Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/193

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BRITISH NORTH AMERICA

ADVENTURES OF NANEBOJO

Ojibwa

NANEBOJO and his grandmother journeyed about for a long time. At last they came again to Lake St. Clair. In the lake were many geese. Nanebojo thought, "How am I going to get some of those ducks?" He thought for a long while. Then he remembered.

Nanebojo took a birch-bark pail, and began to drum on it and to sing. He sang,

I am bringing new songs,
I am bringing new songs.


When the geese heard that, they drew near to him. At once he said to his grandmother, "Go farther on, and build a lodge where we may live." And at once she did so. Then he went down to the water where the geese were floating around. He pulled out his sack, got into it, and dived into the water. The ducks and geese were quite surprised to see what a good diver he was. They came closer and closer.

Nanebojo said, "I can dive better than you can." The geese said, "Oh, no!" Then they all began diving,

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