Animal Stories Of The North

Translated by Fainna Solasko
freebooksforkids.net
Illustrated by Y.Rachov

Wolverine And Vixen

An Evenk Story

One day Old Wolverine decided that she and her husband would look for a new home. They had heard there were many birds and beasts across the river, and so the old couple decided to move their tent and belongings there.

Wolverine's husband went off to the woods for birch bark for a boat. His wife began packing. When she was done she sat down on the bank by her bundles to wait for her husband.

Animal Stories Of The North

Soon a little boat came sailing by. Vixen was in it. She steered towards the bank and said, "Let me help you. I'll ferry your things across."

Animal Stories Of The North

Wolverine was very pleased. She grabbed up her bundles and piled them into the boat. As she was about to get in on top of them Vixen said.

"Wait! Don't get in. We'll sink if you do. I'll ferry your things across first and then come back for you."

Vixen pushed off, but she floated downstream with the current instead of paddling across to the other bank. The boat sailed farther and farther away. When Wolverine finally realized that Vixen had tricked her she sat down on a rock by the water's edge and wept bitterly.

Woodpecker was flying by just then. He heard Wolverine weeping, listened to her story and flew off after Vixen, heading straight across the woods to a large cape. There he settled on a bush by the water, broke off some twigs and waited for Vixen to sail round the bend.

When Vixen's boat came abreast of the bush Woodpecker said,

"Will you give me a ride?"

"All right. Hop in," Vixen said.

Woodpecker hid behind Wolverine's bundles so that Vixen would not see him.

They sailed on, with Vixen in the stern and Woodpecker pecking away softly at the bottom of the boat in the bow. He soon made a hole in the thin birch bark. Water began seeping in through the hole.

"Have we sprung a leak?" Vixen asked anxiously.

"Yes. A seam must've split. We'd better tie up," Woodpecker said.

Animal Stories Of The North

When they reached the bank Vixen jumped out and said, "You take out the bundles. I'll go to the woods for some fir sap. We can sail on again as soon as we stop up the hole."

The moment Vixen disappeared into the woods Woodpecker bent each of his twigs in two and made a plug to stop up the hole. Then he got into the boat and paddled back to Wolverine.

When Vixen came trotting out of the woods with some fir sap she saw that the boat was sailing away.

"You thief! Come back, Woodpecker!"

"No, Vixen. These aren't your things," Woodpecker replied.

At last he reached Wolverine's tent. The old couple were happy to see him.

"What'll kind Woodpecker's reward be?" they said.

Old Wolverine made Woodpecker a suede jacket. She tinted it with colored clay and then made him a bright hat.

Woodpecker looked wonderful in his new clothes.

Old Wolverine's husband was a fine smith. He made Woodpecker a steel beak and talons to match.

Ever since then Woodpecker has been brightly dressed and can drill a hole in even the stoutest tree with his steel beak.

Read all Animal Stories Of The North

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