I. MENABOZHO AND HIS THREE BROTHERS
he Indians tell that, in a time so long ago no one can tell when, four brothers were born on this earth.
The first was Menabozho, who is the friend of all the human race. The second was Chibiabos, who cares for the dead and lives in the Country of Souls. The third was Wabose. He ran far away to the north and was changed into a rabbit, but is still very powerful. The fourth was Chokanipok, the Man of Flint.
Menabozho did not love his fourth brother, the stone man, and had many battles with him. These battles were long and terrible. Traces of them can be found to this day. Chokanipok’s body was as large as a mountain. In one of these battles Menabozho’s arrows tore off many pieces of flesh from him. These changed into flint stones when they touched the earth, and men made fire by striking two of them together.
At last Menabozho conquered, for he had more love for man in his heart than had his brother, and the [[224]]great firestone giant fell, and his pieces are scattered everywhere.
This gave Menabozho courage, and he traveled all over the earth teaching men how to use stone and bone. He taught them how to make stone axes. He showed them how to make snares and traps so as to catch fishes and birds. He taught the women how to weave mats and beautiful baskets.
While he traveled he saw the huge creatures whose bones are now dug up from far under the ground. Menabozho slew these animals himself and hid them away. He opened the pathway for the rivers between the hills and mountains. He made the earth ready for the Indian.
Menabozho placed four spirits at the four sides of the heavens. The spirit which he put in the north sends snow and ice so that the Indian may hunt during the cold moons. The spirit in the south sends the warm wind and gives the red man corn, melons, and tobacco. The spirit that stands in the west sends the rain, and the spirit in the east gives light to the earth.
Some Indian legends say that Menabozho now lives on an ice mountain in the great sea. If he, by any chance, were driven from his home all things would burn if he should touch his feet to the ground to spring into the air. The end would come, for the [[226]]sun could never shine again without Menabozho to guide it from the east to the west.
An Indian Basket Exhibit
From a Photograph
When this great manitou walked on the earth his steps measured as long as the steps one tribe would take in one day. He could step over mountains and think they were only ant-hills. He could step over a large lake. If he wished, he could make himself as short as a man. He had great power.
It is told that a little child once outwitted him. The boy was playing outside his mother’s lodge and dared the manitou to do as he did. The manitou loved the child and waited to see what it did. The boy lay down and put his toe into his mouth. Menabozho tried to do this same thing and could not.
He told the boy to wish for anything and that he should have it. The boy wished for long life. Menabozho changed the child into a white-cedar tree, and the tree stood for hundreds of winters in the place where the child had stood when he wished for long life. It was not far from where he lay by his mother’s wigwam when he dared the great Menabozho to a deed the manitou could not perform.
It was in this way the wise manitou punished the boy. It is not well for any one to be wiser than a manitou, for even the flint stones show that these spirits are very powerful. [[227]]