Told by Charles Cultee (Q!̲Eltê') — recorded and translated by Franz Boas

Franz Boas published Chinook Texts in 1894 as Bulletin 20 of the U.S. Bureau of American Ethnology. Nearly everything in it came from one man: Charles Cultee, whom Boas found at Bay Center, Washington, in 1890–91 as one of the last fluent speakers of Chinook and Kathlamet, the languages of the salmon-fishing peoples of the lower Columbia River. Boas's own introduction below tells how he located Cultee and why he judged him, despite speaking Chinook only rarely by then, "a veritable storehouse of information." One further myth, "The First Ship seen by the Clatsop," was told by Charles Cultee's near neighbor Catherine.

This edition reproduces the complete text as digitized from the sacred-texts.com archive's copy of the 1894 Government Printing Office edition: Boas's historical account and phonetic alphabet, all eighteen numbered myths, and his full ethnographic record of Chinookan beliefs, customs, and two historical tales. The book's frontispiece portrait of Cultee is not part of this digitization. Boas's translations follow Cultee's Chinook closely — his introduction explains that he rendered the first text "almost verbatim" and thereafter aimed to preserve the sense and something of the sentence-shape of the original — and his own bracketed clarifying insertions are preserved throughout as printed.

Contents

• Introduction
• Alphabet
• Myths: 1. CikL̲a · 2. Okulâ'm · 3. Anêktcô'lEmiX · 4. The Salmon · 5. Raven and Gull · 6. Coyote · 7. The Crane · 8. Ênts!̲X · 9. The Crow · 10. Câ'xaL · 11. Stikua' · 12. The Skunk · 13. Robin and Blue-Jay · 14. Blue-Jay and Iô'i · 15. Blue-Jay and Iô'i · 16. Blue-Jay and Iô'i · 17. Ckulkulô'L · 18. The Panther
• Beliefs, Customs, and Tales: The Soul and the Shamans · How Cultee's Grandfather Acquired a Guardian Spirit · The Four Cousins · The GiLâ'unaLX · The Elk Hunter · Pregnancy and Birth · Puberty · Marriage · Death · Whaling · Elk Hunting · The Potlatch · War
• Historical Tales: War Between Quileute and Clatsop · The First Ship Seen by the Clatsop

Introduction

Historical Account

The following texts were collected in the Summers of 1890 and 1891. While studying the Salishan languages of Washington and Oregon I learned that the dialects of the lower Chinook were on the verge of disappearing, and that only a few individuals survived who remembered the languages of the once powerful tribes of the Clatsop and Chinook. This fact determined me to make an effort to collect what little remained of these languages.

I first went to Clatsop, where a small band of Indians are located near Seaside, Clatsop county, Oregon. Although a number of them belonged to the Clatsop tribe, they had all adopted the Nehelim language, a dialect of the Salishan Tillamook. This change of language was brought about by frequent intermarriages with the Nehelim. I found one middle-aged man and two old women who still remembered the Clatsop language, bat it was impossible to obtain more than a vocabulary and a few sentences. The man had forgotten a great part of the language, while the women were not able to grasp what I wanted; they claimed to have forgotten their myths and traditions, and could not or would not give me any connected texts. One old Clatsop woman, who had been married to a Mr. Smith, was too sick to be seen, and died soon after my visit. The few remaining Clatsop had totally forgotten the history of their tribe, and even maintained that no allied dialect was spoken north. of Columbia river and on Shoalwater bay. They assured me, that the whole country was occupied by the Chehalis, another Salishan tribe. They told me, however, that a few of their relatives, who still continued to speak Clatsop, lived on Shoalwater bay among the Chehalis.

I went to search for this remnant of the Clatsop and Chinook peoples, and found them located at Bay Center, Pacific county, Washington. They proved to be the last survivors of the Chinook, who at one time occupied the greater part of Shoalwater bay and the northern bank of Columbia river as far as Greys Harbor. The tribe has adopted the Chehalis language in the same way in which the Clatsop have adopted the Nehelim. The only individuals who spoke Chinook were Charles Cultee and Catherine. While I was unable to obtain anything from the latter, Cultee (or more properly Q!̲Eltê') proved to be a veritable storehouse of information. His mother's mother was a Katlamat, and his mother's father a Quilâ'pax; his father's mother was a Clatsop, and his father's father a Tinneh of the interior. His wife is a Chehalis, and at present he speaks Chehalis almost exclusively, this being also the language of his children. He has lived for a long time in Katlamat, on the southern bank of Columbia river, his mother's town, and for this reason speaks the Katlamat dialect as well as the Chinook dialect. He uses the former dialect in conversing with Samson, a Katlamat Indian, who is also located at Bay Center. Until a few years ago he spoke Chinook with one of his relatives, while he uses it now only rarely when conversing with Catherine, who lives a few miles from Bay Center. Possibly this Chinook is to a certain extent mixed with Katlamat expressions, but from a close study of the material I conclude that it is on the whole pure and trustworthy.

I have obtained from Cultee a series of Katlamat texts also, which appear to me not quite so good as the Chinook texts, but nevertheless give a good insight into the differences of the two dialects. It may be possible to obtain material in this dialect from other sources.

My work of translating and explaining the texts was greatly facilitated by Cultee's remarkable intelligence. After he had once grasped what I wanted, he explained to me the grammatical structure of the sentences by means of examples, and elucidated the sense of difficult periods. This work was the more difficult as we conversed only by means of the Chinook jargon.

The following pages contain nothing but the texts and translations. The grammar and dictionary of the language will contain a comparison of all the dialects of the Chinookan stock. I have translated the first text almost verbatim, while in the later texts I endeavored only to render the sense accurately, for which reason short sentences have been inserted, others omitted. Still, the form of the Chinook sentences has been preserved as nearly as possible.

Alphabet

Words ending with a short vowel must be contracted with the first vowel of the next word. When a word ends with a long vowel and the next begins with a vowel, a euphonic ‑y‑ is inserted. The last consonant of a word is united with the first vowel of the next word to one syllable.

Myths

1. CikL̲a

There were five brothers who had one younger sister. When she was grown up the grizzly bear carried her away. One year her brothers did not find her. Then her elder brother went to search for his younger sister. He went some distance and met a pheasant (?). He shot it and hung it on to the branch of a tree. He went on and found a house. He opened the door and saw an old man and a boy inside. He entered. Then the child jumped up and said: "Louse me, uncle!" He took the child and loused it. He found a louse and squeezed it. Immediately the old man bit his neck and cut off his head. Then the old man and the boy carried his body into the woods and hid it. The bear's wife and his daughter had gone digging gamass (camass) at that time.

Now four [brothers] only remained. One day the next eldest went. He also found a pheasant. He shot it and hung it on to the branch of a tree. He went a long distance and found a house. He opened the door and saw in old man and a boy inside. Then he entered. The boy jumped up and said: "Uncle, louse me!" He did so and found a louse. He squeezed it; then the old man bit his neck and cut off his head. Then the old man and the boy carried his body into the woods and hid it. The two women had again gone digging gamass. Then the daughter said to her mother: "Come, let us go home; somebody arrived at our house." The mother replied: "Wait a while." After some time the two women went home. Then the girl smelled blood in the house and knew at once what had happened. She grew angry and struck her father and her brother with a firebrand.

Now three [brothers] only remained. One day the next brother said: "I will go next." He went a long distance and he also found a pheasant.

He shot it and hung it on to the branch of a tree. He went on and found a house. He opened the door and found all old man and a boy inside. He entered and shared the fate of his brothers. Then the girl said: "Come, let us go home; somebody arrived at our house." Her mother replied: "Wait a while." Then she said to her: "Have you no relatives? "She replied: "You have five uncles." Then the two women went home. She became angry and struck her father and her brother.

Now it became day and one more made himself ready. He took his arrows and he also went. He went a long distance; then he found a pheasant. He shot it and hung it on to the branch of a tree. He went on and found a house. Then he opened the door and saw an old man and a boy inside. He entered. The boy jumped and said: "Louse me, uncle." He did so and found a louse. He squeezed it. Then the old man bit his neck and cut off his head. Then they carried the body inland and hid it. The girl [who was digging gamass with her mother] said: "Come, let us go home; somebody arrived at our house." But her mother replied: "Wait a while." Then they went home. They opened the door and she smelled the blood. She became angry and struck her father and her brother.

Now one only remained. He cried the whole night. When it became nearly daylight he fell asleep. He dreamt: "When you will go you will meet a pheasant. Do not shoot it. A monster carried away your younger sister and killed all your elder brothers. When you will go you will find a house. Do not enter at once. When you see two persons in there stay at the door." Now it became day. He awoke and continued to cry. Then he took his arrows and went. He went along distance and saw a pheasant. He did not shoot it. He went on and found a house. He opened the door. There was an old man and a boy inside. Then he stayed at the door. He remained there a long time. Then the girl spoke and said to her mother: "Come, let us go home; somebody arrived at our house." Her mother replied: "Let us turn back!" Then they went home. They reached their house and opened the door. Now there was a person. They entered. Then the girl grew angry. In the evening the man said to his younger sister: "All our brothers came here;" and she told her daughter: "All your uncles came here." [The daughter replied: ] "You did not believe me." [Her uncle asked:] "What shall we do with the old man and the boy? Shall we kill them? [She replied:] "Yes; they shall die." Then the man. said: "I will go and get pitchwood." He went and brought pitchwood into the house. Then the old man said: "What do you intend to do with that pitchwood?" "We shall use it to make fire in winter." Now they remained there a long time. [One night] he spoke to the old man a longtime. When it became nearly day [the old man] fell asleep. Then he said to his sister: "Arise! now we will burn them." She arose and left the house. Her daughter also arose and went out. Then be set fire to the pitchwood. He went out. Now the house began to burn. The old man said: "Heh! brother-in-law! Rise! We are going to be burnt." He arose and found that the door was locked. Now he himself and his son were burnt.

Then she searched for her uncles. She found them in the woods and carried them to the water. She blew some water on the bodies. Then they all arose. They went home. They went a long distance and came to a lake. They bathed in the lake. Now the woman [their sister] dived and said: "Shall I dive?" The brothers replied: "Yes, dive!" "Do I look pretty in this lake?" "Yes, you look pretty in the lake." She dived again. "Shall I dive?" "Yes, dive." "Do I look pretty in this lake?" "Yes, you look pretty in the lake." Then she dived again. After she had dived three times hair began to grow on her. She said again: "Do I look pretty in this lake?" "Oh, no! you do not look. pretty in this lake." "Eh, why did you not tell me before?" Now she had dived five times, and she remained always in the lake and became a monster. They took only their niece along. They arrived at their house and stayed there. Now all the people wanted to marry the girl, but the brothers did not give her away. Finally a chief married her and she remained with him.

Now, Blue-Jay was discontented because she never laughed. After a time she said [to her husband]: "I am getting tired. Go far away, then I shall laugh." "No, no, don't laugh!" After some time she said again: "I am getting tired." Then her husband replied: "Well, then laugh now." She said: "I will laugh because Blue-jay makes me tired. Go into the woods! Lie down on your knees and elbows and close your ears." Then early in the morning she went to bathe. She took a comb and combed herself. Then she went out. Now she said: "Where are you, Blue-jay? Now I shall laugh. Hahaheh! Blue-Jay!" Then she devoured all her husband's people. In the afternoon she came to herself and vomited all the bones. She searched for her husband but did not find him. Then she searched for him among the bones of all these people. She found him, but his legs up to the knees were gone. Then she put him into a basket and moved a short distance. She made a house and lived there. After some time she fell sick and gave birth to two boys. When her children became older she said to them: "Do not go there up the river; you must go only down the river." They obeyed. When they became older the elder one said to his brother: "Let us go there [up the river]." One day they went and found the ground strewn with bones of people. "Oh, come, let us go home! "They reached their home and the elder one said: "These poor people! How may they have died?" Now they grew up. One day they bathed; now they missed a comb. The elder one said: "O, brother! Perhaps we shall find a comb in that basket." "Let us take down that basket." Now they took down the basket and took out a mountain-goat blanket. Now they found a person in that basket. [The person said:] "O my children! Your mother is bad. You see me. I am only half now! Quick! Hang me up again, else your mother will come and devour us!" They took their father and hung him up again. In the evening their mother came back. Now the boys were angry. They became young men; then they said to their father: "We will cure you." "Well," he replied. Now they took him and carried him to the river. They put him under water. Then they took their mother and transformed her into a dog.

Now the two young men [who were now called Cikl̲a] traveled on. They came to a lake in which they saw a swan with two heads. "I will shoot that swan." "Oh, don't shoot it. Many monsters are in that lake." He, however, took his arrows and shot the swan. "I will swim across the lake and get it." He threw off his blanket, swam, and took hold of the swan. Then he disappeared under water. His elder brother cried. He picked up stones and made a fire in which he heated the stones. When they were hot he threw them into the lake and made it boil. Then the lake became dry. Then he said: "Oh, how many monsters there are! "Then he took his knife and opened their bellies. When he opened them all he said: "Oh, I cannot find my brother." He cried. Now only one small monster remained. He cut its belly and found his brother who held the swan in his hand. He carried him to the water and blew on him. Then he arose: "Oh, I told you not to swim! [I thought] you would be swallowed!"

They went on. They met a person who held his paddle in his hand and danced. "What are you doing there?" "I catch flounders." [The flounders jumped into his canoe while he was dancing.] "Come here; have you no dipnet?" "I have one." "Bring it here! Step near! Drive the flounders. Stand here! Put your dipnet into the water!" He did so and held the net under water a very long time. "Now lift it." It was nearly full. "Thus people shall always catch flounders."

Now they went on. They met a person who always made waâ'waâ'! "What are you doing?" "I shoot the rain." "Stay here!" Now they took his house, threw it away, and made a good house for him. [1] They said: "Stay here; henceforth people will not shoot the rain."

Then they went on. They found a country. There they bathed. Then they rubbed their arms and made people [of the dirt that they rubbed from their skin]. They blew upon them and they arose.

Now they came to Quinaielt. "Here people shall catch blue-back salmon."

They went on and found a person. [He said:] "I will sharpen my knives. When these people come who make everything good I shall kill them with these knives." Now they met him. "What are you doing, old man?" they said. "I shall kill those who make everything good." "Give me your knife." He gave it. "Give me the other one." He gave it also. "Now put your head sideways." He put his head sideways. Now they fastened one knife to one side of his head. "Put your head to the other side." He did so, and they fastened the other knife to the other side. They fastened two to his head and one to his backside. "Now jump!" they said to him, and he jumped. "Turn round! You shall be called deer. You will not kill man!"

They went on and came to Uq!̲ô'nexôn. "What are you doing? they said. "I play." Then she took a child at its forearm and threw it into the depth. "Let our dogs fight together," said the two men. She replied: "Oh, their bitch is a monster. She devoured even her husband's people. She will certainly kill my bitch." "What is the name of your bitch," they said. "Her name is Head-eater. What is the name of your bitch?" "Her name is Flint-eater." Now the two dogs fought together and Cikla's bitch cut off the head of Uq!̲ô'nexôn's bitch. Then one of the young men said to her: "Now throw me down the precipice." He had said to the boys [down below]: "When she throws me down you must say 'Return to the land.'" She took him. Flint pieces stood upright [at the foot of the precipice]. She took him at his forearms. She swung him around five times; then she threw him down. She said to the boys: "Say 'Stay always away from the land.'" He, however, said to the boys: "Say 'Return to the land.'" [When throwing him down Uq!̲ô'nexôn said:] "Now come these two people, your fathers!" He fell down and lay there [at the foot of the precipice]. He arose whole. He was not hurt. He saw that down below there was a multitude of boys. He took water and blew it on all of them. Then they all arose. He said: "Watch her [when she comes down]." They took stones. He went up and arrived on the top of the rock. Then be said to Uq!̲ô'nexôn: "O, aunt, look! These people whom you threw down are not dead. I saw them down there. I was there a while. They dance and sing; they play itlukum and disks. Now I shall throw you down." Now he placed his pieces of flint upright. He took her at her hair and swung her around five times. Her belly burst. Now he threw her down. She fell and lay there. Then the boys pelted her with stones and cut her to pieces. Her body was scattered in all directions. Her legs were thrown to Nehelim, her hair was thrown inland, her ribs were thrown up the river [therefore the Nehelim have strong legs, the Cowlitz have long hair, and the tribes of the tipper river have bandy legs].

Notes

[1] His house had no roof, and he protected himself by shooting at the rain.

2. Okulâ'm

Once upon a time there were five brothers. The four older ones went hunting elk every day and left the youngest one at home. Their house was full of meat and of tallow. Once upon a time the youngest brother felt lonesome, and said: "O, I wish he would come, the Glutton, and eat all the meat." Four days he continued to say so, then he heard a noise like the shaking of rattles at the door. Now a person appeared who was so large that his blanket consisted of two elk-skins. It had a fringe of elk-hoofs. He entered, sat down, and said: "O, grandson, I am hungry." The boy arose and gave him some meat and tallow. When he looked the stranger had eaten it all. He gave him more, and when he looked again it had all disappeared. The whole day long he gave him meat and tallow. In the evening his brothers came home and brought a fresh supply of meat. When they saw what had happened they said to him: "What did you do? How did the evil spirit come here?" The boy replied, "I felt lonesome, and said: 'O I wish he would come, the Glutton, and eat all the meat.'" "Oh, you fool, certainly the monster will eat us." They fed him all night until sunrise. They continued to feed him the whole day. Then the meat was at an end. The youngest brother said to the monster: "What will our grandfather eat next? There are only skins left." The monster replied: "What shall I eat, grandchildren, now there are only skins and you." "What does he say?" "'Now there are only skins and you,' he says." "Speak to him again." "What will our grandfather eat next? There are only skins left." The monster replied: "What shall I eat, grandchildren, now there are only skins and you."

"What does he say?" "'Now there are only skins and you,' he says." "Speak to him again." "What will our grandfather eat next? There are only skins left." The monster replied: "What shall I eat, grandchildren, now there are only skins and you." "What does he say 'Now there are only skins and you,' he says." Now they began to understand him. They boiled skins and gave them to him. For a long time he continued to eat and it grew dark again. Then they dug a hole in the ground, sharpened some arrow-wood, which they placed upright at the place where they used to sleep, and then escaped through the hole which they had dug. At a distance from the house they came out of the hole. They left their bitch at the entrance to the hole and said to her: "If the monster asks you which way we have gone, point with your head another way and call 'Wo'." Then they ran away.

When the day began to dawn the monster awoke and made a jump at where he believed the brothers to be; then he fell on the sharp sticks which pierced his belly. He pulled them out of his body, broke them, and saw that the brothers had escaped through the hole. He followed them, and when he came to the outlet of the hole, he found the bitch. He asked: "Which way went your masters? "She replied: "Wo," pointing with her head in a direction which they had not taken. He pursued them. But after a while, when he did not find their tracks, he turned back. Then again he said to the bitch: "Which way went your masters?" She replied: "Wo," pointing with her head in a direction which they had not taken. He pursued them, but he did not find their tracks and turned back. Three times he pursued them, then he found their tracks which he followed. He followed them a long distance, and finally overtook the eldest brother. He killed him. He ran on and overtook the next one, whom he also killed. He ran on and killed one more. Thus he overtook and killed the four eldest brothers. Now the youngest only was left. He fled, and arrived at a river where he found an old man, the Thunderer, who was fishing with a dipnet. He said, "Take me across; the monster pursues me. Quick, quick, grandfather!" "Hohoo, who is your grandfather?" "Quick, quick, take me across, uncle." "Hohoo, who is your uncle?" "Take me across, elder brother." "Hohoo, who is your elder brother?" In the stern of the canoe there was an old woman whose body was full of scabs. Now the young man said, "O please take me across, father-in-law." "Ho, why did you not say so before?" Then he took him across. "Quick, quick, go to my house and enter!" Then he entered and the old man stayed in his canoe. After a little while the monster arrived at the river and said to the old man, "Did you see the one whom I pursue?" "I did not see him." "Quick, quick, take me across; I will give you my hat in payment." "What shall I do with a hat?" "I will give you my cane." "What shall I do with a cane?" "I will pay you with my blanket." "What shall I do with a blanket?" "I will give you this twine." This he accepted. Then the Thunderer stretched his leg across the river, and said: "Walk across over my leg, but take care that you do not strike it with your cane." Now the monster walked over his leg. When he was in the middle of the river he struck it with his cane. Then the Thunderer bent his leg, the monster fell into the water and drifted down toward the sea. His hat fell down. and drifted down after him. Then the Thunderer said: "Ôkulâ'm (noise of surf) will be thy name; only when the storm is raging you will be heard. When the weather is very bad your hat will also be heard."

Now the Thunderer and his daughter went home. They lived there for some time. The young man did not like his wife. After several days she arose early and went to bathe. When she tried to touch her husband he rolled his blanket about himself. They had each a separate blanket. After several days he rose, then he saw that she had become a beautiful woman. Now they continued to live there. It grew dark. Now when he tried to touch her she rolled her blanket around herself. She took revenge on him. But after awhile they began to like each other.

The Thunderer used to go whaling every day, and the young man said: "I shall look on when my father-in-law goes whaling." "No, no; nobody ever looks at him when he goes whaling." He got angry and said: "I must see him." Now after awhile he looked at him. Soon he saw a whale which went into the dipnet which the Thunderer held. The latter lifted it, but the whale jumped over the rim of the net. The Thunderer looked toward the land, and at once there was thunder, lightning, and hail. Another whale entered his dipnet and he lifted it, but when he did so the whale jumped out of the net. Then the Thunderer got angry, and it began to hail and to storm. He went home and threw down his dipnet. Then his son-in-law left the house, took some coal, and went to a rock. He blackened his forehead and soon a southwest wind arose which blew away the old man's house. He tried to fasten the boards to the roof, but was unable to do so. Then the Thunderer said to his daughter: "Oh, child, go and look for your husband. Tell him to-morrow he may look at me when I go whaling." His daughter went and found her husband. She said: "Oh you destroyed your Father-in-law's house. He says to-morrow you may look at him when he catches whales." Then the young man took some water and washed his face. It became calm. He went home with his wife and helped the old man fasten the boards to the roof. He said to his father-in-law: "To-morrow I shall go down to the beach and you shall see me catching whales." On the following morning they went down to the beach together. After a little while a whale entered the dipnet. The young man lifted it and threw the whale ashore. Then the Thunderer said: "Hohoo, my son-in-law, you are just as I was when I was a young man."

