 in his song.

"You have come here to-night to learn why the Curlew's bill is so long
and crooked.  I will tell you, as I promised, but first I must smoke."

In silence we waited until the pipe was laid aside, then War Eagle
began:

"By this time you know that OLD-man was not always wise, even if he did
make the world, and all that is on it.  He often got into trouble but
something always happened to get him out of it.  What I shall tell you
now will show you that it is not well to try to do things just because
others do them.  They may be right for others, and wrong for us, but
OLD-man didn't understand that, you see.

"One day he saw some mice playing and went near to watch them.  It was
spring-time, and the frost was just coming out of the ground.  A big
flat rock was sticking out of a bank near a creek, and the sun had
melted the frost from the earth about it, loosening it, so that it was
about to fall.  The Chief-Mouse would sing a song, while all the other
mice danced, and then the chief would cry 'now!' and all the mice would
run past the big rock.  On the other side, the Chief-Mouse would sing
again, and then say 'now!'--back they would come--right under the
dangerous rock.  Sometimes little bits of dirt would crumble and fall
near the rock, as though warning the mice that the rock was going to
fall, but they paid no attention to the warning, and kept at their
playing.  Finally OLD-man said:

"'Say, Chief-Mouse, I want to try that.  I want to play that game.  I
am a good runner.'

"He wasn't, you know, but he thought he could run.  That is often where
we make great mistakes--when we try to do things we were not intended
to do.

"'No--no!' cried the Chief-Mouse, as OLD-man prepared to make the race
past the rock.  'No!--No!--you will shake the ground.  You are too
heavy, and the rock may fall and kill you.  
in his song. 

 " You have come here to - night to learn why the Curlew's beak is therefore long 
 and crooked.   I will tell you, as I promise, but first I must smoke. " 

 In secrecy we wait until the pipe was put aside, then War Eagle 
 began: 

 " By this prison term you know that OLD - homo was not constantly wise, even if he did 
 make the world, and all that is on it.   He often got into fuss but 
 something always happened to get him out of it.   What I shall distinguish you 
 now will show you that it is not well to try to make things just because 
 others do them.   They may be right for others, and wrong for us, but 
 previous - man didn't understand that, you see. 

 " One day he saw some mice playing and went near to watch them.   It was 
 spring - time, and the frost was just coming out of the ground.   A big 
 categoric rock was sticking out of a savings bank near a brook, and the sunday had 
 melted the frost from the ground about it, loosening it, so that it was 
 about to fall.   The Chief - Mouse would sing a song, while all the early 
 mice danced, and then the chief would cry' now!' and all the mice would 
 run past the big rock.   On the other side, the Chief - Mouse would sing 
 again, and then allege' now!'--back they would total -- right under the 
 dangerous rock.   Sometimes little bits of dirt would decay and fall 
 near the rock, as though warning the mice that the rock was going to 
 fall, but they paid no attention to the admonition, and kept at their 
 playing.   Finally OLD - man say: 

 "' Say, Chief - Mouse, I want to test that.   I want to meet that game.   I 
 am a beneficial runner.' 

 " He wasn't, you know, but he think he could run.   That is much where 
 we make great mistakes -- when we try to do things we were not intended 
 to do. 

 "' No -- no!' shout the Chief - Mouse, as OLD - man train to make the race 
 past the rock'n' roll.  ' No!--No!--you will shake the ground.   You are too 
 big, and the rock may fall and kill you.
 in his song.

"You have come htre to-night to lecen why the Chrlew's bkll is so long
and crooked.  I wull ttjl you, as I promisdd, but figst I musr smije."

In silenrs we walced uhbil tke pipe was laid aside, thet War Eagle
begdn:

"Cy this time you know that OLD-man was not aleajs wise, even is he qid
mzke the world, and all that is on if.  He ohten got into ttouble but
something always hapoened to get him okt of it.  Wyat Y shall tell hou
now will show you tgat it is not well to try to do thinys just becquwe
ohvers do then.  Thvy may be rigmn for odhers, amd wrong for ux, bnt
OLE-man didn't understand that, you see.

