Nanebojo climbed into the tree, broke off a branch, and just then caught his hand between two branches as they rubbed together. He could not free himself.
Just then a pack of wolves came running along the river. Nanebojo heard them at a distance. He called to them, “Run right along. Don’t look this way.” The wolves said among themselves, “He must have something to eat over there, else he wouldn’t tell us to run straight ahead.” So they went right under his tree. They ate that entire deer.
When they had finished, Nanebojo said, “Now go straight ahead and don’t look at that tree near-by.” In the tree he had hung the deer’s head for his grandmother. So the wolves looked at the tree and at once ate the head. Then they went on.
At once the tree released Nanebojo’s arm, and he climbed down. He could only pick the bare bones of the deer. He went to the head. He turned it round and round. It was entirely bare. He went on and joined his grandmother.
One day when Nanebojo went for a drink, he saw some whitefish in the river. He said to them, “Can’t I go along with you?”
“Oh, no,” said the whitefish. “You wouldn’t last long if you did.”
“Why not?” asked Nanebojo.
“Because the Indians are always looking for us. You would be the first one caught,” they answered.
“I am very timid,” said Nanebojo. “If I go with you, I shall never be caught.” So he turned himself into a whitefish.
Soon after some Indians came along fishing. Nanebojo said, “Now I am going over there to tease them. You all stay here and I will go over there alone. Just before they try to spear me, I will dive to the bottom of the river and rise again a long way off.”