Now the Thunderer's daughter became pregnant. After awhile she gave birth to two children. Then the old man said to his son-in-law: "Quick, quick, go and catch two wolves; I used to play with them when I was young." He went to the woods and caught two wolves which he carried to his father-in-law's house. He threw them down at his father-law's feet and they bit him all over and hauled him about. He cried: "Oh they have forgotten me; quick, quick, carry them back." The young man took them and carried them back. After awhile the Thunderer said: "Go quick and catch two bears; I used to play with them when I was young." Then his son-in-law went and caught two black bears. He carried them to the house of his father-in-law and threw them at his feet. Then they took hold of him, struck him with their paws, and threw him about in the house. "Oh," he cried, "carry them back, carry them back, they do not remember me." The young man carried them back. Again after awhile the Thunderer said: "Go quick and catch two grizzly bears; I used to play with them when I was young." The Young man went into the woods, and when he found the grizzly bears he said: "I came to carry you along." He carried two of them to his father-in-law's house. He entered and threw them at the feet of his father-in-law. Oh, now they scratched him all over so that his body was full of blood. "Oh, carry them back, carry them back, my son-in-law they have forgotten me." Then his son-in-law carried them back. Then after some time the old man said: "Go quick and catch two panthers; I used to play with them when I was young." Then the young man went into the woods and [when he met the panthers] he said: "I come to take you along." And he carried two of them to his father-in-law's house. He opened the door, entered, and threw them at his father-in-law's feet, Then they scratched him all over, and his whole body was full of blood. "Oh," cried he, "carry them back, carry them back, they do not know me any more." Then the young main carried them back.

[After awhile the Thunderer said:] "Come, son-in-law, let us go and split a log." They went and split a log in half. He said to his son-in-law, "Crawl in there and stem your arms against the log." The young man sat down in there. Then the old man knocked aside the wedges and broke them all. The tree closed over his son-in-law. He left him and went home. He went a long distance. The young main, however, kept the log apart with his elbows and broke it. He carried it home on his shoulder. He came home and threw it down in front of the house. When his father-in-law heard the noise he went out and [on seeing the young man] said: "Oh, my son-in-law, you are just as I was when I was young." They remained there and the children grew up.

Then his father-in-law said to him: "Oh, go to the supernatural people and bring me their hoops." The young man went, a long time he went, and finally he reached the country of the supernatural people. They stood in a circle, the hoop was being rolled to and fro in the circle. He was afraid to approach them any nearer and stood aside. But when it grew dark he made a jump and caught the hoop by pushing his arm through it. Then he ran away, carrying the hoop, and pursued him. They The supernatural people lit their torches, pursued him a long distance; then his wife thought of him and told her children, "Now whip your grandfather." They took a stick and whipped him; then he cried and urinated. It began to rain and the torches of the supernatural people were extinguished. Thus he reached home.

After a while the old man said again, "Now go and bring the targets of the supernatural people." He made himself ready and went. After a long time he reached the country of the supernatural people. They were shooting at targets. He was afraid, but when it was dark he took the targets and ran away. Then the supernatural people lit their torches and pursued him. He came running, heh! He was pursued. After some time his wife thought of him and told her children, "Now whip your grandfather." They took a stick and whipped him; their mother helped them. Then the old man urinated, and it began to rain. Thus the torches of the supernatural people were extinguished, and the young man reached home carrying the targets.

After awhile he said to his wife, "Now I shall leave you." He made himself ready, put on all his dentalia and took two quivers full of arrows. Then he went. After awhile he reached a large town which consisted of five rows of houses. The last house was very small. This he entered and found two old women [the mice. When they saw him they said:] "Oh, now Blue-Jay will make another chief unhappy." Then Blue-Jay thought, "A person came to the house of the mice." He went to see and, indeed, there was a chief in the house. Then Blue-Jay went back to his chief and said: "A chief has arrived; he wants to have a shooting match with you." Then he went back to the stranger and said: "Our chief wants to play with you. You will have a shooting match." He said: "Oh." Blue-Jay ran back [to his chief and said]: "That chief said 'Oh.'" He went back again: "The chief says to you you shall come down to the beach quickly." Then Blue-Jay's chief took his arrows and went down to the beach. Blue-Jay ran back [to the stranger and said]: "Our chief went down to the beach." Then the other chief went down to the beach. Now they shot at the targets. The other chief lost and Blue-Jay's chief won. He lost all his dentalia. He lost his arrows. He lost his hair. He lost his head. He lost both his arms. He lost both his legs. Then they made him miserable. They cut off his hair and hung him up in the smoke. But at night the two mice always went and gave him water and gave him to eat. Every night they did so.

One year he had been away. Then his sons said, "Let us look for our father." They made themselves ready, put on their dentalia, took their targets and their arrows. Then they went, they went a long distance; they found a town, oh, a large town. [They said:] "Perhaps here we shall find our father." They entered that small house. There were two old women [who said]: "Oh, chiefs, where did you come from?" "We search for our father." "Oh, Blue-Jay will make miserable two more chiefs. A long time ago a chief came and they made him miserable and put him into the smoke. But we always gave him water; we always gave him food. He has lost his eyes."

After some time Blue-Jay thought that a chief must have arrived at the house of the mice. He ran there to look and he found two chiefs. Then he went back and said to his chief: "Two chiefs have arrived; they stay at the house of the mice; they came to play with you." "Oh," replied Blue-Jay's chief. He ran back [to the house of the mice, and said to the strangers]: "Our chief wants to play with you. You will have a shooting match." They did not say anything. Then Blue-Jay ran back and said to his chief: "Go down to the beach!" Three times Blue-Jay went back. But they did not speak to him. When he went there the fourth time the younger brother looked at him. He looked at Blue-Jay. At once all his hair began to burn. Then he returned and told his chief, "O, these strangers are more powerful than we are. They looked at me and my hair caught fire. They tell you to come down to the beach." After a little while they went down to the beach. Two targets were stuck into the ground. [They said:] "How bad are these targets!" and they pulled them out and threw them away. "Here, our targets are good." They put their targets into the ground. Their targets were shining. Then they began to shoot. Now Blue-Jay's chief lost. He lost all his dentalia. He lost all his people. They won their father from him. They won Blue-Jay. Now they staked his hair and they won it. They staked his head, they staked his arms. They won his head and his arms. They staked his legs; they won it all. Then they took four potentilla roots and put them on to the forehead [of Blue-Jay's chief]. They took pieces of flint and put them all over his body. They took green mud and painted his belly and his back green. Then they threw him into the water, and said: "Green Sturgeon shall be your name; henceforth yon shall not make chiefs miserable." They took Blue-Jay, threw him away, and said: "Blue-Jay shall be your name; henceforth you shall not make chiefs miserable. You shall sing 'Watsetsetsetsetse,' and it shall be a bad omen." [Then they turned to the [mice and said:] "Oh, you pitiful ones, you shall eat everything that is good. You shall eat berries." Then they took their father and carried him to the water. They blew on him and he recovered his eyesight. Then they returned home.

3. AnêktcXô'lEmiX

There was a town the chief of which had died. His two children were grown up; one was a girl and one a, boy. Early every morning the people went out to hunt sea-otters. The girl was always in the stern of the canoe. At dark they returned home. Five times they had gone hunting, then it grew foggy. Her hair became wet and she swallowed the water which dripped down from her hair. A long time the people remained there. Then she became pregnant. Blue-Jay was the first to observe it. He said: "Don't you notice it? He made his sister pregnant." Robin said: "Be quiet, Blue-Jay, you will make our chief's children ashamed." "Ha, he is the elder of us two and he ought to know better than I." After some time she became stouter. "Heh, we will run," said Blue-Jay. "I am ashamed because her brother made her pregnant. We will leave them; we will move!" Then, indeed, the people believed Blue-Jay. Again the brother and sister went hunting sea-otters. In the evening they came home. Now there were no people and no houses. "Lo, they deserted us. Blue-Jay advised them to do so." Then the brother continued: "Tell me who made you pregnant?" She replied, "I do not know. Once when we went out hunting sea-otters a mist came up and I swallowed the water which made me qualmish." Then they searched for fire. But the people had poured water into all the fires. The last house was that of their aunt, the Crow. It also was taken away. They walked about and there they heard the crackling of fire. The brother said to his sister: "Do you hear the fire?" After awhile it crackled again. They found the place from where the sound appeared to come. They dug into the ground and found a shell. In the shell there was burning coal. "Oh," they said to each other, "our aunt pitied us; she put the fire into the shell for us." Now they started a fire. The next day they built a small house. There they lived for a long time. One day a sea breeze arose. Early in the morning the man rose and went down to the beach. There he found ten cedar planks, each ten fathoms long, which had drifted ashore. He went up to the house and said to his sister: "I have found ten planks, each ten fathoms long." They went to the beach, hauled them up to their house, and the brother made a large house. Then the brother said: "What kind of a blanket will you make for your son?" In the morning he went down to the beach and there he found two small sea-otters. He said: "Oh, my poor nephew, this will be your blanket." "He took them up to the house and said to his sister: "I found these sea-otters." Then she was very glad. The brother said: "What soup are you going to make for your son?" In the morning he arose and went down to the beach. There he found a sea-lion. He skinned it and cut it, and then they boiled it. Every day he went down to the beach, and every time he found two sea-otters. And their house was full of sea-otter skins. One morning he went to the beach; there was a whale. Then he ran back to his sister and cried: "A whale is on the beach!" His sister said in reply: "Every night the people on the other side of the ocean send us food. Those supernatural people love me. My boy's father came. Now cut the whale." Then he skinned it and cut it and they carried up the meat.

Now the Crow made herself ready to look for her nephew and her niece. She launched her canoe and paddled across, wailing all the time. When she had almost crossed the bay she discovered a house and saw smoke rising. She went on. When she was near the shore she saw a chief sitting on the roof of the house. [The latter said to his sister, when he saw the Crow coming:] "Our aunt who pitied us is coming there." She arrived and saw the whale on the beach. She [was very hungry,] went to the whale and pulled at the meat. Then her nephew said: "Come up to the house; why do you touch that rotten meat?" She replied: "Oh, I only looked at it," and went up to the house. She entered and saw that it was full of whale meat. She went right up to the child [and wanted to take it in her arms], but the child began to cry. The sister said: "Oh, he is afraid of your tears." They gave her water and she washed her face. Then she tried again to take him, but still he cried. The sister said "He, is afraid of your breath." Then she took water, cleaned her mouth and took him again, but still he cried. Then the sister said to her aunt: "Do you think he is a human being? Look here, he is the son of a supernatural being. They gave us that whale to eat." "Oh," said the Crow. They boiled whale meat for her and she ate it. After she had finished eating she went home. They gave her two pieces of blubber which she put into her mat.

The Crow went across the bay; and when she approached the town she cried: "O, my sister's children, my sister's children, birds flew up from you many times; eagles were eating you. O, my sister's children, my sister's children, gulls were eating you. Ravens were eating you, O, my sister's children." Now she came still nearer the town. Blue-Jay was sitting outside and saw her coming. When she had nearly arrived she cried again: "O, my sister's children, my sister's children, birds flew up from you; crows were eating you." Then Blue-Jay shouted: "Do you not notice? She names the Crow; she names the Crow." Now she landed and went up to the house. Now all the people came into the Crow's house. They asked her how she had found her sister's children. She replied and told much. "I went across and I found their bodies full of birds which ate them. All kinds of birds ate them." After she had finished, Blue-Jay was the first to leave the house. He went to the rear of the house, where he stayed. Now, the Crow was silent. Robin, who was her deceased husband's brother, remained with her. They sat on opposite sides of the fire. She had five children. Then she told him everything in a low voice, and Blue-Jay listened outside. She pulled out the food which she had carried home, cut it to pieces, and gave it to her children and to Robin. Her youngest daughter choked [when eating the blubber]. Then Blue-Jay, who had been peeping through the chinks of the wall, entered and slapped her nape. The piece of whale, meat flew out of her month. Blue-Jay took it up, went out, showed it to the people, and said: "Do you see? The Crow fed me." He went to three houses showing it around, then he ate it. After some time it grew dark. The people were very hungry.

Then Blue-Jay said to the chief of the town: "O, chief, the house [of the young man whom we deserted] is full of whale meat. A supernatural being loved his sister. He invites me, and he has invited the Crow and Robin." Late in the evening Blue-Jay came out of the house, took his large blanket [and went to his elder brother, Robin,] saying, "Robin, let us sleep under one blanket; I always get cold." Robin replied: "Ya-a, I always sleep alone, and do not want anyone with me; sleep there at my feet." Now Blue-Jay lay down at Robin's feet. Blue-Jay remained awake. When it was nearly morning Blue-Jay fell asleep. Now Robin and Crow made a canoe [ready]. Then Robin and the Crow went to their canoe and carried their property into it. Now Robin took a sharp stick and put it in the ground at Blue-Jay's feet. Then Robin and the Crow went across to the young man and to his sister, and left Blue-Jay alone. Early in the morning when he awoke, he said: "Wake up, Robin," and kicked him; but his feet struck the stick, and he hurt himself. "O, my feet!" he cried. "They left me here alone." Then he went home to his children. Crow and Robin crossed the bay and went up to the house of the young man.

Early next morning Blue-Jay said: "Now, let us all go across." They made themselves ready and went across. When they were in the middle of the bay a heavy gale arose, and the people almost died. They had to turn back. Five days [they tried to cross the bay], but every time they were driven back. Then they got across. Now it began to snow, and the people were covered with snow. They became very cold. Thus their chief took revenge upon them. Then Blue-Jay went up to the house. [He found a knothole and called to Robin, who was in the house:] "Robin, open for me, I am cold. Bring me food, Robin, I am starving." Robin did not reply. "Robin, take the tongs and put some food through this hole." Robin was boiling meat. Then he took the tongs and put them into the boiling kettle. He pushed the tongs through the knothole. Blue-Jay [was so hungry that he] licked the fat off from the tongs. He said: "Robin, Robin, tell the chief that I will give him my daughter in marriage, but let him open the door." "Ya-a," said Robin; "What shall he do with her? He wants your chief's daughter [not yours]." Then Blue-Jay ran down to the beach and said to his chief: "The young man asks for your daughter and for my daughter." The chief did not reply, and Blue-Jay ran back to the house and said: "Robin, the chief says he will give him his daughter." Five times Blue-Jay ran down to the beach and back to the house. Then his chief spoke; he made his daughter ready, and put on her dentalia, and so did Blue-Jay. Once more he ran up to the house and said: "Robin, I have made my daughter ready." "Ya," replied Robin; "She shall look after the chamber." Now they brought the chief's daughter up to the house and they opened the door.

On the following morning the sister had disappeared. Lo! The supernatural beings had taken her and her child away. The people remained in this place and made new houses.

Once upon a time the Crow gathered many potentilla roots [put them into her canoe] and crossed the sea. When she arrived at the country of the supernatural beings they all came down to the beach. They searched among her roots and found one ôguê'mEskôtit and one LE'môksin among them. These they ate, and threw away the Crow's potentilla roots. Then she went up to the house and met her niece, who said: "Do you think they are men, that you bring them potentilla, roots? Gather ôguê'mEskôtit and LE'môksin. When you come again bring all kinds of nice smelling roots, and bring one small basket of potentilla roots for me." Then she said to her: "Take this bitch along; it belongs to your grandson. When you come near the shore say: 'Catch a whale, Q!̲acî'nEmicLX.'" "Yes," said the Crow, and then she went home. When she was in the middle of the ocean she said to the dog: "Catch a whale, Q!̲acî'nEmicLX. Do you know indeed how to catch whales?" Then the bitch who lay in the stern of the boat arose. A whale came up. She bit it. Then the canoe rocked violently. "Hold it fast, Q!̲acî'nEmicLX." Then the Crow became afraid and said: "Let go, let go, Q!̲acî'nEmicLX." Then she let go the whale and lay down to sleep. The Crow landed [and when she arrived], she had lost her dog. She ran about and searched for it in. all the houses, but did not find it. Then she [was very sad and] did not eat because she liked her dog.

The Crow stayed here five days, and then again she gathered many roots of plants. She gathered ôguê'mEskôtit and LE'môksin. She gathered all kinds of nice smelling roots. She put potentilla roots in to one small basket. Then she crossed again to the country of the supernatural beings. Then they all came down to the beach. They [took the nice smelling roots and] ate them right there at the beach. She carried the potentilla roots up to her niece. Now she saw her dog, which was in the house. [Her niece said:] "Do you think this is a common bitch? She returns. Why did you say in the middle of the ocean: 'Take the whale?' Therefore you became afraid. You must not say so until you are near the shore. Do you think they gave her to you as a present? She always returns. You will take her again when you go home. Do not search for her when you have lost her. She provides you with food when you are going." The Crow replied: "Yes." And when she went back she carried that bitch along. "When you approach the land say: 'Catch a whale, Q!̲acî'nEmicLX.'" Then she went home. The dog lay in the stern of the canoe. When they were near the town the Crow said: "Catch a whale, Q!̲acî'nEmicLX." She did not move. Then the Crow took some water, poured it over her and said: "Catch a whale; are you indeed able to catch a whale? "When they were quite near the shore she said again: "Catch a whale, Q!̲acî'nEmicLX." Then she arose and caught a whale. Again the canoe rocked. She said: "Hold it fast, Q!̲acî'nEmicLX." Sometimes she did not say it right and cried: "Let go the whale, Q!̲acî'nEmicLX." Then the whale drifted ashore. The people went down to the beach and cut the whale. They carried the meat up to house.

After some time the chief said: "I desire to go and see my sister." Now the people made themselves ready and started in a large canoe. When they came near the country of the supernatural beings their chief said: "Take care, they will test us." [When they had gone a little farther] the whole sea was covered with ice. He said to his people: "We will land after awhile." Now Blue-Jay became very cold, but he said: "I never get cold, I will stay in the canoe." He jumped into the water and sank out of sight at once. Then a person shouted on shore: "Ehehiu, [Blue-Jay] killed himself." Then the chief arose in the canoe; he took the ice and threw it away. Then that person shouted: "Ehehiu, how he threw away the ice of the supernatural beings." "'Ehehiu,' you say, I threw it away; what made me fall down?" [said Blue-Jay]. Then they went up to the house. The chief said: "Do not enter at once. After a while they will open their house." Now there was a sea-lion and a sea-cow (?), one at each side of the door. They stood in the doorway. Now Blue-Jay became very cold. He tried to jump into the house and the animals bit him. They had almost been unable to recover him. Then the chief stepped up and he took one sea monster in each hand and threw them away. "Ehehiu," shouted the person ["how he throws away the sea lions of the supernatural people"]. "'Ehehiu', you say; I threw away those who bit me," said Blue-Jay. Then they all entered the house and stayed there. There were no people in it except the chief's sister. [Blue-Jay said to his brother Robin:] "What will they give us to eat, Robin?" "Oh, be quiet," replied Robin. Then said Blue-Jay: "Our chief's fire makes noise just as this here." There was only one log in the house. Then the person shouted: "Come down to the fire you who splits wood with his beak." Then a being came out [from under the bed] with a long beak who split the log. "Robin," said Blue-Jay, "that was our great-great-grandfather's slave." "I do not know that he was our slave; you alone have slaves." Then a fire was made and the whole house was full of smoke. The person shouted: "Come down to the fire, Smoke-eater." "Robin," said Blue-Jay, he also was our (great-great-grandfather's) slave; he always carried me on his back and led you by the hand." "I do not know that he was our slave; you alone have slaves." Then the smoke man came down and [they saw that] he had an enormous belly. He stepped into the middle of the house and swallowed all the smoke. The house became light. Then they brought a small dish and one cut of meat was in it. "Robin," said Blue-Jay, "that is too little; that is not enough for all of us; I certainly shall not get enough." Then a person shouted: "Come down to the fire you who cuts whale with his beak." Then a person came to the fire with a very sharp beak, who began to cut meat. He cut and cut until the whole dish was full. Then he blew upon it and it became a large canoe full of meat. They boiled it, and when it was nearly done they all went out and their chief took reeds. These he put into their months [and pushed them right through them] so that they came out at the anus. They all did so, also Blue-Jay. Then they entered again and sat down. They made small holes where they sat and began to eat. They swallowed the meat and it went right out at the anus. Blue-Jay arose and there lay his anus. "Look here, Robin, my anus fell down right here!" Then the people took him by his arms, carried him out of the house, and pulled the reed out of his mouth. Then the chief and Blue-Jay entered again; he took three spoonfuls and he had enough. Then the people continued to eat and the whale meat became less and less. Then they went out, took out the reeds and reentered. They continued to eat. Now they ate in the right way and finished all they had boiled. Then a person cried: "Ehehiu, how they eat all the meat of the supernatural beings!" Then Blue-Jay said: "Did you think I could not finish what you gave me to eat?"

Now they stayed in the house. Blue-Jay went out. He was oversatiated. He looked and saw a patch of kinnikinnik berries. He began to eat them, when a person called: "Oh, Blue-Jay eats the excrements of the supernatural people;" whereupon Blue-Jay said: "'Ehehiu', you say; do you think I eat them? I merely look at your kinnikinnik berries."

They stayed there. After awhile a person came out of the house and said: "They wish to play with you; you will dive." Blue Jay said: "We always dive in our country." "Do you think they do as you are accustomed to?" said the woman. "When they dive the one dies and the other one has won." She said to them: "Blue-Jay shall dive." Blue-Jay went down to the water and threw the bushes out of his canoe into the water. Then he and the diver fought against each other. They dived. Blue-Jay hid his club under his blanket. They jumped into the water and after awhile Blue Jay's breath gave out. He came up and hid under the bushes which he had thrown out of his canoe. There he breathed and dived again. He said to the diver: "Where are you?" "Here I am," she replied. After awhile his breath gave out again. Once more he came up under the bushes. Four times he did so, and then he became tired. He went to look for the diver. He found her biting the bottom of the sea. She had her eyes closed. Blue-Jay took his club and hit her on the nape. The people saw something floating on the water and then a person said: "There is Blue-Jay." He was, however, in the bushes which he had thrown out of his canoe. After a little while Blue-Jay jumped ashore and a person shouted: "Ehehiu, how Blue-Jay won over the diver of the supernatural beings." "'Ehehiu', you say; we always dive so in our country," said Blue Jay.

