Birch Bark Legend • Weegwauss

Birch Bark Legend • Weegwauss

Nana’b’oozoo with bow in hand heads to the highest cliff in search of feathers for his arrows. He needs them to kill an enormous fish too deep to catch. The only feathers powerful enough are from the Thunderbirds, so he cunningly transforms into a rabbit and is snatched up and brought up to their nest full of young. Nana’b’oozoo patiently waits for the Thunderbirds to continue their hunt, then left alone with the young he retransforms, clubs the young and steals their feathers. Upon the Thunderbirds return, thunder echoed from their beaks and lightning flashed from their eyes. Nana’b’oozoo ran and hid in a birch hollow. After clawing the tough bark to no avail and out of fear of snakes, an eternal foe, the Thunderbirds retreat. You can still see the short marks on the birch tree made by Nana’b’oozoo to commemorate the sharp claws of the Thunderbirds which almost killed him.