32. The Bear People

The people living in a certain town went about hunting. While they were doing so some of them saw a white bear, but the others could not see it. By and by one of the men hunting about killed the white bear and took it home. He returned with it shouting and happy and a divided it up, cooked it, came together and ate it. When they got through they played ball, being very joyful at their success.

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Then one man said, "Are you all glad? It is wrong to be so." Later when this man was walking alone in the forest a big Bear stood in front of him and said, "They have killed my chief. I am going to kill the people. If you believe me, tell your people. If they believe you , take them to the other side of the creek." When he got home he told his people, and some of them believed him, and, when he started to move, they followed, while others did not believe him, and did not follow.

After some time a bear came to the people and they killed it. Another one came and they killed that. Still another came. Next two came. Then three came. Then four came. The number kept increasing until ten came. After that more and more came until they had destroyed all of the people.

Afterwards the man went out and the Bear met him. It said, "Kill and eat us any time you wish and we will not hurt you."