Then again a person stepped out and said: "They want to play with you; you will climb up a tree together." Then Blue-Jay said: "We climb every day in our country." But the young woman remarked: "Do you think they are just like Indians? They will place a piece of ice upright, then you will have to climb up the ice. When a climber falls down he breaks to pieces and the other one wins." Then they said to Blue Jay: "You shall climb up." They placed upright a piece of ice which was so long that it reached to the sky. Blue-Jay made himself ready and tied his bearskin blanket around his belly. [The supernatural beings sent a] chipmunk who made himself ready [to climb up the ice]. They began to climb, and when they had reached a certain height Blue-Jay grew tired. [Then he let go of the ice] and flew upward. [When he had rested] he again took hold of the ice. Then he grew tired again. He looked back to the one with whom he was racing and saw her climbing up with her eyes shut. She did not grow tired. Then Blue-Jay took his club [from under his blanket] and struck her on the nape. The chipmunk fell down. The people looked up and saw a person falling down. "Ah, that is Blue-Jay! There he falls down." [But when they saw the chipmunk] a person shouted: "Ehehiu, how they won over the chipmunk of the supernatural beings."

"'Ehehiu', you say; we always climb in our country." Then their chief won two sea-otters.

Then they stayed awhile longer. Then again a person came out and said: "They want to have a shooting match with you." Blue-Jay said: "We have shooting matches every day in our country." The young woman said: "Do you think they are like Indians? They place people against each other. One stands on one side, the other on the other. [They shoot at each other,] the one dies, and the other wins." Then they said to the Beaver: "You stand up [on our side]." They took a grindstone and tied it to his belly. They took another one and tied it to his back. The supernatural beings made the loon stand up on their side. Then [the beaver and the loon] took their arrows and the loon shot at the beaver. The arrow broke and fell down. Then the beaver shot at the loon. "Uhû," said he when he was struck by the arrow. Then the loon shot again. "Ha," he said, and the arrow broke and fell down. Then he shot again at the loon. "Uhû," he said, then fell on his back and died. "Ehehiu! How they won over the bird of the supernatural people." Blue-Jay spoke: "You say 'ehehiu'; we have shooting matches in our country every day."

They stayed there some time longer. Then again a person came out of the house and said: "They want to play with you; you will sweat in the sweat house." Blue-Jay spoke: "We always sweat in our country." Then the young woman said: "They always heat caves, and when they are hot, they enter them. The one party will die, the other will win." Then their chief said: "We must go into the cave." Now the supernatural beings heated the caves. They got hot. There were two caves in a rock. [The chief and some of his people] went into one, the supernatural beings went into the other. Then the caves were closed. The chief, however, took some ice and put it under their feet. They stood on it. After a little while a sound was heard like the bursting of a shell that is being roasted. Five times that sound was heard. Then the caves were opened; first that of Blue Jay's people--they were all alive; next that of the supernatural beings--five of them were dead. They had won again. "Ehehiu! How they won over the supernatural beings." "'Ehehiu', you say," replied Blue-Jay, we use the sweat house every day in our country."

Now the chief's brother-in-law said: "Let us catch whales." The sister told him: "Take care; they will try to put you to shame. This is their last attempt at you." In the evening they went to catch whales. She took Blue-Jay and put him into her right armpit. Then she took Robin and put him into her left armpit [and told them]: "Now I shall keep you here; do not say 'ehehiu,' do not look!" Then in the evening they all went down to the beach. She said to her elder brother: "Four whales will pass you, but do not throw your harpoon; when the fifth comes, then harpoon it." Now the supernatural people stood there. The young woman took a torch in order to help her brother.

After a while a person shouted: "Yuyayuya, a flatfish whale comes." [The chief did not stir.] After a while a person shouted: "Yuyayuya, an albatross whale comes; raise your harpoons." Blue-Jay tried to look [from under the arms of the woman]. At once her torch began to flicker, and she pressed Blue-Jay, saying: "Do not look!" Then again a person shouted: "Yuyayuya, an elk whale comes; raise your harpoons." [The chief did not stir.] Next a person shouted: "Yuyayuya, a sperm-whale comes; raise your harpoons." Then the sister said to him: "Now, look out; now the real whale will come." Then a person shouted: "Yuyayuya, the whale of the supernatural people comes." Blue-Jay tried to look [from his hiding place]. Then the torch of the young woman began to flicker and was almost extinguished. The people said: "Why does AnêktcXô'lEmiX's torch always flicker?" The person shouted once more: "Yuyayuya, the whale of the supernatural people comes." Then AnêktcXô'lEmiX said to her brother: "Now the real whale will come." The chief harpooned it and threw it ashore. "Ehehiu! How they threw ashore the whale of the supernatural people." Blue-Jay replied: "Ehehiu," and at once the torch was extinguished, and Blue-Jay [fell down from the armpit of the woman and] was drowned. He drifted away. Thus they won again. Their chief won again. Then they went home. AnêktcXô'lEmiX said: "Coil up this rope in your canoe; when you get across tie Robin's blanket to it." [Then they started. When they were in the middle of the ocean the supernatural people] created a strong gale against those going home. Now they tied [Mink] on to the gunwale of their canoe [thus making it higher and preventing its being swamped]. They almost perished; finally they reached their home [safely. Then they tied Robin's blanket to the rope. AnêktcXô'lEmiX pulled it back, and when she found the blanket at the end of the rope she knew that her brother had reached home safely].

4. The Salmon

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5. Raven and Gull

There was the gull. Every day he went on the beach to search for food, and filled his bag with poggies and codfish and flounders. One day he went to search on the beach and saw tracks of a person which had come towards him and turned back again. He went all over the beach, but he did not find anything. He went home and thought: "To-morrow I will start earlier." The next morning he went again. He went a long distance. He found tracks of a person who had already returned home [before he came to the beach]. He grew angry. He went some distance, but did not find anything. Then he went home. He scolded. Early the next morning he arose and went. He went a short distance and found tracks of a person who had already returned. He was very angry. He went a short way, but did not find anything. He went home. Then he scolded. He had inherited the beach. On the following morning he went out the fourth time. He went a short distance and found tracks of a person. He became very angry and scolded. He returned home, sharpened his knife, and said: "To-morrow I will discover who is always earlier than I." He did not eat, and when it was still quite dark he started. He had gone quite a distance when the morning star rose. Now he saw a person, and after some time they met. He recognized the raven. He carried a large mat on his back. "What is in your mat, Kanauwulewulewulewule?" "I carry crabs' claws to my children." The gull went around him and said to the man: "What is in your mat, Kanauwulewulewulewule?" "I carry crabs' claws to my children." Five times he went around him and then he stabbed [the raven with his knife]. He fell down and died. Then he took the raven's mat and poured it out. Then poggies mixed with codfish and founders fell out. He put them into his own mat and went home. [While he was walking he sang:] "Now I have killed the one who always went out first." He got home.

After a little while some people found the raven dead on the beach. [They said to a young man:] "Quick, go and tell his sister." He ran to the house of the crow and entered. He found the crow at work making a large mat. "Your brother has been killed, crow," he shouted. She remained silent. He repeated, "The gull has killed your brother." She remained silent. Again he said: "Your brother has been killed, crow." Five times he repeated it. Then the crow arose, took some cedar bark, and tied it around her head as a head ring, and tied some around her waist. Then she took a rattle and began to sing and to shake her rattle. She called together all her people, the land birds. She called the eagles, the owls, the cranes, the chicken-hawks, the large hawks, the duck-hawks. All her people were strong. The gull called together his people, the ducks, the tail ducks [?], sprit-tail ducks [?], pelicans, albatross, loons, shags, and coatches. All his people were flat footed. Now the crow made war against the gull. [They sang their war song:] "I shall frighten him away from the beach, Tasmô'tl Tasmô'tl hê hê hê hê [Tasmô'tl is the mythical name of the gull]. The duck-hawk jumped at the tail duck and tore off its head and they killed part of the gull's people. They became afraid. The crow said: "Let it be low water early in the morning." They said: "The crow asks for low water in the morning. Then the flood tide shall begin. Many things will drift ashore." The gull wanted to give her high water early in the morning, but the crow did not accept it. The gull's people were afraid and said: "Give her what she wants, give her what she wants, or she will kill us." Then he wanted to give her half-tide early in the morning. But the crow did not accept it. One-half of the gull's people were killed by that time. Then he offered her ebb tide late in the morning, but she did not accept it. Then the gall's people said: "Give her what she wants, else she will kill us. She call not rise early, you will always be the first to wake up and she will awake after you. You will first go to the beach and she will go after you." Then the gull said: "Tell her that I will give her what she wants." They went to the crow and said: "Now he gives you what you have asked for." Then the crow was glad, and she and her people went home.

6. Coyote

Coyote was coming. He came to Gôt'a't. There he met a heavy surf. He was afraid that he might be drifted away and went up to the spruce trees. He stayed there a long time. Then he took some sand and threw it upon that surf: "This shall be a prairie and no surf. The future generations shall walk on this prairie." Thus Clatsop became a prairie. The surf became a prairie.

At Niâ'xaqcê a creek originated. He went and built a house at Niâ'xaqcê. He went out and stayed at the month of Niâ'xaqcê. Then he speared two silver-side salmon, a steel-head salmon, and a fall salmon. Then he threw the salmon and the fall salmon away, saying: "This creek is too small. I do not like to see here salmon and fall salmon. It shall be a bad omen when a fall salmon is killed here; somebody shall die; also when a salmon is killed. When a female salmon or fall salmon is killed a woman shall die; when a male is killed a man shall die." Now he carried only the silver-side salmon to his house. When he arrived there he cut it at once, steamed it and ate it. On the next day he took his harpoon and went again to the mouth of Niâ'xaqcê. He did not see anything, and the flood tide set in. He went home. On the next day he went again and did not see anything. Then he became angry and went home. He defecated and said to his excrements: "Why have these silver-side salmon disappeared?" "Oh, you with your bandy legs, you have no sense. When the first silver-side salmon is killed it must not be cut. It must be split along its back and roasted. It must not be steamed. Only when they go up river then they may be steamed." Coyote went home. On the next day he went again and speared three. He went home and made three spits. He roasted each salmon on a spit. He had three salmon and three spits. On the next day he went again and stood at the month of the creek. He did not see anything until the flood tide set in. Then he became angry and went home. He defecated. He spoke and asked his excrements: "Why have these silver-side salmon disappeared?" His excrements said to him: "I told you, you with your bandy legs, when the first silver-side salmon are killed spits must be made, one for the head, one for the back, one for the roe, one for the body. The gills must be burnt." "Yes," said Coyote. On the next day he went again. He killed again three silver-side salmon. When he arrived at home he cut them all and made many spits. He roasted them all separately. The spits of the breast, body, head, back, and roe were at separate places. Coyote, roasted them. On the next morning he went again. He speared ten silver-side salmon. Coyote, was very glad. He came home and split part of the fish. The other part he left and went to sleep. On the next morning he roasted the rest. Then he went again and stood at the mouth of the river. He did not see anything before the flood tide set in. He went home. On the next morning he went again, but again he did not see anything. He went home angry. He defecated and asked his excrements: "Why have these silver-side salmon disappeared?" His excrements scolded him: "When the first silver-side salmon are killed, they are not left raw. All must be roasted. When many are caught, they must all be roasted before you go to sleep." On the next morning Coyote went and stood at the mouth of the river. He speared ten. Then he made many double spits, and remained awake until all were roasted that he had caught. Now he had learned all that is forbidden in regard to silver-side salmon when they arrive first at Niâ'xaqcê. He remained there and said: "The Indians shall always do as I had to do. If a man who prepares corpses eats a silver-side salmon, they shall disappear at once. If a murderer eats silver-side salmon, they shall at once disappear. They shall also disappear when a girl who has just reached maturity or when a menstruating woman eats them. Even I got tired."

Now he came this way. At some distance he met a number of women who were digging roots. He asked them: "What are you doing?" "We are digging gamass." "How can you dig gamass at Clatsop? You shall dig [a root, species?] and thistle [?] roots in this country. No gamass will be dug here." Now they gathered [a root, species?] and thistle [?] roots. He left these women and spoiled that land. He transformed the gamass into small onions.

Then he came to Clatsop. It was the spring of the year. Then he met his younger brother the snake. He said to him: "Let us make nets." The snake replied: "As you wish." Now they bought material for twine, and paid the frog and the newt to spin it. Now Coyote cleaned all the material for twine while the snake was crawling about. Then the frog and the newt spun it. Then Coyote said to his younger brother: "Clean it, clean it. You crawl about all day." Thus he spoke to the snake. Coyote continued: "You shall make one side of the net, I make the other." Coyote finished his twine and said to the snake: "Quick! quick! you let me wait. Make your net." The snake replied: "You let me wait." Thus he spoke to Coyote. Now, Coyote made his net. He finished it all. The two women made the ropes, Coyote made the net buoys; while the snake crawled about. Coyote said: "Make your net buoys; you let me wait." Thus he said to the snake. The snake replied: "Make haste! you let me wait." Coyote finished his net buoys. Then he went to look for stones, and the snake accompanied him. They went for stones to Tongue point. The snake crawled about among the stones, while Coyote carried them down. They went home.

After they reached home Coyote went to gather spruce roots. The snake accompanied him. Coyote dug, up the ground and the snake crawled about at the same place. They went home. Coyote split the spruce roots. "Go on; work," he spoke to the snake; "you let me wait." The snake replied: "Quick, quick; work! you let me wait." Now Coyote tied his net to the buoys and laid it down flat on a large mat. Then he tied it to the buoys. The snake crawled about at the same place. Coyote finished his net and hung it up outside. Early the next morning he stepped out of the house, and there hung already the net of the snake. "Oh, brother," he said, "you got the better of me." Coyote was ashamed. The snake had won over him. Coyote said: "When a person makes a net, he shall get tired before he finishes it. It would not be well if he would not get tired." The snake said to him: "I told you that you would let me wait."

It got day. Then they went to catch salmon in their net. They laid the net and caught two in it. Coyote jumped over the net. Now they intended to catch more salmon, but the flood-tide set in. They had caught only two before the flood-tide set in. Now they went home. Coyote said that he was hungry, and he split the salmon at once. They roasted them. When they were done they ate. The frog and the newt were their cousins. The next morning they went fishing with their net. The newt looked after the rope, the snake stood at the upper end of the net, Coyote at the lower end. They intended to catch salmon, but they did not get anything until the flood-tide set in. They went home. Coyote was angry. He defecated and spoke to his excrements: "You are a liar." They said to him: "You with your bandy-legs. When people kill a salmon they do not jump over the net. You must not step over your net. When the first salmon are killed, they are not cut until the afternoon." "Oh," said Coyote, "You told me enough." On the next morning they went fishing. When they had killed a salmon they did not jump over the net. They laid their net twice. Enough salmon were in the net. Then he ordered the newt: "Bail out the canoe, it is full of water." She bailed it out. Then they intended to fish again, but the flood-tide set in. They went home and put down what they had caught in the house. In the afternoon Coyote split the salmon. He split them in the same way as the silver-side salmon. He placed the head, the back, the body, and the roe in separate places and on separate double spits. They were done. The next morning they went fishing. They did not kill anything. Coyote became angry and defecated. He said to his excrements: "Tell me, why have these salmon disappeared?" His excrements scolded him: "Do you think their taboo is the same as that of the silver-side salmon? It is different. When you go fishing salmon and they go into your net., you may lay it three times. No more salmon will go into it. It is enough then. Never bail out your canoe. When you come home and cut the salmon, you must split it at the sides and roast belly and back on separate double spits. Then put four sticks vertically into the ground [so that they form a square] and lay two horizontal sticks across them. On top of this frame place the back with the head and the tail attached to it." He said to his excrements: "You told me enough." On the next morning they went fishing and killed three salmon. They did not bail out their canoe. Then he said to the newt: "Fetch a stick from the woods. We will make a club." She went and brought a stick. Then they laid their net again. Again a salmon was in it and he killed it with his club. They intended to continue fishing, but the flood-tide set in. They killed four only. They put down their salmon. In the afternoon Coyote cut them and put four sticks into the ground. Now he did as his excrements had told him. When they were done he broke the backbone at once. On the next morning they went fishing. They did not kill anything before the flood-tide set in. They went home. Coyote was angry and defecated. "Why have these salmon disappeared?" he asked his excrements. "I told you," they said to Coyote; "do you think their taboo is the same as that of the silver-side salmon? It is different. When you kill a salmon you must never strike it with a stick. When they may be boiled, then you may strike them with a stick. When it is almost autumn you may strike them with a stick. Do not break a salmon's backbone when they just begin to come. When you have killed a salmon take sand, strew it on its eye, and press it with your fist. Do not club it." Coyote said: "You have told me enough." On the next morning they went fishing. Salmon went into the net; three went into the net immediately. He strewed sand on each and pressed each. He killed many salmon. They went home and roasted them. When they were done he distributed them among the people of the town above Clatsop. Now they dried them. On the next morning they went fishing. They tried to fish but did not catch anything before the flood-tide set in. They went home. Coyote was angry. He defecated: "Why have these salmon disappeared?" "I told you. you lean one, with your bandy-legs. There are many taboos relating to the salmon. When you have killed many salmon you must never carry them outside the house. You must roast and eat them at the same place. When part is left they must stay it the same place. When you want to dry them you must do so when the flood-tide sets in on the day after you have caught them." He said to them: "You have told me enough." On the next morning they went fishing again. They killed many salmon. They roasted them all. When they were done he invited the people. The newt was sent out. They came to eat in Coyote's house. They finished eating. Then they left there what they had not eaten. Now it was low water in the morning. They went out early to lay their net, but they did not catch anything. They fished until the flood-tide set in. They did not kill anything. They were unsuccessful. Twice they tried to go fishing early in the morning, but they were unsuccessful; they did not catch anything. Coyote defecated and said to his excrements: "Why have the salmon disappeared?" Coyote received the answer: "I told you, you lean one, that the salmon has many taboos. When you go fishing and it is ebb-tide early in the morning, you must not lay your net before sunrise. The salmon must not be carried outside until a crow takes one and carries it outside. Then it must be distributed raw. No fire must be made until daylight; the breast must not be eaten before the next day. When salmon are roasted at a tire and they are done, water must be poured into the fire." He said to his excrements: "You have told me enough. The Indians shall always do this way. Thus shall be the taboos for all generations of Indians. Even I got tired."

Thus spoke Coyote about the taboos of Clatsop. He said to his cousins: "We will move to the other side." The newt made herself ready. Then the snake looked at the frog, who was growling. The snake reached her, struck, and killed her.

Now they arrived here on this side. They went fishing and killed salmon. He did the same way as in Clatsop. He strewed sand on the eye of that salmon. He pressed its eye. Then they intended to fish again, but they did not kill anything. They went home. On the following morning they went again fishing, but they did not kill anything On the next morning they went fishing again, but they did not kill anything. Coyote scolded. He defecated: "Why have these salmon disappeared?" "Oh, you foolish Coyote. When you kill a salmon you must kick it. Do you think it is the same here as at Clatsop?" "Oh, said Coyote. On the next morning they went fishing again. They laid their net and caught two salmon. They laid their net again and caught three salmon. He threw one ashore. It fell down head first so that the mouth struck the sand. They tried to lay their net again but they did not kill anything. They tried to fish until the flood tide set in. They had not killed anything. They had caught five only. They went home. In the evening Coyote cut the salmon and roasted them. They were done. The following morning they went fishing, but did not kill anything. Coyote scolded. He defecated: "Why have these salmon disappeared?" "Oh, you foolish Coyote. Do you think it is the same here as at Clatsop? Do not throw salmon ashore so that the head is downward. It is taboo. When you kill a salmon go and pick salmonberries. When you have caught many salmon put salmonberries into the mouth of each." "Oh, you have told me enough," he said to his excrements. The next morning they again went fishing. They killed many salmon. He sent the newt to pick salmonberries. The newt brought salmonberries. Now they put those berries into the mouths of those salmon. It got day and they went fishing again. They met fishermen on the water. A short distance down river they laid their net. They laid it several times and went up the river a short distance. They passed the canoes of those fishermen. They laid their net and intended to fish, but they did not kill anything. They were unsuccessful. They went home. Coyote scolded. He defecated: "Why have these salmon disappeared?" "You lean one! When yon kill a salmon, and you have laid your net at one place and you kill one more, you must lay your net at the same place. You must not pass a canoe with fishermen in it. It is taboo." "Yes," said Coyote. On the next day they went again fishing. Coyote said: "Even I got tired. The Indians shall always do in the same manner. Murderers, those who prepare corpses, girls who are just mature, menstruating women, widows and widowers shall not eat salmon. Thus shall be the taboos for all generations of people."

