51. Owl Describes Himself

"I am called Yî, 'owl'. I carry a basket and frequent the low gaps looking for people. I sing for them but do not think about them." "If you come to see me, you may eat the leg which lies in the basket," he told him. "There is nothing in it," his guest replied. "Yes, there is pemmican in it," he said. "That is my luncheon. When the sun goes down my basket will be full of meat."

"Where shall I come to see you?" he asked. "You may come to me where the two cedars stand." He came there at evening and found his friend with a basket full of meat. The pemmican that had been in it was gone. "This is something's meat; take it home to your children." Then he

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carried it to his children. "I am carrying it home to my children," he said. "There are not many of them, there are only two." "Any way I am pleased, for I was looking for provisions. My children eat nothing but meat. They become large quickly because there are only two of them." "The people fear me because of my eyes. They are afraid also of my yellow horns. This is my nature. I bring you people's meat and I say to him, 'whu o whu!'" Thus he spoke they say.