--- title: Wiske·djak Cycle., part 1 — Myths and Folk-lore of the Timiskaming Algonquin… · full text with trees · page 2 description: Wiske·djak Cycle., part 1, «Myths and Folk-lore of the Timiskaming Algonquin and Timagami Ojibwa» by Frank G. Speck: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: (1) Wiske·djak Pursues the Beaver. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66509/5/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Myths and Folk-lore of the Timiskaming…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66509/) / Wiske·djak Cycle., part 1 # Wiske·djak Cycle., part 1 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66509/5/) **2** The Bear’s bladder was hanging in some willow trees where he had thrown it when he had cut him up.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") And he went over and filled the bladder with the grease, so that he could cool it.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") He tied the neck of the bladder so that it would hold the grease.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") “Now,” said he to himself, “even if they have taken all my meat and bones, I’ll have the grease.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") I’ll just tie it by a string to a stick and let it float in the river until it is cool, and then I’ll make a good meal of that anyway.”[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") So he tied the bladder of grease to a stick and let it swing in the current of the river to cool it.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") A Muskrat came along.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") “Kwe, Muskrat\![107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") Where are you going?” said Wiske·djak.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh! anywhere,” answered the Muskrat.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") “Well, then, come work for me,” said Wiske·djak.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") “Come, tie this bladder on your tail and swim further out in the deep water where it is cold and cool it for me.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") Don’t swim too fast and go easy or you might break the bladder and spill my grease.”[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") “All right,” said the Muskrat, “I will do it for you and you will tell me how fast to go.”[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Wiske·djak tied it to his tail and the Muskrat started off with it.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") He made a plan meanwhile.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") The Muskrat swam way out.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") “Hold on,” said Wiske·djak, “you’re going too fast.”[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") But the Muskrat swam farther and when he got far enough, he snapped the string with his tail, broke the bladder, and dove out of sight.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") The grease spread all over the water.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") Wiske·djak cried and ran out into the water and tried to scoop up the grease in his hands to save some of it, but it all escaped him.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") When he had lost his grease, he thought of his bouillon, and went back to his pail, but when he got there, he found that the Wolverine had come and eaten it all up.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he searched about to see if he could even find a small bone.[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") There was not a thing left.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") After a while he saw a string of little ants going back and forth from under a log.[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") “I wonder what they are doing,” thought he.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") “Maybe they have something hidden under there.”[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") He followed them and looked under the log, and there were the ants eating away on the Bear’s skull, devouring the brains.[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") “If I could get in there myself, I could get some of those brains,” said he.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") He tried different ways to reach in, but could not get at it.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") “If I could only put my head in that hole, I could eat some.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") I wish my head was as small as a snake’s head, then I could get it in.”[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") Then his head began to get small like a snake’s head and he poked it inside the skull and began eating a great snack.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") He licked the skull clean and said, “Well, I had a meal.[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, if I could only get up and out, I would be all right.”[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") But when he tried to get his head clear of the skull, he could not, because his head had turned back to its original size and was fast inside the skull.[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") He couldn’t see where he was going.[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he sat down on a log, thinking what to do next.[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") “If I knock my head against a rock, I might break my own head.”[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he thought of the Indians and started off in search of a camp to get help.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") He was blinded by the skull and could not see where he was going.[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon he banged against a tree.