7. The Crane

Crane, Coyote, and Heron lived together. Every day they went digging clams until the flood-tide set in. One day Coyote said: "How many Oq!̲ô'xôL have you for your sweethearts?" Crane replied: "Two canoes full and some must walk." Coyote said: "How few sweet hearts you have! I have five canoes full and some must walk." Heron remained silent. Five days they dug clams, and the nights they slept on a prairie. When Crane was sleepy Coyote rose and cried: "An Oq!̲ô'xôL comes down to the beach!" Crane shouted; he had fallen asleep. Then Coyote said: "I have only deceived you," He did so often. Now they fell asleep. Then Oq!̲ô'xôL came to the beach and put them into her basket. She put Coyote at the bottom, Crane in the middle, and Heron on top. She carried them inland. Now Heron awoke. He took hold of a branch and hung there. When the monster had gone a long distance Coyote awoke. He looked around but remained quiet. Then Crane awoke. He shouted, but Coyote said: "Be quiet, be quiet, the monster carries us away." She brought them to her house and to her children. One she had lost. Then she said to her eldest daughter: "Go and get two spits; bring straight huckleberry sticks." Her daughter went out. Then Coyote said to his friend: "Bend your neck when she is about to roast you." When the spit was brought Crane bent his neck. Then she said to her daughter: "Bring a crooked spit." Coyote said: "When a crooked spit is brought, stretch out your neck." The girl brought a crooked spit, then Crane stretched out his neck." Five times the girl, the daughter of Oq!̲ô'xôL, went; then she became tired. Oq!̲ô'xôL said: "We will make them our slaves." At that time Crane's tail was half a fathom long. Coyote said to him: "Look here! We will deceive her, I shall sing my conjurer's song and you will help me." They gathered pitchwood and when the house was fall Coyote sang his conjurer's song. He put the snake on as a headband. He said to Crane: "I will put the snake on your head as a headband." Then Crane shouted; he was afraid. Now Coyote sang his conjurer's song. Four nights they remained awake; on the fifth night Oq!̲ô'xôL and her children fell asleep. Then be took a digging stick and rammed it into the ground so that only the handle remained visible. He tied the hair of Oq!̲ô'xôL and of her children to the digging stick. Then they went out and lit the Louse. Crane's tail caught fire. Then Coyote said to him: "Stay on this prairie." Crane did so and the prairie caught fire. "Stay in this fern." He did so and it caught fire. "Stay in this dry wood." He did so and it caught fire. At last Crane's tail was wholly burnt. Then Coyote thought: "Stay in the water." Thus Crane's tail was burnt. Now the monster caught fire. She awoke and saw her house burning. She said to her children: "Rise, Coyote will burn our house." She wanted to rise, but her hair pulled her back. She and her children were all burnt.

Now Coyote and Crane went to NixkElâ'x. They went up the river to its rapids. Then they built a house. Coyote made holes in the stones and said: "Perhaps fall salmon will jump into my hole. Silver-side salmon will jump into my hole. Calico salmon will jump into my hole. All kinds of fish will jump into my hole." Crane made a harpoon shaft and a harpoon and stood near the water. When a male fall salmon or a silver-side salmon passed him, he speared them. He caught many fish. Then he split them. Every day he did so. Bad fall salmon and female silver-side salmon jumped into Coyote's hole. Sometimes a good one would jump into it. Now their house was full of fish. The dry salmon of Crane was fat. When Coyote looked up his salmon was all grey and no fat was on it. Coyote thought: "I will kill him and take his dry salmon." Now he sang his conjurer's song and Crane helped him. Coyote had a large baton. Crane stretched out his neck when he helped Coyote. Then he struck at his neck, but Crane bent it. Coyote was ashamed because he had missed him. Crane put all his dry fish into a basket. So did Coyote. They were angry with one another. Crane and Coyote were angry. Crane carried his dry salmon on his back. He came back several times until he had carried them all. Coyote, however, was too lazy to carry them on his back. He placed all those fish in a row. The trail led across the hill to NixkElâ'x. Coyote thought: "I shall try to drive them." He put a roe into his quiver which he hung over his shoulder. Then he drove his fish. Crane had already gone down the river. The trail went a little downhill when it approached the river. Now Coyote drove the baskets in which his fish were. When they came near the water, they began to roll rapidly. The first basket arrived at the river and rolled into it. The next one arrived at the river and rolled into it. All rolled into the river. He ran after them in order to hold them. He took hold of his fish, but he was pulled into the water by the roe in his quiver. Then he took off his arrows and went ashore. All his fish had disappeared. Then he said: "I think the people shall do thus: When they move from one place to the other they shall not drive their food. Even I could not do it. They shall work and become tired, carrying it on their backs when they move." That is the story; to-morrow it will be good weather.

8. Ênts!̲X

Ênts!̲X's grandmother was Upê'qciuc. She always asked him to go elk hunting. Early every morning he started, but he killed only chipmunks and squirrels; sometimes he killed mice. Oftentimes he went and stayed on a prairie. He shouted: "Come down from the woods, elk! we will fight, we will dance." Down came the rabbit. "You are the one I have called, your ears are like spoons with long handles." Then the rabbit cried and went back. Then he called again: "Come down from the woods, elk! we will fight, we will dance." Down came a deer. "You are the one I have called, your eyes are like huckleberries." Then the deer cried and went back. He called again: "Come down from the woods, elk! we will fight, we will dance." Down came a female elk. "You are the one whom I have called!" He called again: "Come down from the woods, elk! we will fight, we will dance." Then a male elk came down. Now Êntsx danced and sang: "Where shall I go into him? Where shall I go into him? I think I will go into his mouth. No, he will spit and I shall get full of saliva. I think I will go into his nostrils. No he will snort and I shall get full of mucus. I think I will go into his ear. No, he will shake himself and I shall fall down. I think I shall go into his anus. No, he will defecate and I shall get full of excrements." After some time he entered his anus. Now he cut his stomach to pieces. After a little while the elk fell down and died. Then Êntsx skinned and dissected it. He cut off the hind-legs; he cut off the fore-legs. He cut off the head, the neck, the ribs, and the rump bone. Then he went home. When he came to his grandmother he said: "I killed an elk, grandmother!" "Perhaps it was a mouse." "No, it has horns, it has horns, it is an elk." "Then perhaps it was a snail." "No, no, I killed an elk, an elk." "Perhaps it was a chipmunk." "No, no, I killed an elk, an elk." "Perhaps it was a squirrel." Then she got tired and they went into the woods. They arrived at the place where the elk lay. Êntsx asked: "What do you want to carry, grandmother? Do you want to carry its head?" "It will pull me down headlong, grandson." "What do you want to carry, grandmother? Do you want to carry its neck?" "It will pull me down headlong, grandson." "What do you want to carry, grandmother? Do you want to carry its hind-legs?" "They will pull me down headlong, grandson." "What do you want to carry, grandmother? Do you want to carry its fore-legs?" "They will pull me down headlong, grandson." "What do you want to carry, grandmother? Do you want to carry its breast?" "It will pull me down headlong, grandson." "What do you want to carry, grandmother? Do you want to carry its back?" "It will pull me down headlong, grandson." "What do you want to carry, grandmother? Do you want to carry its rump bone?" "Tie it tip, tie it up, grandson." Then he tied it up, she put it up, she raised it on her back. The old woman ran ahead of her grandson, who carried the rest of the elk. They went home. After a little while he came near his grandmother, who had put her load on the ground and pushed it to and fro, singing at the same time.

He reached her and asked: "What are you doing there, grandmother?" "It pulled me down headlong, grandson." Then she took it again on her back and ran. He went on. Then he saw her again sitting down and pushing her load to and fro and singing. [He asked:] "What are you doing there, grandmother?" "It pulled me down headlong, grandson." Five times he overtook her, when they reached home.

[Êntsx said:] "Now go and bring some water, grandmother, we will boil the elk." His grandmother took five buckets and went out. She went a short distance, urinated and filled all the buckets. Then she went home. Her grandson asked her: "Where did you get that water, grandmother?" She named a river. Then he took up another bucket and asked: Where did you get this water, grandmother?" "This I took from the upper fork of Bear creek," she replied. Thus she named a new creek for each bucket.

Now they boiled the elk. The old woman turned her back toward the fire and made holes in Êntsx's shell spoons, wooden spoons, and born dishes. When the food was done they took it away from the fire. Êntsx said: "Bring me my shell spoon which I used when I was a child." "There is a hole in it, grandson." "Then give me my wooden spoon which I used when I was a child." "There is a hole in it, grandson." "Then give me the spoon made of mountain-sheep horn." "There is a hole in it, grandson." "Then give me my toy canoes which I used when I was a child." "There are holes in them, grandson."

"Have they all holes?" he said. Then he took the boiling food and poured it over his grandmother,. She was scalded and her legs and arms became doubled up. Then he rolled her up in the elk skin, threw her into the river and she drifted down to a place where Winter Robin and Blue-Jay were fishing with a dipnet.

Robin saw an elk skin drifting down and said: "Ah! an elk comes down to me." Then Blue-Jay said: "Robin, do you hear? they call us?" Then Robin said: "Ah! an elk comes down to me." Then Blue-Jay said: "Ah! hahahaha." Five times Robin said: "An elk comes down to me." Then Blue-Jay understood what he said and called himself: "Ah! an elk comes down to me." "Where does it come?" [Blue-Jay pointed out.] "Here, here, here" [pointing in all directions because he did not see it]. Then they saw the elk and took it. They put it into their canoe [and saw that] it was tied up. They unfastened the strings and [out came] their aunt. "Oh, behold our aunt!" "How shall we wail for her, Robin?" Then Robin sung: "O Êntsx, Êntsx, he killed her, he killed her, our aunt, our aunt." "That is a good song," said Blue-Jay. Now they went home, and when they came near their town they began to wail. Oh, the poor ones, how they do wail?" said the people. They sang: "Êntsx, Êntsx, he killed her, he killed her, our aunt, our aunt." They landed and the people went down to see them. Then they carried the body of Upê'qciuc up to the house. They tried to cure her. After a while she recovered. Then they asked her: "What [?]." She named [a bird]. "She named the eldest one," said Blue-Jay. "Pull his canoes into the water." Again they asked her. She named Robin. "She named the eldest one," said Blue-Jay. She named all the people. Last of all she named Blue-Jay. Now they launched his canoes and they went to make war upon Ênts!̲x. Two canoes full of people went.

They went a long distance and met two people asleep, a man and a woman. Blue-Jay went ashore. He took the man by his hair in his right hand and he took the woman in his left. Then he took them to his canoe and made them his slaves. When they traveled along these two persons were dancing [in Blue-Jay's canoe]. The latter said: "Robin! These two persons were our grandfather's slaves; they always carried me on the, back and led you by the hand. They were our great-great-grandfather's slaves." "Iä-a, they are only your slaves. Do you think that I do not know my slaves?" replied Robin. "Pshaw! he is older than I am and does not remember it!" Now the two persons danced and sang: "Near the trees we always dance, watlala guyu, guyu, guyu, guyu."

Then Blue-Jay said: "They always say: 'Close to the trees, close to the trees'". "Iä" replied Robin, "thus they will run away from you." And indeed so it happened. [When they got a little farther they came to] a tree which hung over the water. [The man and the woman] jumped up and escaped by running [over the tree]. Blue-Jay ran in pursuit. He came inland. Then he called anah, anah. When he came back to the canoe his legs were full of blood [and he said to his brother Robin]: "Why did you not go inland? They nearly killed me. That man took hold of my head and the woman struck my legs." [Robin laughed and replied:] "Iä, they were the squirrel and chipmunk whom you caught."

They traveled on. They went a long distance and met one man who was sitting in his canoe. He fished with a dipnet. Blue-Jay said: "My nephew, you have a pretty canoe." "I borrowed it." "My nephew, you have a pretty paddle." "I borrowed it." "My nephew, you have a pretty bailer." "I borrowed it." "My nephew, you have a pretty dip-net." "I borrowed it." "My nephew, you have a pretty mat in your canoe." "I borrowed it." [Then Blue-Jay got angry and said:] "Do you borrow everything?" He took hold of his head and threw him into his canoe. He said: "Give me that rope and I will tie him." [The man whom he had caught replied:] "I shall scratch your ropes to pieces." [Then Blue-Jay said:] "Give me a rope of spruce limbs." "I shall scratch it to pieces." "What shall I take to tie him with? Give me strings of dentalia. "I shall scratch them to pieces. "Ha, ha, ha," he cried then; "sea-grass, sea-grass!" "Give me sea-grass, give me sea-grass, quick Robin." Now he tied the hands and the feet of that man. Then he threw him into the water. The water began to boil where they had thrown him down. [Blue-jay cried:] "O, my nephew, he scolds. I killed my nephew." [Robin remarked:] "Iä, he is laughing at you here." "Pshaw, a man does not laugh when he is thrown into the water" [said Blue-Jay].

Now the people went on, and after awhile they saw a person who held arrows in his hands. [He said:] "Tell me the news, Blue-Jay!" "I have nothing to tell you, only that I threw my relative down there into the water." "I am the one," said that person. "Iä," cried Robin, "that is the one whom you threw into the water."

They went on to Ênts!̲x's house. They surrounded it and set it on fire. When it began to burn Ênts!̲x flew out through a knothole. When the, whole house was burnt, Blue-Jay found a [mink's] head. "Oh that is Ênts!̲x's head!" he shouted. But Robin said: be went out already." Now the people went home and left Ênts!̲x.

9. The Crow

There were the Crow and her five children. At the end of her house lived her cousin the Raven. They were hungry, and one day she went to look for food on the beach. She sang. She found a poggy, kicked it and went on. She repeated her song. Soon she found a flounder. Again she sang her song. Then she found a seal; she kicked it and went on. Again she sang her song. Then she found a sturgeon. She went around it twice, then she left it and kicked it. She went on and repeated her song. Then she found a sea-lion; three times she went around it. She kicked it and left it. She repeated her song. She went a long distance and found a whale. Four times she went around it, then she kicked it and kicked it again. She broke her leg. "Oh, my leg," she cried. She went up to the woods, pulled out some grass and tied it on to her leg. She went on and after a little while she found a salmon. "Oh! my salmon," she said. She was very glad and danced. She put it into her mat and went home. When she had almost arrived at her house she saw a woman When she came nearer she recognized her. "Behold! the eagle," she said. The latter said: "What do you carry there?" "On," she replied, "A salmon." "I wish to buy it; I will give you my coat." "Plenty of coats are lying about in my house." "I will give you my blanket." "What shall I do with your blanket? I have many blankets." "I will give you my hat." "What shall I do with your hat? May be, it is full of lice." "I will give you my hands." "What shall I do with your hands? "I have hands as well." "Pull out that bunch of grass." The eagle went and pulled out the bunch of grass, which gave way at once. Then she said, "Now you try to pull it out." The Crow went and tried to pull it out. It did not give way. "I will give you my eyes; you will be able to see a long distance." "What shall I do with your eyes? I have eyes as well." "The eagle said: "Louse me." She did so and found a plate full of lice. [After she had finished the eagle said:] "Now I will louse you." She loused the Crow, who became sleepy and finally fell asleep, Then the eagle took the salmon and put a bunch of grass in her mat. She carried it to the top of a spruce tree. When the Crow awoke she saw the eagle sitting on top [of the spruce tree] eating her salmon. Then [she was so much grieved that she fell down at once. She asked the eagle]: "Please give me the gills." The Crow lay on her back and the eagle threw down the gills and the roe. The Crow went home angry. She arrived there. Her children were in the house. She came to her children. She roasted the salmon roe. [She asked] her eldest daughter: "Go and get some water." [She replied:] "The next younger one is there." She asked another one of her daughters: "Go and get some water." [She replied:] "The next younger one is there." She asked four of them. Now her youngest daughter brought her some water. When the salmon roe was nearly done she washed her face. [She asked her daughters:] "Is my face white now?" "No, it is still black." She washed it again and asked her children once more: "Is my face white?" "No, it is still black." Then the raven jumped up and took what she was roasting. He took it away and ate it all. Then the Crow cried again and the raven lay down. He was ashamed of himself. In the evening he fell sick and sang his conjurer's song: "O, my brass pin hit my eye and it got blind, qoâqoaxqoä', qoâqoaxqoä', qoâqoaxqoä'!"

After a while they went and asked the crabs and their young ones to come. The raven heated stones and when they were hot he shut the door. Then a crab thought: "He is cooking for us." But they three, all of them on the stones, old and young. They were steamed. When they were done he said to the Crow and her children: "Come eat!" Now she was glad, and she ate, together with her children.

10. Câ'xaL

Câ'xaL'S eldest was dead. Every morning he went to the beach and wailed. Day by day he went to the beach and cried. Once upon a time he discovered two ravens flying from the sea towards the shore. When they came near him he saw that they turned [in the air] over one another. [Sometimes the one was above, then the other.] When they had almost reached him they let fall a round object, which fell on the sand. He went down to the beach and took it. It was an abalone shell. In the evening he went home. Then he said to his wife: "Invite all the people." His wife went and said: "My poor husband invites you." Then all the people came and entered the house. He said:

"This was carried up to me from the sea. You will see it. Just there they came ashore." Blue-Jay said: "Let us go to-morrow and see where they found it." Early he ran around [saying]: "Quick, quick, arise!" All the people arose and launched two canoes. Then they went out seaward. They traveled a long distance. When the mountains [of their own country] had almost disappeared they discovered land. Blue-Jay said: "Certainly here are abalone shells." After awhile they landed. The ground was full of abalone shells. The people went ashore and picked up these abalone shells. They selected only the very green ones. Blue-Jay gathered those which were near the canoe. Then their chief [Câ'xaL] went away and left them. He went around the island. He took only the large and very green ones. The people waited for their chief. Then Blue-Jay became hungry, and said: "Let us leave him." But part of the people said: "No; we must wait for him; perhaps he met some people." [After awhile] Blue-Jay said: "Come! Let us leave him." It grew dark; then his people left him. They followed Blue Jay's advice and went home. In the evening the chief had gone around the island. Now his people had disappeared; they had left him. Then he lay down under a log and cried: "Why did my people desert me; why did they leave me? "He stayed there for a long time. He carried all the abalone shells [up to the log]. On the next day he found a sea-otter. On the following morning he awoke and heard people talking on the beach below him. He lifted his blanket and looked seaward, but he saw only gulls. He pulled his blanket over his head again. On the next morning, when it grew daylight, he heard again people talking on the beach below. Again he lifted his blanket, but there were only albatross. Five days he heard people [talking on the beach]. On the next morning [he saw] a person standing by him. He lifted his blanket land the stranger said]: "Tomorrow you will be carried back." Early the next morning the person stood again near him, and said: "Arise; now you will be carried back." He looked down to the beach and saw a whale. He carried down his abalone shells. A hole was in the middle of the whale, into which he was placed. [The person said:] "Do not open your eyes while they are carrying you." Now he lay down and he was carried away. All the people carried him. They paddled. The albatross and pelicans were told: "Put down your paddles; put down your paddles." The gulls were told: "Put up your paddles, put up your paddles." The snipes were told: "Put up your paddles, put up your paddles." Then when they were at sea, part of those people departed. When they were, near the land another part departed. Now only the snipes and gulls remained. He felt [the whale] rock, then all was quiet and he lifted his blanket. He lay on the beach. He looked and saw only gulls and snipes. Now he arose. He went inland, carrying all his abalone shells and the sea otters. He took five cuts of the whale. That person had told him to do so. Then that whale returned. Now he went up to his house and staid there. After awhile he saw a child. It approached him, shooting an arrow. [The arrow] struck the ground near him, and he took it and hid it. Then the child came searching for his arrow. When he did not find it he cried: "O, Blue-Jay, you have hidden my arrow. You make me feel miserable. You always tease me; give me my arrow." The child had no hair, and his eyes were sore. His blanket was made of deerskin. Then [Câ'xaL] took him by his arm and said: "Who are you?" "Oh it is I. My father was deserted. Blue-Jay deserted him." Then [Câ'xaL] took [the boy] to the water and washed his face; he blew on his eyes and the boy recovered his eyesight. He said: "Child! it is I; I have returned." He threw away [the boy's] blanket and gave him a sea-otter blanket. "Tell me," he continued, "are you all well?" The boy replied: "Blue-Jay made us miserable; two of your wives are now his wives. He always defecates in our house, and I must wipe him with my blanket. Two only [of your wives] do not like him." "Bring them here." "Oh, they can not see, for they have lost their eyes." Then the boy went home. He sent him to fetch his mother. He said to her: "Father has come home." Then his mother and the other woman began to cry: "O, Blue-Jay has deceived you; he always deceives you." "No, indeed, father has come. I have recovered my eyesight; he sent me to fetch you. Just feel my blanket." Then his mother felt it. It was soft. [The boy continued:] See, you did not believe me! "Then he led them to his father. He reached his father, who washed their faces. Then they recovered their eyesight. Câ'xaL said to them: "Go and sweep our house." They went back and swept the whole house. They carried everything into the house, his whale, his sea otters, and his abalone shells. Then Câ'xaL entered the house.

On the following morning Blue-Jay opened the door and defecated in the doorway. [He called:] "Ê'npêucX, wipe me!" "Take that fire-brand and push his backside," said his father. The boy took it and pushed him. "Heh," cried Blue-Jay: "Oh, he burnt me; certainly his father has returned." Blue-Jay looked into the house and saw the chief sitting in the house. Then he went and told the people: "Our chief has arrived." [Câ'xaL] distributed all his property among his people. He gave them all the abalone shells.

11. Stikua'

Many people were living at Nakot!â't. Now their chief died. He had [left] a son who was almost grown up. It was winter and the people were hungry. They had only mussels and roots to eat. Once upon a time a hunter said: "Make yourselves ready." All the men made themselves ready and went seaward in two canoes. Then the hunter speared a sealion. It jumped and drifted on the water [dead]. They hauled it ashore. Blue-Jay said: "Let us boil it here." They made a fire and singed it. They cut it and boiled it. Blue-Jay said: "Let us eat it here, let us eat all of it!" Then the people ate. Raven tried to hide a piece of meat in his mat and carried it to the canoe. [But] Blue-Jay [had already seen it]; he ran [after him], took it and threw it into the fire. He burned it. Then they went home. They gathered large and small mussels. In the evening they came home. Then Blue-Jay shouted: "Stikua', fetch your mussels!" Stikua' was the name of Blue Jay's wife. Then noise of many feet [was heard], and Stikua' and the other women came running down to the beach. They went to fetch mussels. The women came to the beach and carried the mussels to the house. Raven took care of the chiefs son. The boy said: "To-morrow I shall accompany you." "Blue-Jay said to him: "What do you want to do? The waves will carry you away, you will drift away; even I almost drifted away."

The next morning they made themselves ready. They went into the canoe and the boy came down to the beach. He wanted to accompany them and held on to the canoe. "Go to the house; go to the house," said Blue-Jay. The boy went up, but he was very sad. Then Blue-Jay said: "Let us leave him." The people began to paddle. Then they arrived at the sealion island. The hunter went ashore and speared a sealion. It jumped and drifted on the water [dead]. They hauled it ashore and pulled it up from the water. Blue-Jay said: "Let us eat it here; let us eat all of it, else our chief's son would always want to come here." They singed it, carved it, and boiled it there. When it was done they ate it all. Raven tried to hide a piece in his hair, but Blue-Jay took it out immediately and burned it. In the evening they gathered large and small mussels and then they went home. When they approached the beach Blue-Jay shouted: "Stikua', fetch your mussels!" Then noise of many feet [was heard]. Stikua' and her children and all the other women came running down to the beach and carried the mussels up to the house. Blue-Jay had told all those people: "Don't tell our chief's son, else he will want to accompany us." lit the evening the boy said: "To-morrow I shall accompany you."

