WONDER TALES OF THE FOREST 7

vent their anger upon the little scarred girl. They found that their father had reached home while they were away, and that he had brought a great store of shells. So they began string- ing the wampum.

Oochigeaskw knew that her sisters had been to Team’s lodge, and she thought:

“Perhaps I could see him. Perhaps I could see Team, and then I should not have to live here with my cruel sisters.”

Then she remembered that she had no cloth- ing—she was in rags. What should she do! She saw a birch tree in its beautiful white cov- ering and she said:

“I’ll make a garment of that.”

So she made herself a skirt and jacket of the birch bark. She found a pair of old moccasins her father had thrown away, and she soaked them in water, and tried to make them fit her feet. But they were so large that they reached to her knees.

Then Oochigeaskw went to her sisters, busy with the bright little shells, and said:

“Oh, give me some of the pretty shells.”

But they sneered at her and sent her away. Again and again she went to them, begging:

“Do give me some of the pretty little shells! Do give me some of the pretty little shells.”

At last they gave her a few, such pretty ones: yellow and blue and green and white!