PAGE 6
The Enchanted Moccasins
by
“I will improve on that dull fellow,” said Ko-ko. “I will put them on myself.”
Accordingly, Ko-ko had just time to draw on the moccasins when the wicked father came in sight.
“Go now!” cried Ko-ko, giving orders to the enchanted moccasins; and go they did; but to the astonishment of the Owl, they turned immediately about in the way in which the wicked father, now, very furious, was approaching.
“The other way! the other way!” cried Ko-ko.
Cry as loud as he would, the enchanted moccasins would keep on in their own course; and before he could shake himself out of them, they had run him directly into the face of the wicked father.
“What do you mean, you Owl?” cried the wicked father, falling upon Ko-ko with a huge club, and counting his ribs at every stroke.
“I can not help it, good man,” answered Ko-ko. “I tried my best–“
Ko-ko would have gone the other way, but the enchanted moccasins kept hurrying him forward. “Stand off, will you?” cried the old man.
By this time, allowing the wicked father chance to bestow no more than five-and-twenty more blows upon Ko-ko, the moccasins were taking him past.
“Stop!” cried the old man again. “You are running away. Ho! ho! you are a coward!”
“I am not, good man,” answered Ko-ko, carried away by the magical shoes, “I assure you.” But ere he could finish his avowal, the moccasins had hurried him out of sight.
“At any rate, I shall soon be home at this speed,” said Ko-koor to himself.
The moccasins seemed to know his thoughts; for just then they gave a sudden leap, slipped away from his feet, and left the Owl flat upon his back! while they glided home by themselves, to the lodge of Onwee Bahmondang, where they belonged.
A party of hunters passing that way after several days, found Ko-ko sitting among the bushes, looking greatly bewildered; and when they inquired of him how he had succeeded with the wicked father at the lodge, he answered that he had demolished the whole establishment, but that his name was not Ko-ko, but Onwee Bahmondang; saying which, he ran away into the woods, and was never seen more.