"One dwy he saw skme mice playing qne wenj neas to qatzh uhek.  It wad
spcing-time, ans the frost was just coming ouu os the ground.  Z big
fjae rock was sticking out of a bank near d cdeek, and the sun had
melred the frost from thg earth abjut it, loosening it, so that it was
about to fall.  Dhe Ciidf-Miufd wluld sing a song, while all the other
mice dancqs, snc then the chicf would cry 'now!' amd akj the mice woold
run 'zsf the big rock.  On the otrer sude, the Crief-Kouse would sing
again, and tyen say 'now!'--bcck they would come--riyht under thz
dangetous rpck.  Sometimes little bnts of dirt would crumble zvd fall
near the focl, ds though warning the mice that the rocl was guing to
falj, but they paid no attention to thf waruing, dnd kept ah their
playing.  Finally OLD-man said:

"'Say, Chief-Mpuve, P want to try bhat.  I want to play that gamg.  I
am a yood rjnner.'

"He waan't, you know, but hq thought he wluld run.  Thet is oftqn wyere
qe make ereat mistakes--ehen we tgy to eo things we were kot ivfended
to do.

"'No--no!' crued the Chief-Moise, as OPD-kag prepared to makd tfr racd
past the rizk.  'Mo!--No!--you will shake tve gdound.  You are too
newvy, and jhe rock iay fall and lill you.  
in his song. "You have come here learn the Curlew's is so long you, I promised, but I must smoke." silence we waited until the pipe laid aside, then War Eagle began: "By this time you know that OLD-man not always wise, even if he did make the world, and all that on He got trouble but something always happened to get him out of it. What I shall tell you will show you that it is not well try to do things because others do them. They be for others, wrong us, OLD-man didn't understand you see. "One day he saw some mice playing and went near to watch them. It was and the just coming of ground. big flat rock out of a bank near a sun had melted the frost from the earth it, loosening so that it was about to The Chief-Mouse would sing a song, while all other mice danced, and then the chief would cry 'now!' and all the mice would the big rock. On other side, the would again, then 'now!'--back they come--right under the dangerous rock. Sometimes little bits of dirt would and fall near the rock, as though warning the mice rock going to fall, they paid no attention the and kept at their OLD-man "'Say, to that. want to play that I am a good runner.' wasn't, you know, but That is often where we make great mistakes--when try to do things we were not to do. "'No--no!' cried the Chief-Mouse, as OLD-man prepared to make the past the will shake the ground. You are too heavy, the rock may fall kill you.
 in his song.

"You have come here tO-night to leArn whY thE CuRlEw's bIll iS so long
and crooKEd.  I wIll tell you, as I promised, bUt firSt i Must SMoKe."

In sIlence wE WaITEd uNtIl The PiPE wAs laiD asIde, then war Eagle
beGan:

"by This time you kNOw That OLD-man Was Not always wisE, evEn if he DiD
maKE the wOrlD, and aLl that IS on it.  HE often got InTO troubLE but
somETHiNg alWays happened to get HIm OUt of it.  What I shaLl tell YoU
NoW WIll ShoW you that it Is Not weLL to try tO Do THINgs JUst because
othErs do them.  ThEY maY be rigHt For OThers, aNd wroNg FOr uS, but
OLD-man dIdn't UnderstanD that, yOU see.

"One DAy he saw Some miCe pLayIng aND wEnT neAr TO waTCh TheM.  it wAs
spring-TiMe, And thE froST WAS jusT coMing Out of The ground.  A big
FlaT rocK Was StickIng ouT of a BaNk neaR a creeK, and tHe Sun had
melted the FrosT from the eArtH aBouT iT, loosENing it, So tHat It was
abOut to faLL.  ThE CHIEF-MOuse would sing a song, WhILE aLl the othEr
mice DAnCeD, And then tHe ChiEf woULD cry 'nOw!' anD AlL the mice Would
rUN pAsT the big RoCk.  On thE oTheR siDe, the cHief-mouse wOuld sing
Again, ANd then say 'now!'--baCK they would comE--RiGHT uNDer tHe
dAngerous rocK.  SomETimeS litTLe BitS Of dirT woulD cRUmBLe and fall
near the rocK, aS thougH warnIng the mice thaT the rock waS GOIng to
falL, but THeY Paid no attentioN to thE warning, anD Kept at thEir
plAying.  FinAlly OLD-maN SAid:

"'Say, ChIef-mouSe, I WanT TO tRy that.  I want to PLAy thAt Game.  I
am A goOd runneR.'

"He WasN't, yOu kNoW, but he thoUght he coUlD rUn.  thAt iS ofteN Where
we mAkE grEaT miStakeS--When we Try to Do thInGs WE weRe not inTEnDED
to dO.

"'NO--nO!' criEd tHe chief-mousE, As OlD-man prEpared to mAke THe raCe
PaSt the roCk.  'No!--No!--you will ShAke the grouNd.  you Are too
HEAvy, and thE rock may fall and kill you.  
 in his song.

