Then spoke Porcupine to the sky, and the sky did so. Clear became the sky. The ground was ice in the morning.
Now again Porcupine invited the people to a feast for great Beaver. Then Porcupine said, “We play, friend. There stands my playground.”
Now very sharp was the cold. The ground was ice. Where water ran down, slippery was it with ice. But Beaver followed Porcupine. Then again was Beaver troubled. Always slippery were his hands, but long were the claws of Porcupine. Then Porcupine returned to see great Beaver. Then said Porcupine, “Come, do it, friend.” Thus said Porcupine to great Beaver. But the Beaver could not cross, because icy was the mountain. Then this did the Porcupine: he took the hands of Beaver, then across he led him. Thus across he got. Porcupine was going to play with Beaver, just as he also did once. So they reached the place where stood the tree.
“Good! Go up!” Thus said Porcupine to Beaver. Then much troubled was Beaver. He was afraid.
“Well! See!” Thus said Porcupine. So Porcupine went up first. Up he went to the very top. Then he let go the top of the tree. As soon as he dropped, this he said, while coming down:
“An-de-be-laq! An-de-be-laq!”
Then he dropped on a stone, but arose. Not dead was he!
Then said Porcupine to Beaver, “See, friend! It is not hard.”
Then up on the tree carried he Beaver. He said, “Fast hold to my neck.” And very fast he held to the neck of Porcupine. Then when Porcupine reached near the top of the tree, he put Beaver on a branch. Then greatly afraid was Beaver for his hands were not good for holding fast to a tree. Only a Porcupine knows that, because long are his claws.
Then thus said Porcupine: “Really hold fast, friend. I go down first.” The Beaver did so. All around the branch were his hands. Then Porcupine let go the tree. Into space he went. Again he said,