Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/205

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BRITISH NORTH AMERICA

He walked for a long time until he came to a high mountain. When he had climbed to the very top he found a nice breeze blowing across it.

"This feels good," said Wiske-djak. "I think I'll stay here," and he searched around until he came to a place clear of trees just on the edge of a great chasm. The rock broke straight away for hundreds of feet, and over the edge of the cliff came a delightful breeze. Wiske-djak lay right down there and went to sleep at once.

By this time Old Partridge had got home, and found them all covered over with mud.

"What has happened to you? Where did you go?" she asked.

"Nowhere," said the little partridges.

"Who did this?" asked Old Partridge.

"Wiske-djak came along," said the littlest one. "He asked us a lot of questions, and then he asked us our names. When I told him my name, he said, 'Well, what could you frighten?' and threw mud all over us."

Old Partridge was angry. She cleaned up the children, and washed them and dried them, and gave them their supper. Then she asked them which way Wiske-djak had gone, and she went straight on his trail.

Old Partridge tracked Wiske-djak to the high mountain. Then she kept right on until she reached the high,

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