A long, long way off, right away in the west of America, there once lived an old man who had one son.The country round was covered with forests, in which dwelt all kinds of wild beasts, and the young man and his companions used to spend whole days in hunting them, and he was the finest hunter of all the tribe.
One morning, when winter was coming on, the youth and his companions set off as usual to bring back some of the mountain goats and deer to be salted down, as he was afraid of a snow-storm; and if the wind blew and the snow drifted the forest might be impassable for some weeks.
The old man and the wife, however, would not go out, but remained in the wigwam making bows and arrows.
It soon grew so cold in the forest that at last one of the men declared they could walk no more, unless they could manage to warm themselves.
'That is easily done,' said the leader, giving a kick to a large tree.
Flames broke out in the trunk, and before it had burnt up they were as hot as if it had been summer.Then they started off to the place where the goats and deer were to be found in the greatest numbers, and soon had killed as many as they wanted.But the leader killed most, as he was the best shot.
'Now we must cut up the game and divide it,' said he; and so they did, each one taking his own share; and, walking one behind the other, set out for the village.But when they reached a great river the young man did not want the trouble of carrying his pack any further, and left it on the bank.
'I am going home another way,' he told his companions.And taking another road he reached the village long before they did.
'Have you returned with empty hands?' asked the old man, as his son opened the door.
'Have I ever done that, that you put me such a question?' asked the youth.'No; I have slain enough to feast us for many moons, but it was heavy, and I left the pack on the bank of the great river.Give me the arrows, I will finish making them, and you can go to the river and bring home the pack!'
So the old man rose and went, and strapped the meat on his shoulder;but as he was crossing the ford the strap broke and the pack fell into the river.He stooped to catch it, but it swirled past him.He clutched again; but in doing so he over- balanced himself and was hurried into some rapids, where he was knocked against some rocks, and he sank and was drowned, and his body was carried down the stream into smoother water when it rose to the surface again.But by this time it had lost all likeness to a man, and was changed into a piece of wood.
The wood floated on, and the river got bigger and bigger and entered a new country.There it was borne by the current close to the shore, and a woman who was down there washing her clothes caught it as it passed, and drew it out, saying to herself: 'What a nice smooth plank! I will use it as a table to put my food upon.' And gathering up her clothes she took the plank with her into her hut.
When her supper time came she stretched the board across two strings which hung from the roof, and set upon it the pot containing a stew that smelt very good.The woman had been working hard all day and was very hungry, so she took her biggest spoon and plunged it into the pot.
But what was her astonishment and disgust when both pot and food vanished instantly before her!
'Oh, you horrid plank, you have brought me ill-luck!' she cried.And taking it up she flung it away from her.
The woman had been surprised before at the disappearance of her food, but she was more astonished still when, instead of the plank, she beheld a baby.However, she was fond of children and had none of her own, so she made up her mind that she would keep it and take care of it.The baby grew and throve as no baby in that country had ever done, and in four days he was a man, and as tall and strong as any brave of the tribe.
'You have treated me well,' he said, 'and meat shall never fail to your house.But now I must go, for I have much work to do.'
Then he set out for his home.
It took him many days to get there, and when he saw his son sitting in his place his anger was kindled, and his heart was stirred to take vengeance upon him.So he went out quickly into the forest and shed tears, and each tear became a bird.'Stay there till I want you,' said he; and he returned to the hut.
'I saw some pretty new birds, high up in a tree yonder,' he remarked.
And the son answered: 'Show me the way and I will get them for dinner.'
The two went out together, and after walking for about half an hour they old man stopped.'That is the tree,' he said.And the son began to climb it.
