MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF
BRITISH NORTH AMERICA
Deer's back, and they went there. When he got off, Deer went with him up to the woods. Then they came up under the trees.
Deer said, "Go up, and I will sit down here and wait for you." So Beaver went up into the woods. When Beaver was a long way off, Deer ran away quickly and swam off.
Beaver came back quickly, but Deer was nowhere to be seen. Beaver sat down on the beach. He could see no way to get off the island, because he was not used to swimming in the ocean. After he had sat there awhile, evening came upon him. Then, in the middle of the night, he called to the different animals. First he called to Black Bear, then he called to Wolf. "Save me!" he called. Then he called to Grizzly Bear, and he called to all the smaller animals.
None of them heard him. Beaver had been upon the island ten nights. He called every day, wailing. When he was unsuccessful, his heart was tired. So he sat still.
After a while, Beaver began to call to North: "North, save me! North, save me! North, save me!" And as he sang this every day, he continued to wail.
After ten days had passed, a black wind came toward him along the surface of the sea, as he sat near the shore. North had heard his voice. The wind blew
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