When he came back, all the Indians were lying around the campfire after supper.
“Tell us what you saw, father,” said Docas.
“I saw great mountains beyond the big valley.”
“Bigger mountains than ours?” asked Docas.
“Yes, mountains so high that it is always winter on their tops,” answered Massea.
“I don’t see how the mountains ever came to be so big,” said Heema.
“Shall I tell you a story about how the mountains were made? I heard one over there,” said Massea.
“Yes! Yes!” cried the children.
“Once upon a time there was nothing in the world but water. Where Tulare Lake now is, there was a pole standing up out of the water, and on it sat a hawk and a crow. First one of them would sit on it awhile, then the other would take his turn. Thus they sat on the pole above the water for a long, long time.”
“How long?” asked Docas.