Then they saw, through the doorway, the approach of a bear, which gradually came toward the wigwam, entered it, and placed itself before the dead body, and said “Hu, hu, hu,” when he passed around toward the left side, with a trembling motion, and as he did so, the body began quivering, which increased as the bear continued, until he had passed around four times, when the body came to life and stood up. Then the bear called to the father, who was sitting in the distant right hand corner of the wigwam, and said:
“My father is not an Indian. You are a spirit son. Insomuch my fellow spirit now as you are. My father now tobacco you shall put. He speaks of only once to be able to do it. Why he shall live here now that he scarcely lives; my fellow spirit I shall now go home.”
The little bear boy was the one who did this. He then remained among the Indians and taught them the mysteries of the Grand Medicine, which would assist them to live. He also said his spirit could bring a body to life but once, and he would now return to the sun, from which they would feel his influence.
This is called “Kwi-wi-senswed-di-tshi-ge-wi-nip”—“Little boy, his work.”
VII.
CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT THE BEAR.
With the different seasons the bear presents a varied appearance. There are times when you would scarce recognize the same animal. In the autumn of the year the bear takes on fat in preparation for hibernating. At this time the fur is glossy and long, and in the grizzly almost a seal brown.
A curious phenomenon now takes place in the animal’s digestive organs, which gives it the capability of remaining the entire winter in a state of lethargy, without food and yet without losing condition. As the stomach is no longer furnished with food, it soon becomes quite empty, and, together with the intestines, is contracted into a very small space. No food can now pass through the system, for an obstruction, a mechanical one—technically called the “tappen”—blocks the entrance to the passage and remains in this position until spring. The “tappen” is composed almost entirely of pine leaves and the various substances which the bear scratches out of the ants’ nests or the hives of bees. During the season of hibernation, the bear gains a new skin on its feet. It will remain in its den until about the middle of April or the beginning of May, and will emerge almost as fat as when it entered, unless it has lost the “tappen” too soon.
It will now be seen that the fur has undergone a change. With the grizzly it has the real grizzly hue; with the brown or black bear it has a dead look. This is the hungry season for the bear, and until fall, when the berries are ripe and the salmon run in the streams, his bearship has a hard time of it. By the end of July and until the middle of August the fur undergoes a further change. The old coat is hanging upon him in shreds, he is much emaciated, and there is a hungry look in his eye. His ears appear abnormally large, and his paws seem enormous. When the berries are ripe and there are fish in the streams, the preparation for winter begins, the fur is sleek and greasy-looking again. Mr. Bear is fat and contented and ready to go into his long sleep.