按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
needle at each end are admirable for embroidering； but they are
white only。
〃How can we dye them； Quonab？
〃In the summer are many dyes； in winter they are hard to get。 We
can get some。〃
So forth he went to a hemlock tree； and cut till he could gather
the inner pink bark； which； boiled with the quills； turned them a
dull pink； similarly； alder bark furnished rich orange； and
butternut bark a brown。 Oak chips； with a few bits of iron in
the pot； dyed black。
〃Must wait till summer for red and green；〃 said the Indian。 〃Red
comes only from berries； the best is the blitum。 We call it
squaw…berry and mis…caw…wa； yellow comes from the yellow root
（Hydrastis）。
But black； white； orange； pink； brown； and a dull red made by a
double dip of orange and pink； are a good range of colour。 The
method in using the quills is simple。 An awl to make holes in
the bark for each； the rough parts behind are concealed afterward
with a lining of bark stitched over them； and before the winter
was over； Rolf had made a birch…bark box； decorated lid and all；
with por… cupine quill work； in which he kept the sable skin that
was meant to buy Annette's new dress； the costume she had dreamed
of； the ideal and splendid； almost unbelievable vision of her
young life； ninety…five cents' worth of cotton print。
There was one other point of dangerous friction。 Whenever it
fell to Quonab to wash the dishes； he simply set them on the
ground and let Skookum lick them off。 This economical
arrangement was satisfactory to Quonab； delightful to Skookum；
and apparently justified by the finished product； but Rolf
objected。 The Indian said： 〃Don't he eat the same food as we do？
You cannot tell if you do not see。〃
Whenever he could do so； Rolf washed the doubtful dishes over
again； yet there were many times when this was impossible； and
the situation became very irritating。 But he knew that the man
who loses his temper has lost the first round of the fight； so；
finding the general idea of uncleanness without avail； he sought
for some purely Indian argument。 As they sat by the evening fire；
one day； he led up to talk of his mother of her power as a
medicine woman； of the many evil medicines that harmed her。 〃It
was evil medicine for her if a dog licked her hand or touched
her food。 A dog licked her hand and the dream dog came to her
three days before she died。〃 After a long pause； he added； 〃In
some ways I am like my mother。〃
Two days later； Rolf chanced to see his friend behind the shanty
give Skookum the pan to clean off after they had been frying deer
fat。 The Indian had no idea that Rolf was near； nor did he ever
learn the truth of it。
That night； after midnight； the lad rose quietly； lighted the
pine splints that served them for a torch； rubbed some charcoal
around each eye to make dark rings that should supply a
horror…stricken look。 Then he started in to pound on Quonab's
tom…tom； singing：
〃Evil spirit leave me；
Dog…face do not harm me。〃
Quonab sat up in amazement。 Rolf paid no heed； but went on；
bawling and drumming and staring upward into vacant space。 After
a few minutes Skookum scratched and whined at the shanty door。
Rolf rose； took his knife； cut a bunch of hair from Skookum's
neck and burned it in the torch； then went on singing with horrid
solemnity：
〃Evil spirit leave me；
Dog…face do not harm me。〃
At last he turned； and seeming to discover that Quonab was
looking on； said：
〃The dream dog came to me。 I thought I saw him lick deer grease
from the frying pan behind the shanty。 He laughed； for he knew
that he made evil medicine for me。 I am trying to drive him away；
so he cannot harm me。 I do not know。 I am like my mother。 She
was very wise； but she died after it。〃
Now Quonab arose； cut some more hair from Skookum； added a pinch
of tobacco； then； setting it ablaze； he sang in the rank odour of
the burning weed and hair； his strongest song to kill ill magic；
and Rolf； as he chuckled and sweetly sank to sleep； knew that the
fight was won。 His friend would never； never more install Skookum
in the high and sacred post of pot…licker； dishwasher； or final polisher。
Chapter 35。 Snaring Rabbits
The deepening snow about the cabin was marked in all the thickets
by the multitudinous tracks of the snowshoe rabbits or white
hares。 Occasionally the hunters saw them； but paid little heed。
Why should they look at rabbits when deer were plentiful？
〃You catch rabbit？〃 asked Quonab one day when Rolf was feeling
fit again。
〃I can shoot one with my bow；〃 was the answer； 〃but why should I；
when we have plenty of deer？〃
〃My people always hunted rabbits。 Sometimes no deer were to be
found； then the rabbits were food。 Sometimes in the enemy's
country it was not safe to hunt； except rabbits； with blunt
arrows； and they were food。 Sometimes only squaws and children in
camp nothing to eat； no guns； then the rabbits were food。〃
〃Well； see me get one；〃 and Rolf took his bow and arrow。 He
found many white bunnies； but always in the thickest woods。
Again and again he tried； but the tantalizing twigs and branches
muffled the bow and turned the arrow。 It was hours before he
returned with a fluffy snowshoe rabbit。
〃That is not our way。〃 Quonab led to the thicket and selecting a
place of many tracks he cut a lot of brush and made a hedge
across with half a dozen openings。 At each of these openings he
made a snare of strong cord tied to a long pole； hung on a
crotch； and so arranged that a tug at the snare would free the
pole which in turn would hoist the snare and the creature in it
high in the air。
Next morning they went around and found that four of the snares
had each a snow…white rabbit hanging by the neck。 As he was
handling these； Quonab felt a lump I on the hind leg of one。 He
carefully cut it open and turned out a curious…looking object
about the size of an acorn； flattened； made of flesh and covered
with hair； and nearly the shape of a large bean。 He gazed at it；
and； turning to Rolf； said with intense meaning：
〃Ugh！ we have found the good hunting。 This is the
Peeto…wab…oos…once； the little medicine rabbit。 Now we have
strong medicine in the lodge。 You shall see。〃
He went out to the two remaining snares and passed the medicine
rabbit through each。 An hour later； when they retumed； they
found a rabbit taken in the first snare。
〃It is ever so；〃 said the Indian。 〃We can always catch rabbits
now。 My father had the Peeto…wab…i…ush once； the little medicine
deer； and so he never failed in hunting but twice。 Then he found
that his papoose； Quonab； had stolen his great medcine。 He was a
very wise papoose。 He killed a chipmunk each of those days。〃
〃Hark！ what is that？〃 A faint sound of rustling branches； and
some short animal noises in the woods had caught Rolf's ear； and
Skookum's； too；