The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-08-30
An Indian Fairy Tale.

thought everything was safe, so leaving
the boy in care of Unnemoosh, she went
into the woods after fuel. No sooner
was she out of sight than back came the
old woman, who caught up the baby
cradle and all. and started off with it.
and hung on with all his strength until
a piece of the blue and white wampum
| of which it was made came off in his
| mouth. The old woman started off with
Unnemoosh ut her heels, barking furi-
ously, and the poor little boy crying at
the top of his voice.
The good mother, hearing the noise,
came running home only to find her baby
gone. When the husband returned they
decided that the mother should 80 to
wise woman who lived two days journey
off and consult her. The wise woman
told the good mother that the old woman
was the witch Mukakec, who spent her
the baby again the mother would have to
80 to the ends of the earth.
You must journey long way to-
wards the end of the EARTH" said the
wise woman, when you will come to
the land of the Nokoes, or the friendly
old grandmothers, and if they think you
are worthy, three of hem will help YOU
band he said:
"And will you go to the ends of the
| earth?'
ooh, yes" answered his wife. what
| mother would not 60 to the ends of the
earth for the sake of her child? You
stay here and keep the lodge and l will
| start tomorrow"
weeks and months had become years.
| Sometimes she would feel discouraged,
and then the thought of her little boy
would give her strength to go on again.
| At last she came to the land of the
Nokoes, and there on the top of sand
hill was a tall old Noko, who was trying
to beat off an eagle that was bouncing
upon her. The good mother ran to her
aid, and after the eagle was driven
My dear, I am Noko Kcmotch. I
know who you arc: you need not tell
me. You deserve help, and I will do
what l can for you. Take these moe
casins; they will carry you faster than
you can walk, to the lodge of Noko
Wagokeek. Then take them off and set
the toes homeward, when they will re-
turn to me-
The good mother put on the mecca
sins, and was starting off when the
friendly grandmother said: IF the old
witch Mukakee ever pursues you and
you think there is danger of her catch
ing up with you, just cry out: MAY the
snakeberry vines spring up and trip
herr ~
The moccasins carried the traveller
swiftly over the road to Noko WACO
keek, who spoke to the good mother as
Noko Kemotch had done.
Here is pair of moccasins that will
take you to the lodge of Noko f1elokon;
then return them to me as you did the
others. Noko Nelokon will tell you
what you must do, and if old Mukakee
ever pursues you just say: May it rain
as if the bottom of the sky had tumbled
outr''
So away went the good mother to the
third old Noko, where she met with the
same welcome, and who spoke to her as
follows:
"The old witch Mukakee lives just be-
yond here at the ends of the earth You
must put. up lodge near hers, your
dog will know. you, and you can prove
kee pursues you just say: May the
flint and the steel keep her forever!'"
just after the good mother had fin
ished her lodge she saw her son pass
by with Unnemoosh by his side. Her
son was a large boy now but she knew
him by his likeness to his father. She
stood outside of her lodge and as soon
as he saw her the faithful Unnemoosh
came running towards her, barking and
showing signs of joy. The son was sur
prised and accused the mother of be-
witching the dog. for Unnemoosh had
never cared for anyone but him, he said,
and never noticed strangers
II am not a stranger to him. said
the good woman; 'he knew me before
you were born, for am your own moth
En-"
The lad denied this, saying old Muka-
kee was his mother, that he was born
there and had always lived there.
WELL" said his mother, take this
piece of blue and white wampum that
was a part of the cradle in which you
lay when old Mukakee stole you. Go
tell old Mukakee that nothing will cure
you but sight of the cradle in which
you were swung when a baby. She will
try to put you off, but insist upon seeing
The lad returned to the lodge and COM
planned of not being we'll, but when he
asked to see his cradle the old witch
lonGed to her own ugly ducklings. The
boy told her he knew that was not the
one, and finally she showed him pretty
one of blue and white wampum in which
there was a break exactly the size and
shape of the piece the good mother had
given him. The boy was now convinced,
and, with his mother, began to plan their
SoNdpt' AAC was q SOOu uuHtcl, 81 uc
went quite distance away, and, seeing
a fat bear up in one of the treetops, he
shot it and left it there. Hurrying back,
he told old Mukakee what he had done,
saying the bear was so large he could
not bring it home, and he doubted if she
could, unless she took her three children
to help her. as he was too tired to so.
dren, and scarcely were they out of sight
when the boy and his mother started on
their journey, followed by their faithful
Unnemoosh.
When Mukakee came back to the lodge
and found the boy and his dog missing, as
we'll as the strange woman, whom, of
course, she knew to be the boys mother
she flew into great rage and started at
once in pursuit. The faithful Unnemoosh
gave warning of the approach of the pur-
suers, who were rapidly gaining upon
them. The good mother was in despair
until she thought of the charm the first
friendly old Noko had given her, when she
called out:
May the sna keberry vine spring up
and trip her." when the path behind her
was covered with the scarlet vine. Old
Mukakee and her children tripped and
stumbled until, becoming tired, they sat
down and began. eating the berries, of
which they were very fond. The good
mother and her son had gone many miles,
hSh ht.dlA IAC uOS " NAu CN luCuA LAuI
the witch was near at hand. They had
reached a stream that was nearly dry in
it's rocky bed, and as they crossed it the
good mother cried out: May it rain as
IL the bottom of the sky had tumbled out"
when the rain came down in torrents, the
stream overfowed its banks and Mukakee
and her children could not cross it. Again
the fugitives had gone many miles, when
they caught sight of their pursuers. Just
before they came up with them the good
mother thought of the third charm, and,
throwing her sons flint and steel to the
bottom of the hill. she said: MAY the
flint and steel keep her forever" when
the steel spread itself out into a smooth
mass and the flint broke up into Il thou
sand fragments, on which the old woman
and her children cut their feet. They
could not stop themselves until they were
half way up the hill of glass, and there
they slipped about trying in vain to get
anywhere, like horses in treadmilI, not
being able to move forward or bnck. and
there they are to this day, for anything
hot Scs 1ssxf 49,