True story told to me by my uncle Fred D. after my asking what was in Aunt Merles cassarole dish.

During the depression years, Fred and his buddy were driving trucks on a Govt. road building project up in the Dakotas.

It was noon and they stopped their trucks at the roadside beside a small stream. There was an Indian encampment there between the road and the stream. One of the braves came up the hill to them and told them they could come down and eat with them out of the kettle.

They took their tin plates and cups and went down to eat with the Indians. Fred said that he knew what to expect so he took the ladle and put the stew on his plate and went over to sit on a log and eat.

But his buddy stayed behind and was stirring and poking into the stew, obviously trying to identify what was in it. Then one brave spoke up in a loud voice, Ugh! Dig deep. Dog on bottom.

I never did learn what Aunt Merle put in her cassarole.