his fur for several minutes they man-
aged to stretch the skin on each side between the fore and hind
feet, until they had Tewa, the Flying Squirrel. To try him the bird
captain threw up the ball, when the Flying Squirrel sprang off the
limb after it, caught it in his teeth and carried it through the air to
another tree nearly across the bottom.
"When they were all ready the signal was given and thegame began,
but almost at the first toss the Flying Squirrel caught the ball and
carried it up a tree, from which he threw it to the birds, who kepi it
in the air for some time until it dropped. The Bear rushed to gel it.
but the Martin darted after it and threw it to the Bat, who was flying
near theground, and by his dodging and doubling kept it out of the
way of even the Deer, until he finally threw it in between the post- and
won the game for the birds.
The Bear and the Terrapin, who had boasted so of what they would
do, never got a chance even to touch the ball. For saving the ball
when it dropped, the birds afterwards gave the Martin a gourd in
which to build hi- nest, and he still has it.
37. HOW THE TURKEY GOT HIS BEARD
When the Terrapin won the race from the Rabbit (see the story) all
the animals wondered and talked about it a great deal, because they
had always thought the Terrapin slow, although they knew that he
was a warrior and had many conjuring secrets beside. But the Turkey
was not satisfied