Algonquin Indian Tales

by the Bees-How the Bees Got Their Stings-What Ha

erested, though she pretended to be disgusted at the whole thing, and professed, in her Indian way, to be quite shocked when they both co

omething she would never do, as it might bring down upon them some of the punishment which was quite contrary to her princi

s they might, she had never once informed on them, and she had no mind to begin now. She earnestly pleaded with them not to carry out their resolve. The li

id, but she never expressed herself in other than the Indian language. Hence

ing that Mary should tell them more tales. If she would do this they "would not run away very soon;" especially did she emphasiz

when he said, "Now, Mary, remember, we have only promised not to

ning in their beds, and had decided how they would get stories out of M

gan. Little Sagastao generally spent his hour, either with his father or some trusty Indian, playing with and watching the gambols of the great dogs, of which not a few

s within hundreds of miles, some hours of the forenoon were devoted to the education of the chil

h. As the children's education progressed they wanted to teach Mary. She stubbornly resisted,

ing the day, and on inquiring the reason was promptly informed that Ma

loving mother, struck with the emphas

d were wisely silent. Mary also noticed this, and at once her great loyalty to the little folk manif

y, and as she always keeps her

here she had been sitting, and taking a child by

you saved us that time,

ling of what was in the minds of the children, yet she had such peculiar

ippling waves making music at their feet, the old nurse crooned out many an Indian legend or exciting story about the red men of the past. To-day, however, she was perplexed by the attitude of the children and could not

was stung on both hands by some honey bees that were in the flowers. Mary quickly made a batte

d Minnehaha, with tears streaming down he

rother. "We were carrying off the flowers from

e a few flowers without stin

Mary's homely but skillful treatment, and as the c

h terrible stings? My hands felt as if they were on fire when I

as the house flies. They were just as industrious as they are now, but they had any amount

ld suck it out, and even the little squirrels were always stealing it. The result was that whole swarms often starved in the long winters, because all their honey, which is their winter food, was stolen from them. The bees were in danger of being destroyed. They gave

ith them that they had almost giv

progressing. He was greater than even Nanahboozhoo, and was perhaps a relative of his, but he very seldom appeared, or did anything for anyone. However, it happ

usly, and ate heartily of the present of beautiful honey which some of them had m

woe. He was indignant when he heard of the numbers of their enemies, and

gain on a day he mentioned, saying that by that time he would know just what to do-for help them he would. The bees were so delighted

p questions. But the bees were in such good humor about the help that was coming that they did not refer to the bad habits of their cousins at all. Then Wakonda made a speech to the bees, and told them how much he

e their cousins Wakonda was good-natured enough to give them the same sort of weapons. Some people, especially boys, think th

ter the bees got their

ng their honey in it. They had made the combs, and were now filling them, when along came a couple of bears. These animals, as you have been told, are great honey thieves, but they always had hard work to find

e they made in their climbing alarmed the bees. Out they came in great numbers, and now, instead of flying around in a panic, like so many house flies, and seeing their honey devoured, they at o

ut at length the bees mustered in such vast numbers-for those away gathering honey, as they returned, joined in the attack-that the bears became wild with pain and fear, and had

st all creatures that bother t

I was picking a few flowers; but, after all, I am glad they h

ense," replied Sagastao, "and so they g

lowed, in the waters of the lake which rippled at their feet, and soon not the slightest trace o

ry that he had heard from Souwanas about a naughty fellow, called Maheigan, who tried to capture a beautiful kind-hearted maiden, Waubenoo, and of ho

cited their curiosity, and so when Mary was putting

ee, she was not familiar with it. She told the children that she kne