But Blue-Jay said: "What do you want to do? The confounded waves will carry you away." But the boy replied: "I must go."

In the morning they made themselves ready for the third time. The boy went down to the beach and took hold of the canoe. But Blue-Jay pushed him aside and said: "What do you want here? Go to the house." The boy cried and went up to the house. [When he turned back] Blue-Jay said: "Now paddle away. We will leave him." The people began to paddle and soon they reached the sealion island. The hunter went ashore, and speared one large sealion. It jumped and drifted on the water [dead]. They hauled it toward the shore, landed, pulled it up and singed it. They finished singeing it. Then they carved it and boiled it, and when it was done they began to eat. Blue-Jay said: "Let us eat it all, nobody must speak about, it, else our chief's son will always want to accompany us." A little [meat] was still left when they had eaten enough. Raven tried to take apiece along. He tied it to his leg and said his leg was broken. Blue-Jay burned all that was leftover. Then he, said to Raven: "Let me see your leg." He jumped at it, untied it and found the piece of meat at Raven's leg. He took it and burned it. In the evening they gathered large and small mussels. Then they went home. When they were near home Blue-Jay shouted: "Stikua', fetch your mussels!" Then noise of many feet [was heard] and Stikua' [her children and the other women] came down to the beach and carried the mussels up to the house. The [women and children] and the chief's son ate the mussels all night. Then that boy said: "To-morrow I shall accompany you." Blue-Jay said: "What do you want to do? You will drift away. If I had not taken hold of the canoe I should have drifted away twice."

On the next morning they made themselves ready for the fourth time. The boy rose and made himself ready also. The people hauled their canoes into the water and went aboard. The boy tried to board the canoe also, but Blue-Jay took hold of him and threw him into the water. He stood in the water up to his waist. He held the canoe, but Blue-Jay struck his hands. There he stood. He cried, and cried, and went up to the house. The people went; they paddled and soon they reached the sealion island. The hunter went ashore and speared a sealion. It jumped and drifted on the water [dead]. Again they towed it to the island and pulled it ashore. They singed it. When they had finished singeing it they carved it and boiled it. When it was done Blue-Jay said: "Let us eat it here." They ate half of it and were satiated. They slept because they had eaten too much. Blue-Jay awoke first and burned all that was left. In the evening they gathered large and small mussels and went home. When they were near the shore he shouted: "Stikua', fetch your mussels!" Noise of many feet [was heard] and Stikua' [her children and the other women] came running down to the beach and carried up the mussels. The boy said: "To-morrow I shall accompany you." But Blue-Jay replied:

"What do you want to do? We might capsize and you would be drowned."

Early on the following morning the people made themselves ready. The boy arose and made himself ready also. Blue-Jay and the people hauled their canoes down to the water. The boy tried to board it, but Blue-Jay threw him into the water. He tried to hold the canoe. The water reached up to his armpits. Blue-Jay struck his hands [until He let go]. Then the boy cried and cried. Blue-Jay and the other people went away.

After some time the boy went up from the beach. He took his arrows and walked around a point of land. There he met a young eagle and shot it. He skinned it and tried to put the skin on. It was too small, it reached scarcely to his knees. Then he took it off and went on. After awhile he met another eagle. He shot it and it fell down. It was a white-headed eagle. He skinned it and tried the skin on, but it was too small. It reached a little below his knees. He took it off, left it, and went on. Soon he met a bald-headed eagle. He shot it twice and it fell down. He skinned it and put the skin on. It was nearly large enough for him, and he tried to fly. He could fly downward only. He did not rise. He turned back, and now he, could fly. Now he went around the point seaward from Nakôt!â't. When he had nearly gone around he smelled smoke of burning fat. When he came around the point he saw the people of his town. He alighted on top of a tree and looked down. [He saw that] they had boiled a sealion and that they ate it. When they had nearly finished eating he flew up. He thought: "O, I wish Blue-Jay would see me." Then Blue-Jay looked up [and saw] the bird flying about. "Ah, a bird came to get food from us." Five times the eagle gyrated over the fire, then it descended. Blue-Jay took a piece of blubber and said: "I will give you this to eat. The bird came down, grasped the piece of meat and flew away. "Ha!" said Blue-Jay, "that bird has feet like a man." When the people had eaten enough they slept. Raven hid again a piece of meat. Toward evening they awoke and ate again; then Blue-Jay burned the rest of their food. In the evening they gathered large and small mussels and went home. When the boy came home he lay down at once. They approached the village and Blue-Jay shouted: "Fetch your mussels, Stikua'!" Noise of many feet [was heard] and Stikua' [and the other women] ran down to the beach and carried up the mussels. They tried to rouse the boy, but he did not arise.

The next morning the people made themselves ready and launched their canoe. The chiefs son stayed in bed and did not attempt to accompany them. After sunrise he rose and called the women and children and said: "Take urine and wash yourselves, be quick." The women obeyed and washed themselves. He continued: "Comb your hair." Then he put down a plank, took the piece of meat out [from under his blanket, showed it to the women and said]: "Every day your husbands eat this." He put two pieces side by side on the plank, cut them to pieces and greased the heads of all the women and children. Then he pulled the planks forming the walls of the houses out of the ground. He sharpened them [at one end and] those which were very wide he split in two. He sharpened all of them. The last house of the village was that of Raven. He did not pull out its wall-planks. He put the planks on to the backs of the women and children and said: "Go down to the beach, when you go seaward swim five times around that rock. Then go seaward. When you see sealions you shall kill them. But you shall not give anything to stingy people. I shall take these children down. They shall live on the sea and be my relatives."

Then he split sinews. The women went into the water and began to jump [out of the water]. They swam five times back and forth in front of the village. Then they went seaward plowing through the water. Now they went seaward to the place where Blue-Jay and the men were boiling. Blue-Jay said to the men: "What is that?" The men looked and saw the girls jumping. Five times they swam around Blue-Jay's rock. Then they went seaward. After awhile birds came flying to the island. Their bills were [as red] as blood. They followed [the fish]. "Ah," said Blue-Jay: "Do you notice them? Whence come these numerous birds?" The Raven said: "Ha, squint eye, they are your children; do you not recognize them?" Five times they went around that rock. Now [the boy] threw the sinews down upon the stones and said: "When Blue-Jay comes to gather mussels they shall be fast [to the rocks]." And he said to the women, turning toward the sea: "Whale-Killer will be your name; when you catch a whale you will eat it, but when you catch a sealion you will throw it away, but you shall not give anything to stingy people."

Blue-Jay and the people were eating. Then that hunter said: "Let us go home. I am afraid we have seen evil spirits; we have never seen anything like that on this rock." Now they gathered mussels and carried along the meat which they had leftover. In the evening they came near their home. [Blue-Jay shouted:] "Stikua', fetch your mussels!" There was no sound of people. Five times he called. Now the people went ashore and [they saw that] the walls of the houses had disappeared. The people cried. Blue-Jay cried also, but somebody said to him: "Be quiet, Blue-Jay; if you had not been bad our chief's son would not have done so." Now they all made one house. Only Raven had one house [by himself]. He went and searched for food on the beach. He found a sturgeon. He went again to the beach and found a porpoise. Then Blue-Jay went to the beach and tried to search for food. [As soon as he went out] it began to hail; the hail-stones were so large [indicating]. He tried to gather mussels and wanted to break them off, but they did not come off. He could not break them off. He gave it up. Raven went to search on the beach and found a seal. The others ate roots only. Thus their chief took revenge on them.

12. The Skunk

A chieftainess sang her conjurer's song. She made a large house and invited the people. The people landed. Blue-Jay was the chorus leader of the chieftainess. "Who are those outside who want to dance?" "Ah, the maggots; they will dance." Now the maggots entered; they sang: "We make move the rotten meat; we make move the rotten meat." Blue-Jay joined their song and they gave him a mountain goat blanket in payment. He said to his wife: "Put it on, old woman." But she replied; "Llop, Llop, nêq, nêq, tcu, tcu." "Certainly," said Blue-Jay, "when conjurers assemble it is better not to put on beautiful clothing." Now other people sang in front of the door. "Who are those who want to dance?" "Ah, the geese; they want to dance." Now the geese entered; they sang: "We pull out the sea-grass, the sea-grass, the sea-grass, and it drifts away." They gave Blue-Jay in payment a blanket made of geese skins. Other people stood at the door. "Who are those who want to dance?" "Ah, the elks; they want to dance." Now they entered and sang: "We hiss on bluffs; we make z-z-z on bluffs." Blue-Jay joined their song: "You hiss on bluffs." They gave him a blanket made of the skin of a young elk in payment. He said to his wife: "Put it on, old woman." She replied: "Llop, Llop, nêq, nêq, tcu, tcu." "Certainly," said Blue-Jay, "when conjurers assemble it is better not to put on beautiful clothing." Again people stood at the door. "Who are those who want to dance?" "The wolves; they want to dance." They entered and sang: "We carry deer-fawns in our months; we have our faces blackened." Blue-Jay joined their song and they gave him a wolf blanket in payment.

The chieftainess, the skunk, was singing by herself: "Blue-Jay's and my ancestors used to keep company." Blue-Jay said to his brother: "Robin, go out, I shall speak to her." Robin replied: "No, be quiet, do not speak to her, she will say herself what she resolves to do. Do not speak to her."

Then more people stood in front of the door. "Ah, who are those who want to dance?" "The grizzly bears." Now the grizzly bears danced. They danced a long time in the house. Then a person said outside: "When will they go out; do they think they alone want to dance?" Then the chief of the grizzly bears said: "Who is talking there? I shall tear him to pieces; I shall eat him." "I am talking; I have a braid on one side of my head only. When I enter a man in the morning he must die before noon." Then the grizzly bear said to his people: "Let us go out and let them dance. Behold the arrows are growling."

Next the birds Ênts!̲x danced. They sang in a rapid movement: "Our legs are small, but we make the ground shake." Blue-Jay said: "Ha, how miserable are your legs, they will make the ground shake! Be quiet, you bad people." The birds danced and after a little while the house began to shake. Blue-Jay arose and said: "Slowly, slowly, slowly, younger brothers, the house will fall." The birds finished dancing, and next the gray cranes began to dance. Coyote was their husband. He sang his shaman's song, "Do not look back, younger sister, because you cause our children to make mistakes." Then he bit one of the children and tore off his neck. After they finished dancing the rabbits came and sang: "Step aside, step aside, post, heha, heha, I will shoot you, heha, heha!" He spanned his bow and Blue-Jay said: "Step aside for my younger brother, post, heha, else he will shoot you, heha!" They gave him a blanket made of rabbit skins. [Blue-Jay gave it to his wife and said:] "Put it on, old woman." She replied: "Llop, Llop, nêq, nêq, tcu, tcu." "O, yes," remarked Blue-Jay, "when conjurers assemble it is better not to put on beautiful clothing." Now the chieftainess continued to sing her conjurer's song: "Blue-Jay's and my ancestors used to keep company, m-m-m-m." Again Blue-Jay said to his brother: "Go out, Robin, I am hungry. She shall kill the whale quickly." Robin replied: "Iä, do you think you alone see this? She will say herself what she wants to do." Five times Blue-Jay said to his elder brother to go out, but Robin did not leave the house. Then Blue-Jay shouted: "The skunk is a wind-maker; she will make sick those whom she invited to the dance." She made wind and the whale fell down dead right there. Blue-Jay was blown away and he was caught in a knot-hole in the wall, in which he stuck. Now the people exit the whale. Blue-Jay cried: "Take me out, Robin, take me out." When the whale was all cut, Robin went up and took him out. Then Blue-Jay cut the meat only.

13. Robin and Blue-Jay

There were Blue-Jay and Robin. Once upon a time they were hungry. Blue-Jay said: "Make yourself ready, Robin." And they went to the sea where a slough was left by the receding tide. They were in their canoe. Blue-Jay called: "Come ashore, sleeper!" [name of a large fish]. The sleeper shouted [in reply], but it was far away from the shore. Blue-Jay called again: "Why do you stay far from the, shore? Only the heron can carry [food] to you [if you stay that far from the shore]." Again the sleeper shouted; he was nearer the shore now. Blue-Jay repeated: "Why do you stay far from the shore? Only the heron can carry [food] to you [if you stay that far from the shore]." Blue-Jay called him five times; then he came ashore. Blue-Jay speared him and he and his brother went home after they had thrown the fish into their canoe. They reached their home and went ashore. Blue-Jay said to his brother, "Make a fire." Robin made a fire. Blue-Jay went and carried the fish up to the house. He cut it and Robin said: "I will have its tail, I will have its breast, I will have its head." Then Blue-Jay became angry: "You want to have everything for yourself; the Q!̲tê'nse [1] are going to eat what at has been killed for you." Then Robin cried; he took his work and left the house. He cried outside. Blue-Jay finished cutting the fish. Then he called his elder brother [and said]: "Come in, come in, you poor one, you shall have the breast, you shall have the head, you shall have the tail." Then Robin came in. When the fish was roasted they began to eat.

After some time Blue-Jay dreamed, and he said to his elder brother:

Robin, I dreamed people sent for us; I was to cure a sick person." After some time people came in a canoe, wailing. When they had almost reached the shore they recognized the duck. She landed and said to Blue-Jay: "O, your brother-in-law is choking. I came to fetch you; you shall cure him." Blue-Jay replied: "We shall go." They made themselves ready to go. They went, and he said to his elder brother: "Robin, you must say, 'She shall give us in payment one lake and one-half of another lake.' Thus you must say when I cure her." Robin said: "All right." They landed. The duck's husband was breathing heavily. Now Blue Jay began to cure him and Robin sang: "You shall pay us both sides of one lake and one side of another lake." One of the ducks who sat at some distance sang differently: "Qoê'x, one side shall be yours, my nephews." Then Blue Jay took out the morsel which was choking the duck and made him well. He recovered. Now [Robin and his brother] dug roots on the place which they had received in payment. They gathered two canoes full and went home. They arrived at home. They carried their roots up to the house. They stayed there for some time. They ate all their roots. Then Blue-Jay dreamed again. He said to his elder brother: "Robin, I dreamed that people sent for us; I was to cure a sick person." In the afternoon they saw a canoe coming; two persons were in it. They landed and two young men came up to the house. They were the young wolves. They said to Blue-Jay: "We come to call you; a girl of our family is choking." Blue-Jay replied: "We shall go." After some time he and his brother made themselves ready, and he said to his elder brother: "When I cure her you must point to the largest basket and say, 'There is the spirit of the disease.'" "All right," replied Robin. They landed, and when they came to the house the girl was almost suffocated. Then Blue-Jay began to cure her. He sang: "What is it that is in this girl? Her throat is all twisted up." Then Robin said, pointing to the largest basket: "It is in that large basket." The wolves took it down and placed it near Robin. Robin continued to do so, and pointed to all the large baskets. Then Blue-Jay took out what had choked the girl; it was the kneepan of an elk. Then they gave them in payment two canoes full of meat and grease. They went home and now they were satisfied and carried the meat up to the house. Their house became full.

Notes

[1] All imaginary tribe.

14. Blue-Jay and Iô'i

There were Blue-Jay and his elder sister [Iô'i]. The latter went every day digging roots. [Once upon a time] she said to her brother: "Make some arrows; the ducks, the geese, the tail-ducks always lick my buttocks." "Yes, I will do so," said Blue-Jay. The next day she went again digging. Then Blue Jay made the arrows. When he had finished them he went and searched for his elder sister. When he came to the place Iô'i always dug roots he heard her scratching her anus. She looked back, turning her head over her shoulder. Now Blue-Jay spanned his bow and shot her in her buttocks. "Anah, Squint-eye" [she said]. She took away his bow and said: "These here are the birds," and she shot them. She killed a male mallard duck which was very fat. Then she said to her younger brother: "Go home, and when you get home give them the nose ornament to eat, keep for me only a stone and its rope." "I will do so," said Blue-Jay. Iô'i had five children. He went home. Now he plucked the duck. He finished plucking it. Now he cut the fat of the duck and tied it to the noses of Iô'i's children. He made a fire and said: "Go near the fire. Look into the fire in the middle of the house." Now he put a stone aside; a stone of that size. Now they looked into the fire and the fat became warm. Then they licked it off. Iô'i went home. She opened the door and saw her children. Their faces had become flushed by the heat. Then she jumped into the house. The stone [which Blue-Jay had put aside] hit her right on her forehead and she fell down. She lay there a long time; she recovered, arose [and said]: "Anah, Squint-eye, what did I tell you? I told you to give them a little and to keep the stomach for me." Then she took her children away from the fire. Blue-Jay replied: "I thought so; why do you not speak plainly when you speak to me?"

Another time Iô'i said to her brother. "Make me a canoe large enough for one leg." "I will do so," replied Blue-Jay. Iô'i said: "When there are no roots here I shall always go to the other side when you have finished the canoe." "I think so," replied Blue-Jay. Early next morning Blue-Jay went and hollowed out a piece of cedar wood. He put his leg into the canoe [to measure it and made it just as large as his leg]. He finished the canoe and went to his sister. He said: "I have finished the canoe." They carried it to the water and went to thc canoe. When she saw it [and noticed that] it was just large enough for one leg she said: "Anah, Squint-eye, what did I tell you? I told you to make a canoe large enough for one man." Blue-Jay replied: "I thought so; why do you not speak plainly when you speak to me?" On the next day Blue-Jay made a large canoe. It was good, large enough to carry one person. He brought it to his sister.

After a while his sister said to him: "You ought to get married. Take a wife. She shall help me dig roots. But take a dead one." "I will do so," said Blue-Jay. Now the daughter of the chief of a town had died. Blue-Jay went to the grave at night and took her out. Early the next morning he landed and said to his elder sister. "Here, I bring the dead one ashore, as you told me." "Anah, Squint-eye, I told you to bring an old one. Quick! Take her to the supernatural beings [and ask them to cure your wife]." Now Blue-Jay went. He cut off all his hair and began to cry. He went to the place where the supernatural beings lived. They heard somebody crying and went outside. They spoke: "Oh, see; that is poor Blue-Jay who is crying there; perhaps his sister died." But he cried all the time: "O my wife; O, my wife." "Perhaps his sister died, but he said his wife." He landed and they tried to cure her. They asked him: "How long has she been dead?" He replied: "She died yesterday." [Then the supernatural beings said:] "Then you must go to another town where they can cure those who have been dead one day." Blue-Jay said: "She died on the same day when I bought her." He traveled on, and when he had gone some distance he lay down to sleep. On the next morning he went on and came to the town of the supernatural beings. They heard some one crying and went outside. They spoke: "Oh, see; that is poor Blue-Jay who is crying there; perhaps his sister died." But he always said his wife, died. Blue-Jay landed and the supernatural people went down to meet him. He told them: "She died on the same day when I bought her. I bring her to you to cure her." They looked at her and asked him: "When did she die?" He replied: "She died two days ago." "Then you must carry her to another town where they know how to cure people who have been dead two days." Then Blue-Jay traveled on, and after he had gone a distance he lay down to sleep. Early the next morning he awoke and traveled on. After some time he reached a town, and the people heard him crying. They ran outside and said: "Oh, see; that is poor Blue-Jay; perhaps his sister died." He cried. He landed, and the supernatural people came down to meet him. Now the body of that woman was stinking. They asked him: "When did she die? "O," he replied, "three days ago." They took water and washed her face. Then they said: "You must carry her to another town where they know how to cure those who have been dead three days." Blue-Jay went on, and after some time he lay down to sleep. Early the next morning he started again, and reached the town of the supernatural people. They heard him crying and said: "Oh, that is poor Blue-Jay who is crying there; perhaps his sister died." But he always said his wife had died. He landed. "O, my wife, has died." They said to him: "When did she die?" "O," he replied, "four days ago." Now they washed the whole body and bathed her. The bad smell disappeared. [They said:] "Carry her to another town." Blue-Jay went. When he had gone some distance and had almost reached the town he lay down to sleep. Early the next morning he awoke and traveled on to the place of the supernatural beings. They heard somebody crying and went outside and said: "Oh, see; that is poor Blue-Jay; perhaps his sister died." He landed and the supernatural people went down. He said: "She died on the same day when I bought her." "When did she die?" "Oh, five days ago." They tried to cure her there on the beach. Her heart began to move and they carried her up to the house. There they continued to cure her. And Blue-Jay's wife resuscitated. Her hair was so long that it hung down below her buttocks. Now they brought Blue-Jay into the house of the oldest one of the supernatural people, they worked over him and made his hair grow until it hung down to his thighs. They said to him: "Remain here; you shall do as we do. When a person has been dead five days you shall cure him." Early the next morning the supernatural man arose. [He sat down with Blue-Jay] and said: "Spit [as far as you call]." Blue-Jay tried to spit, but his saliva fell down near by. Then the supernatural being spat, and his saliva struck the other side of the house. Five days Blue-Jay tried, then he spat, and his saliva struck the other side of the house. Now he became a chief. He stayed there some time and then he became homesick. The supernatural people told him: "When you go home never give your hair in payment for a wife." Blue-Jay went home. He arrived at his elder sister's house with his wife.

The younger brother of the woman had grown up. One day he went some distance and reached Blue-Jay's house. He peeped into the house through a hole and he saw his elder sister sitting with Blue-Jay. Blue-Jay's hair reached down to his thighs. The boy came home, but he did not tell anything. Early the next morning he went again to the house and peeped into it, and again he recognized his sister. Five times he went and then his elder sister saw him. She called him: "Come in, come, in, brother." He entered and she gave him to eat. Then the boy went home and said to his mother: "My elder sister is staying with Blue-Jay." The people took a stick and whipped him. He cried: "Indeed, indeed, she gave me to eat. She called me; I went into the house and she fed me." Then the people went to the burial-ground and saw that she had disappeared. Only the canoe was there. They sent a young man to Blue-Jay's house, and, indeed, there was the chief's daughter. Then the chief said: "Go to Blue-Jay and tell him that he must give me his hair in payment for his wife." The messengers went and said to Blue-Jay: "The chief wants your hair." Blue-Jay did not reply. Five times they spoke to him. Then the chief said to his people: "Let us go, we will take her back." Now the people went. They took hold of her, one at each arm. They put her on her feet [and dragged her out of the house]. Then Blue-Jay began to fly. He became a blue-jay and flew away: wa'tsEtsEtsEtsEtsE. The, woman collapsed right there. Then they called him: "Blue-Jay, come back, she shall be your wife." But he did not return. Now they buried her again. She had died again.

