Finally he made him a covering of deer hide with head and all, and he ran into the circle,

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

and leaped into the basket. Immediately all the maidens vanished and twelve deer bounded over the prairie toward the pine clad hills.

After a time he left the basket, and the circle ; and the deer came running back, and they disappeared, and twelve maidens jumped out of the grass and into the basket and were gone.

The next day, disguised as a deer, he ran into the circle, and throwing off the disguise, he seized the maiden of his choice, and the others sprang into the basket and only eleven were wafted to the skies.

He carried his captive tenderly to his lodge, and while she mourned and wanted to return to the stars, she appreciated his great tenderness and consideration.

By and by, there came a little brown boy to add to their happiness and she seemed to have forgotten about her home in the skies. Seemed, I say, for all unknown to Algon, she worked upon and made a wicker basket. And one day he returned from the hunt and found she and the baby were gone. Someone had seen her going to the Magic Circle, on the prairie. He hurried out, but was too late, for as he neared the spot he heard her sing, and saw the wicker basket going up. Her song was of her happiness, but it was a dirge of his hopes.