Old Mackinaw | Page 9

to
keep myself employed in chopping wood, and that she would bring me
plenty of prepared bass-wood bark to twist into twine. She told me she
would come to see me, in two days, and that in the mean time I must
not even taste snow.
"I did as directed; at the end of two days she came to see me. I thought
she would surely bring me something to eat, but to my disappointment
she brought nothing. I suffered more from thirst than hunger, though I
felt my stomach gnawing. My mother sat quietly down and said (after
ascertaining that I had not tasted anything), 'My child, you are the
youngest of your sisters, and none are now left me of all my sons and
children, but you four' (alluding to her two elder sisters, herself and a
little son, still a mere lad). 'Who,' she continued, 'will take care of us
poor women? Now, my daughter, listen to me, and try to obey. Blacken
your face and fast really, that the Master of Life may have pity on you
and me, and on us all. Do not, in the least, deviate from my counsels,
and in two days more, I will come to you. He will help you, if you are
determined to do what is right, and tell me, whether you are favored or
not, by the true Great Spirit; and if your visions are not good, reject
them.' So saying, she departed.
"I took my little hatchet and cut plenty of wood, and twisted the cord
that was to be used in sewing ap-puk-way-oon-un, or mats for the use
of the family. Gradually I began to feel less appetite, but my thirst
continued; still I was fearful of touching the snow to allay it, by
sucking it, as my mother had told me that if I did so, though secretly,
the Great Spirit would see me, and the lesser spirits also, and that my

fasting would be of no use. So I continued to fast till the fourth day,
when my mother came with a little tin dish, and filling it with snow,
she came to my lodge, and was well pleased to find that I had followed
her injunctions. She melted the snow, and told me to drink it. I did so,
and felt refreshed, but had a desire for more, which she told me would
not do, and I contented myself with what she had given me. She again
told me to get and follow a good vision--a vision that might not only do
us good, but also benefit mankind, if I could. She then left me, and for
two days she did not come near me, nor any human being, and I was
left to my own reflections. The night of the sixth day, I fancied a voice
called to me, and said: 'Poor child! I pity your condition; come, you are
invited this way;' and I thought the voice proceeded from a certain
distance from my lodge. I obeyed the summons, and going to the spot
from which the voice came, found a thin, shining path, like a silver
cord, which I followed. It led straight forward, and, it seemed, upward.
After going a short distance I stood still and saw on my right hand the
new moon, with a flame rising from the top like a candle, which threw
around a broad light. On the left appeared the sun, near the point of its
setting. I went on, and I beheld on my right the face of
Kau-ge-gag-be-qua, or the everlasting woman, who told me her name,
and said to me, 'I give you my name, and you may give it to another. I
also give you that which I have, life everlasting. I give you long life on
the earth, and skill in saving life in others. Go, you are called on high.'
"I went on, and saw a man standing with a large, circular body, and
rays from his head, like horns. He said, 'Fear not, my name is Monedo
Wininees, or the Little man Spirit. I give this name to your first son. It
is my life. Go to the place you are called to visit.' I followed the path
till I could see that it led up to an opening in the sky, when I heard a
voice, and standing still, saw the figure of a man standing near the path,
whose head was surrounded with a brilliant halo, and his breast was
covered with squares. He said to me: 'Look at me, my name is
O-shau-wau-e-geeghick, or the Bright Blue Sky. I am the veil that
covers the opening into the sky. Stand and listen to me. Do not be
afraid. I am going to endow you