15. Blue-Jay and Iô'i

There were Blue-Jay and Iô'i. One night the ghosts when out to buy a wife. They bought Iô'i. [Her family] kept the dentalia [which they had given] and at night they were married. On the following morning Iô'i had disappeared. Blue-Jay stayed at home for a year, then he said: "I shall go and search for my sister." He asked all the trees: "Where do people go when they die?" He asked all the birds, but they did not tell him. Then he asked an old wedge. It said: "Pay me, and I shall carry you there." Then he paid it, and it carried him to the ghosts. The wedge and Blue-Jay arrived near a large town. There was no smoke [rising from the houses]. Only from the last house, which was very large, they saw smoke rising. Blue-Jay entered this house and found his elder sister. "Ah, my brother," said she, "where do you come from? Have you died?" "Oh, no, I am not dead. The wedge brought me hither on his back." Then he went and opened all those houses. They were full of bones. A skull and bones lay near his sister. "What are you doing with these bones and this skull?" [asked Blue-Jay]. His sister replied: "That is your brother-in-law; that is your brother-in-law." "Pshaw! Iô'i is lying all the time. She says a skull is my brother-in-law!" When it grew dark the people arose and the house was [quite] full. It was ten fathoms long. Then he said to his sister: "Where did these people come from?" She replied: "Do you think they are people? They are ghosts." He stayed with his sister a long time. She said to him: "Do as they do and go fishing with your dipnet." "I think I will do so" [replied he]. When it grew dark he made himself ready. A boy [whom he was to accompany] made himself ready also. Those people always spoke in whispers. He did not understand them. His elder sister said to him; "You will go with that boy; he is one of your brother-in-law's relations." She continued: "Do not speak to him, but keep quiet." Now they started. They almost reached a number of people who went down the river singing in their canoes. Then Blue-Jay joined their song. They became quiet at once. Blue-Jay looked back and saw that [in place of the boy] there were only bones in the stern of his canoe. They continued to go down the river and Blue-Jay was quiet. Then he looked back towards the stern of the canoe. The boy was sitting there again. He said to him in a low voice: "Where is your weir?" He spoke slowly. The boy replied: "It is down the river." They went on. Then he said to him in a loud voice: "Where is your weir?" And only a skeleton was in the stern of the canoe. Blue-Jay was again silent. He looked back and the boy was sitting again in the canoe. Then he said again in a low voice: "Where is your weir?" "Here," replied the boy. Now they fished with their dipnets. Blue-Jay felt something in his net. He lifted it and found only two branches in his net. He turned his net and threw them into the water. After a short while he put his net again into the water. It became full of leaves. He turned his net and threw them into the water, but part of the leaves fell into the canoe. The boy gathered them up. Then another branch came into [Blue-Jay's] net. He turned his net and threw it into the water. Some leaves came into it and he threw them into the water. Part of the leaves fell into the canoe. The boy gathered them up. [Blue-Jay] was pleased with two of the branches [which had caught in his net]. He thought: "I will carry them to Iô'i. She may use them for making fire." These branches were large. They arrived at home and went up to the house. Blue-Jay was angry, because he had not caught anything. The boy brought a mat full of trout up to the house and the people roasted them. Then the boy told them: "He threw out of the canoe what we had caught. Our canoe would have been full if he had not thrown it away." His sister said to him: "Why did you throw away what you had caught?" "I threw it away because we had nothing but branches." "That is our food," she replied. "Do you think they were branches? The leaves were trout, the branches fall salmon." He said to his sister: "I brought you two branches, you may use them for making fire." Then his sister went down to the beach. Now there were two fall-salmon in the canoe. She carried them up to the house and entered carrying them in her hands. Blue-Jay said, to his elder sister: "Where did you steal these fall salmon!" She replied: "That is what you caught." "Iô'i is always lying."

On the next day Blue-Jay went to the beach. There lay the canoes of the ghosts. They had all holes and part of them were mossgrown. He went up to the house and said to his sister: "How bad are your husband's canoes, Iô'i." "Oh, be quiet," said she; "the people will become tired of you." "The canoes of these people are full of holes." Then his sister said to him: "Are they people? Are they people? They are ghosts." It grew dark again and Blue-Jay made himself ready. The boy made himself ready also. They went again. Now he teased the boy. When they were on their way he shouted, and only bones were there. Thus he did several times until finally they arrived. Now they fished with their dipnets. He gathered the branches and leaves [which they caught] and when the ebb-tide set in their canoe was full. Then they went home. Now he teased the ghosts. He shouted as soon as they met one, and only bones were in the canoe. They arrived at home. He went up to his sister. She carried up [what he had caught]; in part fall salmon, in part silver-side salmon.

On the next morning Blue-Jay went into the town. He found many bones in the houses. When it grew dark [somebody said]: "Ah, a whale has been found." His sister gave him a knife and said to him: "Run! a whale has been found." Blue-Jay ran and came to the beach. He met one of the people whom he asked, speaking loudly: "Where is that whale?" Only a skeleton lay there. He kicked the skull and left it. He ran some distance and met other people. He shouted loudly. Only skeletons lay there. Several times he acted this way toward the people. Then he came to a large log. Its bark was perhaps that thick, There was a crowd of people who peeled off the bark. Blue-Jay shouted and only skeletons lay there. The bark was full of pitch. He peeled off two pieces, I do not know how large. He carried them on his shoulder and went home. He thought: "I really believed it was a whale, and, behold, it is a fir." He went home. When he arrived he threw down the bark outside the house. He entered and said to his sister: "I really thought it was a whale. Look here, it is bark." His sister said: "It is whale meat, it is whale meat; do you think it is bark?" His sister went out and two cuts of whale lay on the ground. Iô'i said: "It is a good whale; [its blubber] is very thick." Blue-Jay looked. A whale lay on the beach. Then he turned back. He met a person carrying bark on his back. He shouted and nothing but a skeleton lay there. He took that piece of bark and carried it home on his shoulder. He came home. Thus he did to the ghosts. In course of time he had much whale meat.

Now he continued to stay there. He went again to that town. He entered a house and took a child's skull, which he put on a large skeleton. And he took a large skull, which he put on that child's skeleton. Thus he did to all the people. When it grew dark the child rose to its feet. It wanted to sit up, but it fell down again because its head pulled it down. The old man arose. His head was light. The next morning he replaced the heads. Sometimes he did thus to the legs of the ghosts. He gave small legs to an old man, and large legs to a child. Sometimes he exchanged a man's and a woman's legs. In course of time they began to dislike him. Iô'i's husband said: "These people dislike him, because he mistreats them. Tell him he shall go home. These people do not like him." Iô'i tried to stop her younger brother. But he did not follow her. On the next morning he awoke early. Now Iô'i held a skull in her arms. He threw it away: "Why do you hold that skull again, Iô'i?" "Ah, you broke your brother-in-law's neck." It grew dark. Now his brother-in-law was sick. A man tried to cure him and he became well again.

Now Blue-Jay went home. His sister gave him five buckets full of water and said: "Take care! When you come to burning prairies, do not pour it out until you come to the fourth prairie. Then pour it out." "I think so," replied Blue-Jay. Now he went home. He reached a prairie. It was hot. Red flowers bloomed on the prairie. Then he poured water on the prairie and one of his buckets was half empty. He reached the woods [and soon he came to a] prairie, which was burning at its end. He reached another prairie which was half on fire. "That is what my sister spoke about." He poured out on his road the rest of the bucket. He took another bucket and when it was half empty he reached the woods on the other side of the prairie. He reached still another prairie, the third one. One half of it burned strongly. He took one of his buckets and emptied it. He took one more bucket and emptied one-half of it. Then he reached the woods on the other side of the prairie. Now he had only two buckets and a half left. He reached another prairie which was almost totally on fire. He took that half bucket and emptied it. He took one more bucket and when he reached the woods at the other side of the prairie he had emptied it. Now only one bucket was left. He reached another prairie, which was all over on fire. He poured out his bucket. When he had come nearly across he had emptied his bucket. He took off his bearskin blanket and beat the fire. The whole bearskin blanket was burnt. Then his head and his hair caught fire and he was burnt.

Now Blue-Jay was dead. When it was just growing dark he came to his sister. "Kukukukukuku, Iô'i," he said. His sister cried: "Ah, my brother is dead." His trail led to the water on the other side of the river. She launched her canoe and went to fetch him. She reached him. Iô'i's canoe was pretty. She said to him: "And you said that canoe was moss-grown." "Ah, Iô'i is always telling lies. The other ones had holes and were moss-grown." She said to him: "You are dead now [therefore you see them differently]." "Iô'i is always telling lies." Now she carried her brother across to the other side. He saw the people. They sang, they played ihtlukum, they played dice with beaver teeth; the women played their ihtlukum; they played hoops; they played dice with ten disks; they played wacakoa-i. Farther in the town they sang conjurers' songs. Blue-Jay heard them. They were dancing, kumm, kumm, kumm, kumm. He wanted to go to these singers. He tried to sing and to shout, but he was laughed at. He went and tried to shout but they all laughed at him. Then he entered his brother-in-law's house. There was a chief; Iô'i 's husband was good looking. She said: "And you broke his neck." "Iô'i is always telling lies. Whence came these canoes? They are pretty." "And you said they were moss-grown." "Iô'i is always telling lies. The others had all holes. Part of them were moss-grown." "You are dead now [therefore you see everything differently]," said his sister. "Iô'i is always telling lies." He tried to shout at the people, but they laughed at him. Then he gave it up and became quiet. His sister forgot him [for a moment]. When she went to look for him, he stood near the dancers. After five nights he entered their house. His sister opened the door and saw him dancing on his head, his legs upward. She turned back and cried. Now he had again really died. He had died a second time.

16. Blue-Jay and Iô'i

There were Blue-Jay and his elder sister Iô'i. "Let us go visiting, Iô'i," he said to his sister. "Let us visit the Magpie [?]." Early the next morning they went. They came near his house and saw him on the roof. They landed and went up to the house. Then they saw Magpie on his house. After a little while he swept his house and found one salmon egg. He put it into his topknot [made a fire], and heated some stones. When they were hot he took a kettle, poured water into it, and threw the dry salmon egg into the kettle; then he boiled it. The kettle came to be full of salmon eggs. He placed it before Blue-Jay and his sister and they ate. When they had half emptied the kettle they were satiated. They carried away what was left and started to go home. Iô'i said to her brother: "Let us go to the beach; you go down first." Blue-Jay said: "You go first down to the beach." His sister went down. Then Blue-Jay said [to Magpie]: "Come to-morrow and fetch your kettle." Magpie said: "I shall go." Then Blue-Jay and his sister went home. Early in the morning Blue-Jay made a fire and went up to the roof of his house, where he staid. After awhile he said to his elder sister: "A canoe is coming." She replied: "It comes because you told him to come." Now Magpie landed and went up to the house. Blue-Jay arose and swept his house. He found a salmon egg. He put it into his top-knot. He finished sweeping his house and he heated stones. When they were hot he took his kettle and poured water into it. He took that salmon egg and threw it into the water. Then he threw the hot stones into the kettle and the water began to boil. Then he covered it. He imitated all Magpie had done. After awhile he uncovered it, but nothing was in the kettle. "Blue-Jay can do only one thing," said Magpie. He took the stones and threw them out of the kettle. He threw one dry salmon egg and hot stones into the kettle. When the water began to boil he covered it and when he uncovered it the kettle was quite full of salmon eggs. Then Magpie left them and went home.

After several days Blue-Jay and his sister became hungry. "Let us go and visit the Ducks," said Blue-Jay. "To-morrow we will go," said Iô'i. The latter had five children. On the following morning they started and went visiting. After awhile they landed at the beach of the Duck. They came up to the house. The Duck said to her five children: "Go and wash yourselves." They went to the water and washed themselves. They dived. [Soon they emerged again] each carrying a trout. Ten times they dived and their mat became full of trout. They went up to the house, made a fire and roasted them. Then they gave Blue-Jay and his sister to eat. Now the fish which they were roasting were done. They fed Blue-Jay, and he and his sister ate. They ate part and were satiated. Iô'i said to her brother: "You go down first, else you will talk ever so much." He replied to his sister: "Ah, you would always like to stay here, you go down first." His sister went down first [and as soon as she had left he said to the Duck]: "Come to my house tomorrow and get your mat." Now Blue-Jay went down to the beach. The Duck said: "We sit all go to-morrow." Then they went home. They arrived at home. Early the next morning Blue-Jay arose and went up to the roof of the house. He said to his sister: "A canoe is coming." She remarked: "It comes because you invited them." Then the Duck landed [with her five children]and went up to the house. After awhile Blue-Jay said to his sister's children: "Go and wash yourselves." Then Blue-Jay and his sister's children went down to the beach. They tried to dive, but their backs remained over water. Ten times they dived and were almost dead with cold. They came up to the house empty-handed. "Blue-jay does one thing only" [said the Duck]. She told her children: "Go and wash yourselves.

We will give them food." The Duck's children went down to the beach and washed themselves. They dived ten times and their mat was full. They went up to the house. "That trout is thrown at your feet." Now the Ducks went home. After a number of days Blue-Jay and his sister became again hungry. "Let us go and visit the Black Bear," he said. The next morning they went. They arrived at the Bear's house. The Bear heated stones. Blue-Jay said to his sister: "What may he give us to eat, Iô'i?" When the stones were hot the Bear sharpened his knife and cut his feet here [all around the sole] and cut his thigh. Then he rubbed over the wounds, and they were heated. Then he cut [the flesh which he had cut front his feet and from his body] into small pieces and boiled it. When it was done, he placed it before them, and after a little while they were satiated. Iô'i said to her brother: You go down first, else you will talk ever so much." Blue-Jay said: "You go down first." His sister went, and then. Blue-Jay said: "Come to-morrow and fetch your mat." Then he went home with his sister. They came home. Early the next morning Blue-Jay arose and made a fire. He went up to the roof of his house. He said to his sister: "A canoe is coming." [And she replied:] "It comes because you invited him." Then the bear landed and came up to the house. Blue-Jay heated stones, and when they were hot he sharpened his knife and cut his feet. He fainted right away. They blew on him until he recovered. The Bear said: "You can do only one thing, Blue-Jay." The Bear took his foot and slowly cut it. He cut his thigh. Then he cut the flesh into small pieces. He boiled it. When he had finished cooking and it was done he threw it before them and went home. Blue-Jay's feet were sore.

After several days they again got hungry. Then Blue-Jay said to his elder sister: "To-morrow we will go and visit the Beaver." Early in the morning they started to visit him, and they arrived at the Beaver's house. The Beaver was in his house. After a little while he went out and carried willows into the house which he placed before them. He took a dish and went out. Then he carried it back filled with mud. Blue-Jay and his sister could not eat it and started to go home. As they set out homeward his elder sister said to him: "You go down first else you will talk ever so much." Blue-Jay said to his elder sister: "You go down first." She went to the beach first. Then Blue-Jay said: "Come to my house to-morrow to fetch your dish." The Beaver replied: "I will come to-morrow." Early the next morning Blue-Jay made a fire and went up to the roof of his house. He said to his sister: "A canoe is coming." "It comes because you told him to come." The Beaver landed and entered the house. Blue-Jay went out and when he had been away a little while he brought that many willows. He threw them before the Beaver, who began to gnaw and ate them all. Then Blue-Jay ran to the beach. He went to get some mud, which he put before the Beaver. He ate it all and went home.

Blue-Jay said again to his sister: "To-morrow we will go and visit the Seal." On the next morning they started and arrived at the house of the Seal, who had five children. The Seal said to her young ones: "Go to the beach and lie down there." They went and lay down at the edge of the water. The Seal took a stick and went down. When she reached her children she struck the youngest one upon its head. The others dived and when they came up again they were again five. Then she pulled up to the house the one which she had killed. She singed it. When she had finished singeing it she cut it. Its blubber was three fingers thick. She boiled it and when it was done she gave it to Blue-Jay and his sister. Soon they had enough. Then Iô'i said to her brother: "You go down first." He replied: "You go down first, else you will always want to stay where they give its food." He said: "Go to the beach." His elder sister went to the beach. Then Blue-Jay said to the Seal: "Come to-morrow and fetch your kettle." "I shall come," replied the Seal. [They went home.] Early next morning Blue-Jay made a fire and went up to the roof of his house. He said to his elder sister: "A canoe is coming." She replied: "It comes because you invited him." The canoe came ashore. The Seal and her children landed and they came up to the house. Then Blue-Jay said to Iô'i's children: "Go to the beach and lie down there." Then Iô'i's children went and lay down at the edge of the water. Blue-Jay took a stick. He went down and struck the youngest one; he struck it twice and it lay there dead. Then he said to the other children: "Quick, dive!" They dived, and when they came up again one was missing. Five times they dived, but the one [which was struck] remained dead. Then Iô'i and her children cried: "Ä" The Seal said: "Blue-Jay knows to do one thing only." She struck one of her daughters and said: "Quick; dive!" And when they came up again all five of them were there. She singed her daughter. When she had finished singeing her she cut her and threw her down before Blue-Jay and his sister, saying: "You may eat this." Then they tied up and buried the dead child of Iô'i, and the Seal went home.

After awhile they got hungry again. "Let us go and visit the shadows." "To-morrow we will go." Early next morning they started and arrived at the house of the shadows. They went up to the house. The house was full of provisions, and on the bed there were large dentalia. There were coats, blankets of deer skin, of mountain goat, and of ground-hog. Blue-Jay said: "Where may these people be?" His elder sister replied: "Here they are, but you can not see them." Blue-Jay took up one of the large dentalia. "Ahahaha, my ear, Blue-Jay," cried a person. They heard many people tittering. He took up a ground-hog blanket and pulled at it. "Ahahaha, my ground-hog blanket, Blue-Jay." He searched under the bed [for the person who had spoken] and again the people tittered. He took up a coat of mountain-goat wool. The person cried, "Why do you lift my coat, Blue-Jay?" He took a nose ornament and the person cried: "Ahahaha, my nose-ornament, Blue-Jay." Then a basket fell down from above. He took it and put it back. Then a salmon roe fell down. He put it back, and again he searched under the bed for persons. Then, again, the people tittered and laughed at him. His sister said to him: "Stay here quietly. Why should they be called shadows if they would not act as they do?" They looked around. There was salmon roe [put up in a bag for winter use] and they ate it. Blue-Jay said again: "Where may these people be?" His elder sister replied: "Here they are, here they are; but you do not see them." When it got dark Blue-Jay said: "We will sleep here." Now they slept during the night. Blue Jay awoke and went out. He tried to urinate standing. It ran down his legs. Blue-Jay's elder sister went out. She sat down on the ground and urinated. There stood her urine. Blue-Jay spread his legs: "Look here, Iô'i, what became of me!" He pulled his groins and his sister cried much. "Ahaha, that hurts me, Squint-eye!" "Is it Iô'i's body, and it hurts her?" After some time she took revenge upon him. She pulled the penis; "Anah," cried Blue-Jay, "it hurts me Iô'i." "Is it his body, and he feels sick?" Then they went to sleep again. Blue-Jay awoke early. Then he was a man again as before. His elder sister awoke. Now she was again a woman as before. She was well again. Thus they took revenge on Blue-Jay, because he had teased the people. "Let us go, else they will tease us again," said Blue-Jay. His sister replied: "You did not believe me and they teased us." Then Blue-Jay went home. He arrived at home. His sister said: "Now we have gone visiting enough."

17. Ckulkulô'L

There was Ckulkulô'L [the salmon-harpoon] and his elder sister. Once upon a time the latter said to her brother: Do as the other people do and catch steel-head salmon." Now he did so. He made a harpoon. On the day after he had finished it his sister went digging roots. Now he went to catch salmon. He speared a steel-head salmon and went home. When he arrived at home he roasted it and when it was done he said: "I will give the head to my sister to eat. No, else she will get a fish's head. I will give the belly to my sister to eat. No, else she will get a fish's belly. I will give the back to my sister to eat. No, else she will get a fish's back. I will give its tail to my sister to eat. No, else she will get a fish's tail." Now he ate the whole fish. He ate the belly, he ate the back, he ate its tail. Then he lay down to sleep. Now his elder sister came home. Her brother was asleep. She heated stones and roasted the roots. Then she gave them to him to eat.

On the next morning she went again digging roots. After some time her younger brother arose and went to catch salmon. After some time be speared a large steel-head salmon. "Ah, Ckulkulô'L behold! he does not give anything to his sister," said the people. His sister thought: "Oh, they make fun of my poor brother." Now Ckulkulô'L went home. When he arrived he roasted his salmon. It was done. Then he said: "I will give the head to my sister to eat" [etc., three times, as above].

Now she smelled the smell of grease in their house. On the next morning she went again digging roots. Then her brother went again to catch salmon. Again she heard: "How large is Ckulkulô'L's salmon!" "Oh, perhaps they make fun of my poor brother." Then Ckulkulô'L speared a salmon and went home. When he arrived he roasted it. Now its head was done. He said: "I will give the head to my sister to eat. No, else she will get a fish's head. I will give the belly to my sister to eat. No, else she will get a fish's belly. I will give the back to my sister to eat. No, else she will get a fish's back. I will give its tail to my sister to eat. No, else she will get a fish's tail." Now he ate the whole fish. He ate the back; he ate the tail. Then he lay down to sleep. Now his elder sister went home. When she came home she heated stones and roasted her potentilla roots. When they were done she gave them to her younger brother. Now she found some grease in the house. "Oh, indeed! Behold how he acted against me. He never gave me anything to eat." Now she found a salmon-egg in his mouth. She placed it on top of a shelf. Then she gave him the roots. Then she took that salmon egg and gave it to him. "Oh, somebody gave this to me." When he saw it he became afraid. "Look, she found me out." On the next morning she made herself ready and said to her younger brother: "Leave the house."

