"So there was a chase on the lake, and it was not long before the Indians
came up, in their canoe, and one of them with his stone ax struck the
bear's head such a blow that he split open the skull.

"This just suited Nanahboozhoo, and instantly he sprang out and made for
the shore.

"Then Nanahboozhoo journeyed on and again he began to feel very hungry. The
brains of the bear were not much to one who had had his mind set on eating
the whole carcass. It was not long before he met the raccoon awkwardly
carrying a birch _rogan_ that he had stolen from a couple of blind men.
Seeing the merry smile on the raccoon's face, Nanahboozhoo bade him a good
day, and asked him what was amusing him.

"The raccoon, who did not know that it was Nanahboozhoo with whom he was
talking, told him how he obtained the dish. When Nanahboozhoo heard this he
was very angry at the raccoon for his heartless trick.

"It seems that there was quite a large settlement of people who had among
them a couple of blind men. As these Indians were hunters they had to be on
the move a good deal of the time following the game. As the other people
were kind-hearted, instead of killing these old blind men, now that they
were unable to hunt, they arranged for them a wigwam in a safe, quiet
place, near the lake. Then they gave them a kettle and bowl and other
necessary things and cut a large pile of wood and placed it close at hand.
In order that they might be able to get water for their cooking and yet not
stumble into the water their friends fastened a rope, for their guidance,
from the door of the wigwam to a post on the edge of the lake.

"The old men were now quite comfortable. Their friends came frequently with