handsome that no man or woman ever
saw the like. And then Glooskap dressed him in his own best clothes,
and promised him that to the end of his days, whenever he should be a
man, he would be the comeliest of men; and because he was patient and
tough, he should, as an animal, become the hardest to kill of all
creatures on the face of the earth, as it came to pass.

So Mikchich went to the feast. Now the chief of Piktook had three
beautiful daughters, and the youngest was the loveliest in the land.
And on her he cast his eyes, and returning said, "I have seen one whom
I want." Now all the young men in Piktook desired this girl, and would
kill any one who would win her.

So the next day Glooskap, taking a bunch of _wawbap_ (P., wampum),
went, to the chief and proposed for Mikchich, [Footnote: All invitations
to festivals, or formal ceremonies, proposals of marriage, etc., were
preceded among these tribes by a gift of wampum.] and the mother at
once said "Yes." So the girl made up a bed of fresh twigs and covered
it with a great white bear-skin, and went to Mikchich, and they