Then he arose. "Your name shall be Humming-Bird. Henceforth you shall not eat steel-head salmon." Then she went away and left him.

She went and went. She went a long distance. Then she saw a house. She entered and roasted ten roots in the ashes of the fire. Then she took a salmon roe and ate it. Then a man arrived who took her and struck her [on the nape]. The salmon roe fell [out of her month]. She was ashamed and went out of the house. She went again a long distance. Then she saw another house. She went and opened the door. The house was full of dried salmon. When she had stayed a little while a steel-head salmon fell down. She took it and put it back. It fell down again. She took it and put it back again. Now she roasted ten roots in the ashes of the fire. She lost two of them. She searched and searched, but did not find them. Now a salmon roe fell down. She took it again and put it back. After some time a man arrived. Then the fire crackled. He said, "Ah." The fire crackled again, and he said once more, "Ah. Heh, why did you not take the food which she offered to you? She took two of your roots and you searched for them in her month. Do you think the man whom you met was a human being? Fish-hawk is the name of that danger." Now she became pregnant. She gave birth to a boy. Now the child cried and the man put it on top of the fire. She gave one jump and took the child. "Ah, why do you put our child into the fire?" "Why do you take it away from the old woman? She will look after it." He continued: "When you gather wood go only this way. Do not go down the river." Now she did so, and gathered wood only above the house. Now one day there was no wood above the house. She had taken it all. Then she went down the river. She found a long stick and broke it. It was red where she had broken it. She broke it again and it bled. Three times she broke it audit bled profusely. She went home. When she opened the door she saw her husband lying there. He had three [deep] wounds. Now her child cried. She blew the fire, but it was extinguished. Then she took her child and left.

After she had gone a long distance she became tired. "I will desert my child," she thought. "I will leave it here." She carried it to a maple and left it. Then she went far away. Now a man was working at a canoe [nearby]. He heard a child crying and searched for it. He found it and carried it to a place near his house. Then he went into the house, and said to his wife: "I found a child. Feign to be pregnant." Thus they deceived their daughter. They said to her: "Your mother begins to be in labor. Perhaps she will give birth to a child." Then their daughter stayed there. But when it was almost morning she fell asleep. Then he fetched the child. [He said to his daughter:] "Arise, your brother has been born." Then his daughter arose. "Ah, my brother," she said. Now, the boy grew up, and [his father] made arrows for him. He went about following his sister. She was bad and said:

"You are not my brother. My father found you. You are the salmon spear's son." Then her brother became angry. When they came home, he said: "She always says the salmon-spear is my father." Her father said: "Naxaxâ'x, why do you always say so to your brother? "He took a stick and whipped her. Now the boy became tired [of her teasing and thought]: "I will kill her." On the next morning they went again. Then he shot her several times and she was dead. He left her, but when he turned round she followed him again. Now he became a youth. One day he dreamt: "If you want to kill her, you must break her finger. Then a round thing will jump out of it, and that you must squeeze to pieces. Then she will die. She will say: 'Kill me!'" On the next morning they went again. Then he killed her at a stone. He cut her finger and a round thing jumped out of it. He squeezed it and she said: "Kill me" [but he squeezed the round thing to pieces]. Now she was dead and he left her.

He went a long distance. Now he [assumed the shape of] a spotted dog. He came to a place where there were many women. They said: "See, how pretty is that dog. Let us take him! "They called him often, but he did not allow himself to be taken. Now only their chieftainess [had not tried]. They said: "Now you call the dog." She called him. He went to her and she took him. Then the women went home. They said: "Oh, we found a dog; our chieftainess took him." Then Blue-Jay said: "I will go to see him." He entered her house and saw the dog. He took a bone and offered it to him, but he did not eat it. Then he struck him. [The chieftainess said:] "Let my dog go; you will kill him." Then Blue-Jay went home and said to his elder brother: "Robin, that is a man and not a dog." "Oh, be quiet, do you think you alone can see?" "Ha, he is the elder one, and he ought to know everything sooner than I," retorted Blue-Jay. After about three days Blue-Jay went again. He entered the house and saw the dog eating gamass. Then Blue-Jay took a stick and struck him. "O, my poor dog," said that woman. Then Blue-Jay went home and said to his elder brother: "He is a man, Robin, he eats gamass." When it got dark the dog said to his wife: "Blue-Jay makes me tired. He will break my bones. I shall throw away my dog-skin blanket." At night he threw it away. When it got day again he had another blanket. Now Blue Jay came in. [When he saw him, he said:] "Eh, I said he was a man and Robin would not believe me." Now he remained there.

18. The Panther

There was the panther. He was an elk hunter. Every day he went hunting. One day he found a branch [of a spruce]; he twisted it and threw it under his bed. It was a pretty branch. [Then he said:] "Oh, I wish you would become a man!" On the next day he went again elk hunting. In the evening he came home. Now he saw cedar bark lying on the ground. "Where do these people come from? They have been playing at disks" [said he]. On the following morning he went again elk hunting. In the evening he came home. Now there was much cedar bark [in his house]. "Where may these people have come from? They always play at disks in my house." On the third day he went again, and came home in the evening. Now the floor of his house lay full of cedar bark and counters lay on the ground. He went out for the fourth time and came home in the afternoon. When he reached his house he heard batons. Then he became angry. "Where do these people come from? They always play at disks in my house." He came near the house, then the noise of the batons stopped. He arrived at home and entered. Now counters lay on a plank. [He said:] "Tomorrow I shall hide to see where these people come from." On the next morning he made himself ready and went out. He stayed in the grass [near the house] and looked. He did not see anybody. Then he heard the batons moving in the interior of the house. He went home and looked through a hole in the wall of the house. Now there was a youth who played at disks. He struck the rhythm with his foot and sang: "My brother calls me branch of a spruce, my brother twisted me often." Then the panther entered. "Oh, my poor brother, why did you hide yourself before me?" Then the youth was ashamed. He stayed there. The panther said to him: "Stay with me." Then he remained there. Now the panther gave him good arrows, and the youth went hunting deer. Then the panther said to his younger brother: "Go only this way, do not go down the river." He obeyed and went only up the river. He grew up. One day, however, he went down the river. He came to a prairie where he found a chicken-hawk. He shot it and hit its wing. It fell down and ran away jumping. He pursued it a long distance. Then he saw a house. The chicken-hawk entered the same. Now he went on slowly. He thought: "Oh, they will kill me. I had better turn back. But I like my arrow [so well]. I must go in." Then he entered and remained standing in the door. The house was fall of people who looked at his arrow. All the people looked at it. Then they gave the arrow to Blue-Jay, who looked at it. Then the young man said: "Give me my double-pointed arrow, Blue-Jay." "It is not your arrow, you bad man" [retorted Blue-Jay]. Again the people looked at the arrow and said: "To what chief may this arrow belong? It is a good arrow." Then they gave it again to Blue-Jay. Now the young man said again: "Give me, oh, give me my double-pointed arrow, Blue-Jay!" "Well, take it!" Then [the young man] arose and took it. He shook himself and his body was all covered with dentalia. Then Blue-Jay said [to the chicken-hawk, who on entering the house had assumed the shape of a woman]: "Follow the chief!" The youth ran and the woman pursued him. They went and went and went until he came to his elder brother's house. He hid himself [inside]. The woman entered and did not see anybody. She thought: "Where may that youth have gone?" In the evening the panther came home. Now there was the woman [in his house. He thought:] "Certainly he went down the river!" Then he married the woman. She thought: "When did that youth come home?" On the following day she searched for him. She turned over all the elk skins until it grew dark. She continued two days. Then she had finished all the skins on one side of the house. Now she searched at the other side of the house. She turned over all the elk skins. [Finally she found him] sleeping [under the skins]. She took some grease and [elk] hoofs. She made a fire and roasted the hoofs. When they were done she pounded them. She took some soot and mixed it with hair of an elk's nose. Now she mixed it all with elk's grease and poured it into his nostrils. When it grew dark he awoke. Now his nostrils felt sore. He said: "Oh, my elder brother, my nose is being transformed into an elk's nose." "Oh, my younger brother, your nose, is being transformed into an elk's nose. I can not help you." "Oh, my elder brother, hoofs are growing on my feet." "Oh, younger brother, hoofs are growing on your feet. I can not help you." On the following morning the elk skins arose and became elks. The youth arose. He became Ê'lemiX [1] and went out. Then all the elks arose and went into the woods. Now [the panther]took the woman at her arm. He carried her out of the house and shook her, so that all her flesh fell down. He threw her down and said: "Your name shall be Chicken-hawk. Henceforth, you shall not make chiefs unhappy. When you see a snake you shall eat it. My name will be Panther."

Notes

[1] The tutelary spirit of the hunters.

Beliefs, Customs, and Tales

The Soul and the Shamans

1. The seers go to the ghosts [the souls of the deceased]. When three go, one having a strong guardian spirit is placed first, another one last. One having a less powerful guardian spirit is placed in the middle. When four seers go, the two lesser ones are placed in the middle. A strong seer goes in front, another one behind. They pursue the soul of a sick chief. When the trail [which they follow] begins to be dangerous, the one in front sings his song. When a danger approaches from the rear, the one behind sings his song. In the evening when it begins to grow dark they commence the care of the sick person. When the morning star rises they reach his soul. They take it, and the guardian spirits of the seers return. Sometimes they stay away one night, sometimes two. Then they give the sick person his soul and he recovers.

2. When the seers pursue the soul of a sick person and it takes the trail to the left, the seers say: "Behold, he will die." When it takes the trail to the right they say: "We shall cure him."

3. The spirits of the seers reach the hole in the ground where the souls of the deceased always drink. When the soul of the sick one has drunk at that water, then he cannot get well. Even if all the shamans try to cure him they cannot make him well.

4. They find a soul that has drunk of the water. They take it. It is large. The spirits of the seers return. When they bring it near the country of the Indians it begins to grow smaller. Then these men who know how to cure people say: "Perhaps de will die to-morrow."

It gets day. They try to give him his soul. It does not fill his body and he must die. His soul has become too small.

5. When the seers go and their spirits arrive at the water in the country of the ghosts, and the soul of the sick one is still far from their town, and they have not given him food, then the seers say: "Oh, we shall make him well, the ghosts have not given him food." And indeed their spirits take the soul and return. Even if the person is very sick and they give him his soul, he revives at once.

6. Again the ghosts carry away a soul. The person faints at once; his legs tremble. Then the seers are paid and drive away the ghosts. The soul which they carried away sees the ghosts. He knows part of them; another part he does not know. Only those he knows who died not long ago. The spirits of the seers reach the soul which was carried away and turn it round. At once the sick one recovers; he gets well.

7. When the ghosts carry a soul away and no seer is present [to recover it], when the soul has been away a night, the person who fainted remains dead. Sometimes when it has been away two nights he remains dead.

8. When the soul of a sick person goes to the ghosts, the seers pursue it. If it has already been taken into the house, it cannot be recovered. The spirits of the seers cry and return.

9. When a horse is seen in the country of the ghosts and it is not taken back it dies after a few days. When it is taken back it does not die. Just so a person. When a person is well, but his soul is seen in the country of the ghosts and it is not taken back he must die within a short time. Just so a canoe. When the ghosts carry away a canoe and the seers do not bring it back it will be broken.

10. When a seer wants to shake his manikin [a figure made of cedar bark] he gives it to somebody who has no guardian spirit. Now they go to the ghosts. He helps him. Now this person sees everything in the country of the ghosts. The manikin carries him there.

11. When only one soul leaves the body of the sick person, when it remains in the country of the Indians and it is taken, then the sick person recovers at once. When the lesser soul of a person is caught in the country of the Indians and is given back to the person, he recovers after a short time. A soul is in the country of the ghosts; the spirits of the seers pursue it and reach it when it arrives at the ghosts. They bring it back, return it to the sick person, and he recovers.

12. When the soul of a chief leaves his body it goes to the beach. Not many seers know about it; only strong shamans know how it goes to the beach.

13. When a soul has taken anything that belongs to the ghosts, the sick one can not recover.

14. When a sick person will die, it is always high water. Then the spirits of the seers walk slowly. When the sick one will recover it is always low water.

15. When the soul of a sick person is placed in a canoe and this is carried out into the ocean, the sick one can not recover.

16. The spirits of the seers reach the soul of a sick person. They take it and lift it. They look at it and seize it again. They look again and it has disappeared; then the shaman says that he has taken it.

17. When they try to take the soul of a sick person and sparks fall down, he will die. It seems just like a firebrand. They try to gather the sparks up. Then the shaman says: "Behold, I shall not cure him."

18. When a person will die, his soul is heavy; when he will recover, it is light.

19. When the ghosts watch a soul then the shaman makes a deer. He sends it and it runs away. The ghosts pursue it and leave the soul. They forget it. Thus the shaman deceives them and takes back the soul which the ghosts had left.

20. When a seer is evilly disposed against a person, he watches for him. At last he finds him asleep. Then he takes out his soul and hides it near a corpse, in a canoe burial, in a thorny place, under a house or in rotten wood. Then the owner of the soul falls sick. A shaman is paid to look for the soul and to cure him. He says: "Oh, that shaman has your soul." They search for it and find it in the country of the ghosts, or in a thorny place, under a house, or in rotten wood, or somewhere in the air. He takes it. When the soul is still hale and well, the sick one will recover. When the shaman's spirit has begun eating it, the owner of the soul must die.

21. Somebody sends, unknown to anybody, a string of large dentalia several fathoms long to a shaman, and asks him [through his messenger]: "Take the soul of that person out of his body." He gives in payment to him, secretly, long dentalia or a woman. Then he takes out the soul of the person against whom he was sent. The person dies. When his relatives learn about it and come to know the secret they take the shaman and kill him. If they do not kill him and he gives away a large amount of property or slaves, he is not killed. Then he is forgiven.

[Numbers 1 to 21 were originally Chehalish beliefs and customs.]

22. It is the same with a very strong shaman. When he observes his wife with a young man he shoots disease against them. In the same way a man sends a person to the shaman, who gives him goods. He pays him secretly long dentalia or a woman. Then he sends disease to a person. When his relatives learn the secret, the shaman is killed. The relatives of the man against whom he sent the disease kill him. If the disease is found in the sick one, a strong shaman is paid, who takes out the disease. He takes out five diseases [pieces of bone around which hairs are tied] and one rope. He cures the sick one. When the disease has gone right through him before it is discovered the sick man must die. Man has two souls. If both are taken out of the body their owner must die.

23. When the supernatural disease is taken out, the shaman takes it into his hands. He folds his fingers [the thumb of the right hand being inclosed by the fingers of the left]. When the thumb comes out, then the disease-spirit escapes. When the shaman has taken the disease-spirit, one man takes him at his legs, another one at his arms, a third one at his back. He is lifted. Then water is put into a kettle. When they come near the water and the disease-spirit escapes, the people fall down (as though a resistance which they try to overcome were suddenly removed). Several times they carry him to the water. Then the disease-spirit is made soft in the water. It gets cold, and they look at it. Sometimes it is a wolf's or a bird's claw, sometimes a human bone. It is carved into the shape of a person.

24. When the disease-spirit has murdered five people, it has three cuts on one arm, two on the other. When it has murdered eight people, it has five cuts on one arm, three on the other. If it has murdered ten persons, it has five cuts on one arm, five on the other. When the shaman has taken out the disease-spirit, he lifts it. He brings his hands near the kettle. When the spirit sees the water, the kettle will burst. Then another kettle is taken. If the shaman gets tired, he asks another shaman: "Strike my hands with that rattle." Then a shaman takes a rattle and strikes the hands of the one who holds the disease-spirit. He puts his hands into the water and rubs the spirit. He takes out five at the same time and his hands become hot. Then he takes out the rope. Now others help him. Sometimes three shamans, sometimes two take out the rope. When many shamans are present, then four take out the rope. They take the rope out of the body of the man. into whom the disease was sent. The shamans pull at both ends of the rope and ask somebody to cut it. When a person who has no guardian spirit takes a knife and cuts between the hands of these people, he does not cut [feel] anything. If there is a woman who has a guardian spirit, she takes a small knife and cuts between the hands of the shamans. She cuts through that rope. Then blood flows out. She cuts through it several times. Now all the blood has flowed out. Then the person who sent the disease is struck with the knife. If the rope was struck [cut] with an arrowhead, then he is struck with an arrow. He is shot and killed.

25. When the ropes [the hairs tied around the middle of the pieces of bone] of the disease-spirits are long, then the sickness will come upon the person after a long time. If the ropes of the disease-spirits are made short, then the person will fall sick after five or six days.

26. When a chief's child has died, the people send for a shaman. Disease has been sent to the child of a chief. Then he takes revenge on the relatives of the murderer [and selects] the child of [another] chief. A shaman is paid secretly. When these people learn about it, they take revenge in their turn. They send disease to the younger brother of that chief. When that chief knows the shaman [who has done so], he will sometimes kill him. Sometimes they kill a relative of the chief. Then a family feud originates. If they pay a blood fine to each other, then they make peace again. They do not make peace until several are killed.

27. When a shaman and somebody who has no guardian spirit are angry against each other, and the shaman sends disease against his enemy, he is killed. When he gives away many dentalia, he is not killed; they forgive him. When the wife of a man is taken away, he secretly pays the shaman, who sends disease, sometimes to the man [who eloped with the woman], sometimes to the woman. When a deceased relative's wife is taken by a stranger, a shaman is paid secretly and the woman or the man is killed. When a woman has many dentalia and her elder brother dies, she pays secretly a shaman, giving him dentalia, and he sends disease to a relative of the one who killed her brother. She takes revenge on a relative of the murderer of her elder brother. Sometimes she marries the shaman. She gives herself secretly in payment and sends her husband [to kill her enemies].

28. When the shamans sing and one of them says: "I have a great guardian spirit," then the other shamans try him. When he really has a guardian spirit, one of them tries to hit him with a disease spirit, but he misses him. Another shaman tries him, but he also misses him. Several shamans try him, but they can not hit him. Then they say: "Behold! He is really a shaman." When he only brags, saying that he is a shaman, they try him and hit him at once. When a strong man sings and shamans try to send him disease, they can not hit him. When a person sings: "I am a strong man" [without being a strong man], and they send disease to him, he dies at once.

29. When somebody is made sick by his guardian spirit his friends say to a shaman: "Please sing for him." They pay the shaman who sings for the man whom his guardian spirit made sick. Then the shaman sings until he gets well. If he is not made well, he must die. This is the case with men and women.

30. When a shaman tries his power, he sends disease to the bark of a tree. The bark bursts at once and falls down. Then he thinks: "Indeed, I have the powers of a shaman." When an eagle sits on top of a spruce tree, the shaman sends disease against him. He falls down at once, his mouth full of blood. Then he thinks: "Indeed, I have the powers of a shaman."

31. When the weather is bad, the people ask a good person who has a guardian spirit of the sea to sing for good weather. He says: "When the sun stands there and there, it will clear up." When it will be bad weather for a long time, he says: "It is too difficult for me, probably it will not clear up. I can not do it."

32. When a person is shot, a "strong man" is paid. "Lend him your guardian spirit." Then they pour water [on the face] of the person who is shot. The blood squirts out; all the blood comes out. Then the "strong man" says: "If he gets well it will thunder." Indeed, it is quiet for a short time and then it thunders. He says: "You will hear the thunder twice."

33. When a "strong man" is shot, a child is made ready. Its face is painted red or sometimes black. Its hair is tied up over its forehead. Sometimes two children are made ready. Then water is poured on the "strong man" who has been shot, and the arrow is taken out. When two persons look after him, one is a girl and one a boy. The girl is placed on one side of the house. She holds a torch in one hand and a rattle in the other. The boy is placed at the other side of the house and has a whistle. On top of the house is a man who pours the water on the wounded "strong man." Then all the blood comes out of the "strong man." If there is no "strong man" in a town, a shaman who sucks is paid and he sucks out the blood from the one who is shot.

How Cultee's Grandfather Acquired a Guardian Spirit

My great-grandfather had the guardian spirit of the warriors. My grandfather had seen the shaman's spirit, he had seen the wolf, he had seen the bitch, he had seen the morning star. Now he came to be grown up and he thought: "I will take a wife. Now I have many guardian spirits." The women went digging roots and camped [on the beach]. His friends said to him: "Let us follow the women who are going to camp out." He said: "No, else I shall be scolded." His friends asked him again. Then he thought: I must accompany them. Now he accompanied those young men. They reached those women. An old woman said to him: "Does your father know that you came here?" He said: "No, I shall tell him later on." The young men slept there and he also slept there. He lay down near the fire. At daybreak the young men returned. They arrived at home. Now he stood outside. He was afraid to enter his father's house. He opened the door. There were four fires on each side of the house. Eight fires were in the house. Now he entered his father's house. He reached the first fire. He thought: "When will he speak to me?" He arrived at the next fire and passed it. He came near the third fire, then his father said: "Stay there! Did you find all your guardian spirits and do you want to take a wife?" He threw a cape at him: "Quick, climb that mountain and [do not] come home [until] five nights [have passed]. There is the female guardian spirit of your ancestors. There is Ut!̲ô'naqan." His aunt said to him: "When you reach the top of that mountain, gather some grass for me." He took the cape and went. He went, he went, and went a long distance. It became dark and he slept there. He lay down and it became day again. He had heard nothing and it became daylight. Now he went and went again. He climbed that mountain. When it was nearly noon he had almost climbed it. Now he heard something. He heard her howling. At once he was chilled by fear and he went on for a little while, when he heard her again howling. Now he heard the howling a little louder. Then it became quiet again. Now leaves fell down. He thought: "O, I shall meet the monster." He thought: "They intended that she should devour me." He was on top of a tree and she howled. For a short while it became quiet, then she howled again. Now she was quite near. The howling stopped again. Leaves fell down again. Again she howled. Then he turned back to go home. He thought: "I will go home." Now Ut!̲ô'naqan pursued him. When he had gone some distance she came near him. She howled and immediately he became weak. He thought: "She will devour me." Then he thought of one of his guardian spirits and he left her far behind. Then he became again tired. He threw away his cape. She reached it and went around it often. He look at her and he ran again. He looked for a cedar which he intended to climb. Then he thought of his guardian spirit, the wolf. At once he felt fresh and left her far behind. Then he became tired again. He looked back at her. Her teats were along her belly, like those of a bitch. They reached down to the middle of her legs and struck them often. When she went down hill she went a little slower; when she went up hill she ran quickly. She approached him. Then he thought of his guardian spirit, the bitch, and left her far behind. In the afternoon he reached a small but deep creek. The water reached up to here, near his armpits. He walked down stream in the water. Then he went ashore. It is said that Ut!̲ô'naqan is afraid of water. Now he saw her coming down to the creek. If she was really afraid of the water, she would not step into it. Now she arrived at the creek. She made an, aⁿ, aⁿ, and blew upon the water like a deer that is about to drink. She stayed there and howled: "Ua," and he fainted and fell asleep. Now he saw that she was a human being. She spoke to him: "I am the one whom your family and whom the Indians call Ut!̲ô'naqan. I come from the top of that mountain. I like you. Look at me, Indian!" Her throat and her body were full of arrow-heads. "You will be just as I am [when you return to the country of] the Indians." Her body was full of [arrows which had been shot at her]. "You will be just as I am [when you return to the country of] the Indians." He slept. On the next day he awoke when the sun was high up in the sky. Now he saw nothing. He bathed in that creek and went house, and he came home quite naked. He entered the house. His aunt said to him: "Did you gather grass for me?" He said to her: "I returned before I reached there." Three days he stayed away. He did not tell his father [what he had seen.]

