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A Translation of two Tales of the Beaver
Indians of Mackenzie's River.

In former times, when people were very numerous upon the Earth: it happened that the sun ceased to give heat or light. An unremitted fall of snow threatened to annihilate every living creature upon the earth. Already were the tops of the loftiest trees almost buried in snow, and it was with great difficulty, firewood could be procured. In order to discover the cause of this dreadful Phenomenon, a Party of Indians agreed to go upon discoveries – and after having marched many days without observing any difference in the climate, discovered a Squirrel's Nest: (squirrels in those days were eminently endowed with rational sense and reason, besides the gift of Speech) here the Adventurers pathetically stated their sufferings, arising from the Sun's having been stolen from them

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