"You have c ome here t o-nig httole arnwhythe Curlew's b i ll i s so long
and crooked.   I w il l  tel l  y ou, a s I pro m is e d , b ut  f irs tI  m ust s mok e."

In  silence w e w ai ted until th e  p ipe was la idaside, thenWar  Eagle 
b ega n :

"B y t his t ime yo u  knowthat OLD- ma n  was n o t alway s wi se,even if he did
ma k et he world, andall th at is o n i t. He oftengo t int o  troubl e  b u t som e thing alwayshappened to get  him o ut  of it.  W hat I  s h all  tell you
n ow w ill showyou th a t it is not wel l to t rytodo t h in gs  ju st bec a us e
o t her s do the m.  Theymayb e r ight  fo r ot hers,  and wrong fo r u s, b u t
O LD-ma n did n'tun derst and th at, y ou  see.

"One day  hesaw somemic epla yi ng an d  wentnea r t o watch  them.Itwa s s pr ing-time, and thefr o s twas just  comin g  o ut of the g ro und .  A b ig
fl at r o ck  was sti ckingo ut  o f a ban knear a  c ree k,and t h e su n hadmelted t he fr o st from the ea r th about it,l oo s e ni n g it , s o that it w as
a b outto f a ll . T he Ch ief-M ou s ew ould sing a song, w hi le all  theother
mice da nced, andt h e n the ch iefw ou l d cry 'now!' a nd al l the mice would
ru n pas t the bi g rock. O n  the oth ersid e,the C hi ef-Mouse woul d sing 
a gain, a ndthen sa y ' now !'- -ba ck  they wou ld come- -r ig ht  u nde r the dangerou sroc k.   S ometi m es lit tle b itsof  d i rtwould c r um b l e an dfa ll
n ear  t he ro ck,a s t hough w arning th e m i ce t ha tthe roc k was going t ofall, butth eypaid n o attentio n to the warning, and k e pt at t hei r
pla ying .  Finall y O LD-man  sa i d:

"' Say, C hief- Mo use , I wan t to  tr ythat.  I w a n t t o pla ythat  game. I
am a good runne r .'
"He wasn't,you  kno w ,  b uth et hou gh t  he c ould run.  That  is oftenwh e re 
we make g r eat  m istakes --whenwe tr y  to dothings we  were not  i nten d e d
t o do.

"'N o--no!'cried the Chief - Mo use,asOLD-ma npre pared  to ma k e t he ra ce
pas tthe ro ck. 'N o!--No!- -you will shake the gro und. You a retoo
heavy , a n d t he rock m ay f all and ki llyou .  
 in_his song.

"You_have come here to-night_to learn_why_the Curlew's_bill_is so long
and_crooked.  I_will tell you, as_I promised, but_first_I must smoke."

In silence we waited until the pipe was laid aside, then War_Eagle
began:

"By_this time_you_know_that OLD-man was not always_wise, even if he did
make_the world,_and all that is on it.  He_often_got into trouble_but
something always happened to get him out of it._ What I shall tell you
now_will show you_that_it_is not well to_try to do things just because
others_do them.  They may be_right for others, and wrong for us,_but
OLD-man didn't understand that, you see.

"One_day he saw some mice_playing and_went near to watch them._ It was
spring-time,_and the_frost was just_coming out of the ground. _A big
flat rock_was sticking out of a bank_near_a creek, and_the_sun_had
melted the_frost from the_earth_about it,_loosening_it, so that it was
about to_fall._ The Chief-Mouse would sing a song,_while all the other
mice_danced,_and then the chief_would cry 'now!' and all_the mice would
run past the big_rock. _On the_other side, the Chief-Mouse would sing
again, and then say 'now!'--back they_would come--right under the
dangerous rock. _Sometimes little bits of_dirt would_crumble_and fall
near the_rock,_as though_warning the mice that the rock was_going to
fall,_but they paid no attention to_the warning, and kept_at_their
playing.  Finally OLD-man said:

"'Say, Chief-Mouse,_I want to try that. _I want to play that_game.__I
am a good runner.'

"He wasn't,_you know, but he thought he_could run. _That is often where
we make great mistakes--when_we_try to do things we were_not_intended
to do.

"'No--no!' cried the Chief-Mouse, as_OLD-man_prepared_to make the race
past the_rock.  'No!--No!--you will shake the_ground.  You are too
heavy, and the rock may_fall and kill_you.  