[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") “What’s your name?” he asked of the tree.[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") “Maple,” was the answer.[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") “Well, I’m in high ground.[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") I won’t find any people camping way up here.”[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon he banged against another tree.[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") “What’s your name?” he asked.[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") “Beech,” was the answer.[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") “I’m still in high ground,” said he; “I must strike lower ground.”[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon he banged against another tree and asked its name.[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") It answered, “White-pine.”[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") “Still in high ground,” said he, “but getting lower.”[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") The next tree he bumped against proved to be a red pine.[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") “Still in high ground.[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") No Indian camp here.”[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") At last he banged against a balsam and then a spruce.[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") “I am getting on low ground now,” said he.[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") Pretty soon he got into ragged bush and struck a rough-bark tree.[158](../../158/ "tree and pragmatics") “What’s your name?” he asked.[159](../../159/ "tree and pragmatics") “Cedar,” said the tree.[160](../../160/ "tree and pragmatics") “Aha\![161](../../161/ "tree and pragmatics") Now I’m in low ground and may strike a camp at last.”[162](../../162/ "tree and pragmatics") He went on and soon got into very tight bush and struck an alder.[163](../../163/ "tree and pragmatics") “Aha\![164](../../164/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, I am close to a lake.[165](../../165/ "tree and pragmatics") I will soon find a camp.”[166](../../166/ "tree and pragmatics") Next he got tangled up in knee-high twigs.[167](../../167/ "tree and pragmatics") He asked them what their name was and they told him willows.[168](../../168/ "tree and pragmatics") He said, “Am I near a lake?”[169](../../169/ "tree and pragmatics") “Yes,” they answered.[170](../../170/ "tree and pragmatics") “Can you see people?”[171](../../171/ "tree and pragmatics") “Yes, up at yonder point there is a camp,” they answered.[172](../../172/ "tree and pragmatics") “Is it far?” he asked.[173](../../173/ "tree and pragmatics") “No, not far,” said they.[174](../../174/ "tree and pragmatics") So he went on and got into something still lower.[175](../../175/ "tree and pragmatics") “What’s your name?” he asked.[176](../../176/ "tree and pragmatics") “Grass,” was the answer.[177](../../177/ "tree and pragmatics") Now he walked on and got into water, deeper and deeper.[178](../../178/ "tree and pragmatics") “If the people would only see me, I would be all right,” said he.[179](../../179/ "tree and pragmatics") Next he started to swim.[180](../../180/ "tree and pragmatics") He splashed about and made a noise to attract the people if any were about.[181](../../181/ "tree and pragmatics") Suddenly he remembered about the skull on his head and said, “If the people see me, they might think that I’m a bear and try to kill me.”[182](../../182/ "tree and pragmatics") So he swam on.[183](../../183/ "tree and pragmatics") Sure enough the Indians saw him.[184](../../184/ "tree and pragmatics") They recognized Wiske·djak by his antics and thought he was trying to play some trick on them, so they laughed about it and quietly paddled up close to him.[185](../../185/ "tree and pragmatics") They pretended they thought he was a bear and made out as though they were going to kill him.[186](../../186/ "tree and pragmatics") Wiske·djak swam as hard as he could for his life.[187](../../187/ "tree and pragmatics") “Hand me my axe,” said one of the Indians, “till I kill him.”[188](../../188/ "tree and pragmatics") “Stand aside till I shoot him with my arrow,” said another.[189](../../189/ "tree and pragmatics") “Hurry up, paddle hard or we’ll lose him,” said a third.[190](../../190/ "tree and pragmatics") They all kept shouting and making a great pretence to get after him, all the time laughing at Wiske·djak and splashing with their paddles as though trying to keep up with him.[191](../../191/ "tree and pragmatics") Wiske·djak all the time struggled ahead in great fear, expecting any moment to be killed.[192](../../192/ "tree and pragmatics") At last he got across the lake on the other shore and his feet struck bottom.[193](../../193/ "tree and pragmatics") He landed on a flat rock with the Indians behind him.[194](../../194/ "tree and pragmatics") Suddenly he slipped and fell on his head.[195](../../195/ "tree and pragmatics") The bear skull cracked and fell off and left his head free.[196](../../196/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he saw the Indians.[197](../../197/ "tree and pragmatics") “Don’t shoot\![198](../../198/ "tree and pragmatics") Don’t shoot!” cried he.[199](../../199/ "tree and pragmatics") “I’m Wiske·djak.”[200](../../200/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he took to the bush and escaped.[201](../../201/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66509/5/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66509/5/) - next →: [Wiske·djak Cycle., part 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66509/6/) - ↑ back to [Myths and Folk-lore of the Timiskaming Algonquin and Timagami Ojibwa](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66509/)