The Four Cousins

There were three brothers and their younger cousin, who was very poor. He was full of lice. He had no mother, only a grandmother. The two eldest brothers knew how to win in the game at disks. When the summer approached the grandmother spun twine out of willow bark. The people hired her to spin bark. Then she kept a little for herself. At last she made a large rope. Now [the cousins] went to Chehalis. The people stayed [at that time] at Mythtown [at the most southern part of Shoalwater bay]. There they are every spring when they are going to Columbia river. Now the cousins went to Chehalis. The grandmother said to her youngest grandson: "Take this rope and exchange it for ground-hog blankets." Now they went to Chehalis. The elder cousins wanted to play at disks. They arrived there.

Now somebody had found a sea-otter. They wished to buy it and wanted to give long dentalia for it; but that man did not want to part with his sea-otter. They wanted to give him a canoe, but he did not want to part with it. Now they heard about the rope. Then that man went to their house [and said]: "I will give you this sea-otter if you will give me this rope." Now he exchanged the rope for the sea-otter. Then they went home. [The eldest one] said: "I shall take the sea-otter away from him. He will certainly gamble and lose it." Then the one who was next to the youngest said: "Let the poor boy alone. Let him lose. If his grandmother gave it to him, let him lose it; if somebody made him happy and gave him something, let him lose it." They went home. They slept at Nema. The elk-skin blanket of the younger cousin had no hair. When he slept the eldest brother awoke his people. They took the sea-otter away from him and left him asleep. Early the next morning he awoke. Now the brothers had disappeared. He thought: "Behold! they deserted me!" The sea-otter had disappeared. "O, they took the sea-otter away from me." Now it was spring time. He went on afoot, going home. When he arrived at Nê'lEqtEn it was ebb tide. He stayed ashore and thought: "At slack water I will swim across." It grew calm. Then he heard something in the water. "I must see what that is." It made tumm under water. Then it became quiet, and again it made tumm. Then next it made dEll. Now a wave came down the river. Five times he heard the same noise, dEll, and five times he heard it, gumm, below the water. Then five black bears came out of the water; their ears were I do not know how long. They stood on the water. Then the youth threw off his elkskin. He throw it ashore. He thought: "I must die," and began to swim across. He passed the first one, the second one, and the third one. When he reached the fourth one it looked at him. It looked that Indian right in the face. He fainted. Now Itc!xia'n carried him to his house. Behold! he saw Itc!xia'n. On one side of the house of this supernatural being they spoke one language; on the other side they spoke another language. He understood them. In the middle of the house they spoke still another language. "Those women whom you hear now on both sides of the house will be your wives. Thus you will live among the Indians. This will make you a chief." Then they gave him a bird arrowhead made of bone. The supernatural beings finished. He awoke and lay ashore on the other side [of the water]. He arose. It was early now; while it was noon when he began to swim across. His elkskin blanket lay near him. He arose, took his elkskin blanket, and went home.

He arrived at the mouth of I'tskuil. He came ashore. Now he went to the place where the people of Mythtown played at disks. A person looked up [and said]: "A black bear is running about on the mud." The people looked up and one of them said: "Is that a bear? It is a man who is coming. I think it is the one who was left alone." Then the eldest brother said: "What does he want here? We must be ashamed of him." Then the next to the youngest said: "Let him come, the poor one. What did he do to you that you do not like him?" He went up to these people. Now they played at disks. He stood at one end and was looking at them. Then he put down the bird arrow which he held in his hand. One of the bystanders looked at it and said: "How pretty is your arrowhead." "Ah, I found it," he replied. The one man was winning all the time the other was losing. Then one man said to him: "Let us bet, I will stake an arrowhead against yours." He replied: "As you like," and after a little while the poor boy won. He won three times, four times, and now he had ten arrowheads. He had won them. He went to sleep. Then he told his grandmother: "I bought a sea-otter and they took it away from me." His grandmother cried; she pitied him. It got day. [Then a person said:] "Come, friend, let us play at disks." He said: "I have no mat." "We can use one mat." "I have no disks." "I loan you my disks." Now he went out. He won and won and won. He won all his arrows and all his property. He won his disks. When they had finished, another person said: "That one with the lousy head is getting hopeful. To-morrow I will play with him." Early the next morning when he was still in his grandmother's house, that person opened the door. He held a mat in his hand and said: "Come friend, we will play." "Well," said the boy. He bought a mat. Now he won again all the property of that person. He won his canoe. Now he had won over all the common people. Next he won over the chiefs. He won first one slave and then many. Now he became a chief. He had won the property of all those people. Every day the people ate in his house. Now his elder cousin said: "Perhaps he saw a supernatural being. We will play with the accompaniment of batons. Then I shall win all his slaves. He is [too] hopeful." Then he was told: "Your elder cousin wants to play with you." "As he likes." Now the cousins played and the people beat time with batons. They played several nights. He won the eldest brother's slaves and all his canoes. Then he played with the next brother and he won all his slaves; then he won his wives. Now the next brother said: "I want to play with you next." "No, I pity you, as you pitied me formerly." Then the Chehalis came, and he won all their property. The Quenaiult came to play at disks. He won their property and their slaves. That lousy boy made everybody poor. He bought the daughters of chiefs among the Quenaiult, the Tillamook, the tribes up the river, the Cowlitz. The wives of the man who had been the lousy boy were taken from among all these tribes. If his cousins had not taken the sea-otter from him, he should not have seen the supernatural being. He saw Itc!x*ia'n.

The GiLâ'unaLX

The grandmother of a GiLâ'unaLX boy was deserted at Tongue point. After six days the boy was told: "Walk [to Tongue point and I look after your grandmother." He walked downstream and saw two fish ducks. He took his arrows but thought: "I will not shoot them, else they will carry my arrows away from the land." He took a stone. When the ducks dived he ran to the water and when they emerged he threw his stone. He hit the head of one. Then he took off his blanket [and went into the water]. He reached them. The water reached to his armpits; then the ducks fluttered and flew away. He went ashore. Then they drifted again, the belly upward. Again he went into the water and swam. When he nearly reached them they fluttered again. He went ashore. Five times he swam to get them. Then he reached them. He turned round and fainted. Now he saw a supernatural being; he saw Iqamiâ'itx [the helper of the fishermen]. When he awoke he was on the shore and held the ducks in his hands. He left them and went on. Now he reached Tongue point. When he came near his grandmother he saw smoke rising where she was deserted. He reached her and said: "Behold! you are alive!" She said to him: "I am alive." She was going to give him food, but he said: "I am not hungry." He slept there. On the next day he gathered fuel for his grandmother. He gathered many sticks and went home. He left his grandmother. In the evening he came home. Then the people said to him: "Are you hungry?" He replied: "No, I am tired." He lay down. Early the next morning he arose and went a long distance. He went to play. In the evening he came home. After he had been there a short while he lay down. For three nights and three days he did not eat. Then on the fourth day he ate. He grew up.

Now he had a friend, a youth. They grew up. One day they went out in a canoe. When they were in the middle of the river he said to his friend: "Who is your guardian spirit?" He replied: "Iqamiâ'itx is my guardian spirit, and who is yours?" The other one said: "My guardian spirit is also Iqamiâ'itx." The one said: "What are you going to do when our relatives shall be hungry" "The other replied: "I shall let smelts come;" and he asked his friend: "And what are you going to do?" He said: "I shall let salmon come when our relatives get hungry. Put your arm under water; I shall put mine also under water." They put their arms under water. The one who had the guardian spirit helping him to obtain smelts lifted his hand first. Now a smelt hung at his hand. After some time the other one lifted his hand. A small salmon hung at it. Then he said to his friend: "Indeed! Iqamiâ'itx is your guardian spirit."

The youths went home. The one who had a guardian spirit helping him to obtain smelts married first. Now the GiLâ'unaLX were starving. They had only skunk-cabbage to eat. Then the young man whose guardian spirit helped him to obtain smelts became rich.

One day his wife went to gather skunk-cabbage. In the evening when she came home she heated stones and warmed herself. The winter was cold. When she was warm she dozed away and fell down at the fire. She fell asleep sitting there and burned her arms. Then all the GiLâ'unaLX said: "Our chief's wife is starving. Your relative's wife will die, she fell asleep sitting. She is starving." Thus spoke the people. The woman said: "I fell asleep, and my husband says he has Iqamiâ'itx [for his guardian spirit]." Now her husband was ashamed because both her arms were burned. He did not sleep, while all the other people slept. He said to his younger brother: "Rise!" His younger brother arose. [He continued:] "Take this basket." Now he took his dipnet and they went to the water. It was winter. They came to a willow and he took its leaves. When the basket was full they went to the water. He stood in the water up to his waist. He said to his younger brother: "It is ebb tide. Pour these leaves into the river above me. Then take this dipnet and say: 'Êhê̲', I broke my dipnet.' Lift it and pour it out again above me. Then say once more: 'Êhê̲', I broke my dipnet.'" Three times he poured it out and said: "I broke my dipnet." He lifted the dipnet. Then the elder brother said to the younger one: "Now look at them." The youth looked at them, now they were leaves at the tails and smelts at the heads. He poured them out the fifth time. They jumped into the water. He dipped them up the sixth time and poured them out again. Now smelts swam on the surface of the water. He said to his younger brother: "Let us launch our fishing canoe." They launched it and took a rake. Now they fished with the rake and the canoe was half full. He said: "It is enough." Then they went ashore. "Bring five large mats." The youth brought them. The people were asleep. They carried the smelts ashore and carried them all up to the house. He said to his younger brother: "Rise early, make a fire and go to bathe. Open the smoke hole of our house. Stand up there and shout. Say: 'Ah, GiLâ'unaLX! are you dead'? News has come.' Thus speak twice." The younger brother did so. He arose early, made a tire and went to bathe. He went up, opened the smoke-hole of their house and shouted: "Ah, GiLâ'unaLX, are you dead? News has come." He shouted twice. Now the people arose. They took their arrows, their bone clubs, and their lances. Now they went to the house of their chief. The people said: "What is it? Where did news come from?" The youth said: "There, in these five baskets is the news." Now the smelts stood there. One of the men wore all elkskin armor; he carried some away in a fold of the skin. Another wore a ground-hog blanket; he wrapped them up in his blanket. Still another wore a raccoon blanket, he wanted to wrap them up in it, but they fell through it. All the people did thus. Now they ate. Now one young spruce tree was placed downstream and one upstream. Only the GiLâ'unaLX caught smelts. Their houses became full and they dried them. All the people caught them.

Another year the GiLâ'unaLX were again starving. They had only skunk-cabbage and rush roots to eat. Their chief heard that the houses of the people at Rainier were full. They caught smelts. Then he carved ten pieces of cedar. He made five fish-ducks and five shags. He said to his relatives: "Make yourselves ready. We will go upstream to get food." They went in a large canoe. They went up until they arrived at Tongue point. He sang his conjurer's song while they went. He said to his companions: "If they should give us food, do not eat!" They arrived at Liâ'êcaLxê. They landed at the town and went up to the houses. He said: "Where are those smelts caught?" "Ah, they are caught below Rainier." They were going to roast the smelts and when they were nearly done he said to his companions: "Let us go up the river." The people said to them: "These smelts are nearly done." But he said: "We will go at once. To-morrow we shall stay for a while." They went upstream. Now they came to the people who caught smelts. They were near them. One person said: "My dipnet is full. It will soon burst. Ha! The GiLâ'unaLX are starving." The one whose guardian spirit was Iqamiâ'itx said to his companions: "Paddle slowly." When they had passed all the canoes he said to them: "Paddle toward the middle of the river." They paddled from the land. He put five of those birds into the water on each side of the canoe. Each five were tied to a long rope. Then he said to his relatives: "Paddle." Now his companions paddled. These wooden birds swam just like birds. When it was nearly day they came home. Gulls were seaward from them. When it grew dark he said: "Go to the water. See if I did not bring the smelts." The people went to the, water and launched their canoes. After a short time they were full. The GiLâ'unaLX dried the smelts and their houses were full. The people upstream searched as far as Cowlitz, but the smelts had disappeared; there were none. The people heard: "Ah, the houses of the GiLâ'unaLX are full. That one whose guardian spirit is Iqamiâ'itx carried the smelts away." Now they scolded that person: "Ha! this person said: 'Ah, the GiLâ'unaLX are starving, although one of them says that he has Iqamiâ'itx for his guardian spirit.'" Now the people upstream were starving. The smelt had disappeared. Only the GiLâ'unaLX caught smelt.

Now the other man who had Iqamiâ'itx for his guardian spirit married. In spring the GiLâ'unaLX were again starving. They tried to catch salmon in the dipnet, but they did not kill anything. They carried fern (Pteris) roots and rush roots to Clatsop and exchanged them. Then they received a little dry salmon and salmon skins. They went often to exchange it. Then a person said: "When the GiLâ'unaLX come again to exchange we will cohabit with [their women]." Thus said a Clatsop man. Now the GiLâ'unaLX went again to exchange [roots for salmon]. They received dry salmon and salmon skins. They went to the water and went home. That person said again: "Quick, let us follow them. We will follow them and cohabit with the women." The GiLâ'unaLX women heard it. The wife of the man who had Iqamiâ'itx for his guardian spirit was with them. They came home and declared: "We were insulted; they told us they would cohabit with us." Then the one whose guardian spirit helped him to obtain salmon lay down. He was ashamed. For five days he remained in bed, and did not eat. Then his younger brother killed a salmon. He said: "Heat stones." Then his wife heated stones. They called the old people and they came. They thought: "We shall eat that salmon." When the stones were hot that GiLâ'unaLX sang his conjurer's song. They took a kettle and placed it in the middle of the house. When the stones were hot they put them into that kettle. Then they put the salmon into the kettle whole; they did not cut it. Two old men were standing close together. The one nudged the other and said: "Why do they treat the salmon in that way?" The other said: "Be quiet, do not disturb our young men. You will learn in due time what they are going to do with this salmon." Now the salmon had been covered a long time. Then the mat was taken off, and he said to the people: "We shall not eat this salmon. It will be taken out into the water." Then the one old man who was standing close to the other one said: "Now you hear it. You said before, why do they treat the salmon in this manner." Two youths took the kettle and carried it to the water. A fishing canoe was launched and the kettle was placed in it. Five men were in the canoe--four youths and the one whose guardian spirit helped him to obtain salmon. Now they went seaward, and he sang his conjurer's song as they went. They arrived in the middle of the water. Then they took the kettle and poured the salmon and the stones into the water. They went ashore. He said to the youths: "Take young spruce trees." They took them and peeled off the bark. Then that GiLâ'unaLX said: "Place one above and one below this place." The youths did so. When it grew dark the GiLâ'unaLX set their dipnets. When it grew day their canoes were full of salmon and the fish swam toward the shore. They filled their canoes quickly. Then he said to the youths: "Let us go to Clatsop!" They arrived at Nayâ'qctaowê. He rubbed some green paint in his hands and mixed it with water. He said to his companions: "Let us paddle toward the middle of the water." They paddled away from the shore. Then he poured his green paint into the water. He said to his companions: "Let us go." They came home. The houses of the GiLâ'unaLX were full of dry salmon and of dry salmon skins. Thus the man who had Iqamiâ'itx for his guardian spirit obtained salmon.

The Elk Hunter

A youth was in the habit of setting traps. He always killed bears. One year he had set his traps [as usual], and when he went to look after them [he heard] a woman crying in a trap. He reached her. Her hand was caught in the trap. She was a pretty woman. Her hair was brown, her feet and her hands were tattooed. He opened the trap and took her hand out of it. She said to him: "You will excel all the people. You have caught even me in your trap. You will be a great hunter." The youth said: "I shall carry you to our town." Thus he spoke to his supernatural helper. "I shall show you to the Indians." Now he carried her home. His relatives saw her and all died. He died also.

After many years another boy saw her. He had no father and no mother. He was poor. He was a small boy. She said to him: "When you have grown a little larger, you will excel all hunters. I did not tell the first Indian [not to show me] and behold, he showed me to the people. When you go elk hunting carry only a stick in your hand and paint that stick." The boy grew up and became a youth. Then he sang:

"I did not tell him thus, the first one, and behold, he showed me to the Indians.
I did not tell him thus, the first one. Behold!"

He also sang:

"If the orphan boy remembers what is told of olden times,
If the orphan boy remembers what is told of olden times,
He shall excel all others."

The people helped him singing. An old man was brought there who came to listen. He had been a hunter. He listened to the singer and said: "Oh, help our boy sing; he saw a supernatural being. He saw the hunter spirit." He sang five days. Cedar bark was dyed red and put on him. A stick was painted red and given to him. Then he went up the river. He went a long distance. He sang when he was going into the woods. Now he drove the elks [toward the water]. His relatives had remained in the town. One of them said: "An elk is coming down to the water." They took their arrows. Another one came; again one and again one came. They counted them, but when they had counted seventy they lost the number. The old man said: "Let the elks alone; do not shoot them; perhaps the boy who sings is driving these elks." They stood near the water and the opening was quite full of them. Then the boy came down singing. He took that stick and pointed seaward to the water. The elks stood there a short while and then they swam seaward. When the boy came to the sea he shouted, and all the elks died. Now he called the wind to blow landward and a northerly wind arose. The elks drifted ashore, and the beach in front of the town was full of them. Now his relatives went down to the beach. They cut up only the fat ones. The lean ones were skinned merely. Then the houses of his relatives became full. Now, whenever he went to hunt elk, he carried only a stick, and shouted. As soon as an elk met him it died. He excelled all hunters,

Pregnancy and Birth

When a woman is with child she does not sleep long. She awakes early in the morning and arises at once. She opens the door. She does not stay in the doorway, but goes out at once. When a woman who is with child sits down, nobody must stand back of her and nobody must lie down crosswise [at her feet]. It is the same at night [when she lies down]. When a person lies down near her, his head must point in the same direction as her feet are turned. When she comes to a creek she jumps across twice. She does not lie down outside the house, else the sun would make her sick. It is forbidden. She does not wear a necklace, else the navel-string would be wound around the child's neck. She does not wear bracelets, else the navel-string would be tied around the child's arm. She does not look at a corpse. She does not look at anything that is dead. It is forbidden. She does not look at a raccoon nor at an otter. She does not look at anything that is rotten. She does not blow up a [seal] bladder. She does not eat anything that has been found. It is forbidden. She does not eat trout nor steel-head salmon. It is forbidden. Her husband does not eat anything that has been found. He does not kill raccoons. He does not singe seals. He does not shoot birds. He does not look at a corpse. He does not kill otters, else the child would get sick by sympathy. It is the same with the raccoon. When the child should fall sick and nearly die it would have a hard struggle against death, like the otter. It is the same with a bird or a raccoon. It would obtain sickness by sympathy. When a raccoon's eye is squeezed out [by the husband of the woman who is with child] the child's eye would be squeezed out. When the raccoon cries much on being struck [with a stick] the child will do the same when it is near death. When a woman who is with child eats trout, her child will faint whenever it cries and recover only after a long time. This will happen every day, sometimes it may faint four times a day. When her husband singes a seal, the child's body will be burnt all over. It will have blisters. When she blows up a [seal] bladder, the child will always have winds. When she eats anything that was found and there is a hole in it [eaten by birds or other animals], the child will have a hole at the same place. When she sleeps outside of the house, and it is nearly time for her child to be born, her belly will be filled with blood and she dies. When she stays a long time in the doorway and looks out of the house, the child will do the same when it is being born. It will take long for the child to be born. Sometimes the woman will die; sometimes the child. When a woman who is with child stays in bed long, she will do the same when she gives birth to the child. When anybody stands back of her the child will be born feet first.

When she gives birth to the child, she always heats five stones. She makes a hole in the ground and throws two stones into it. Then she ties her blanket around herself and takes a steam-bath over these stones. Five days and nights she takes steam-baths all the time. When the stones get cold she takes them out of the hole and puts others into it. She does so day and night. After she has finished her steam-bath she takes the stones inland and places them in the hollow of a tree with her coat, her tongs and her cedar-bark belt. The after-birth receives presents-short dentalia and beads. If this is not done the child dies after a short time. Then the after-birth takes it back. A woman who is with child does not drink water that has been standing [in a vessel] a day. She drinks only water that has just been taken from the river, else she will be sick for a long time.

When a chieftainess gives birth to a child a woman is called to look after her. Sometimes two are called. They take the child when it is born and wash it in a large dish. They take a good knife and cut its navel-string. Then the two women are paid; sometimes it is only one woman. It is the same with a male and with a female child. When the child is a girl the taboos extend over ten days; if it is a boy, they extend over five days. When it is a boy the father and the mother may eat fresh food after five days. If it is a girl they may eat fresh food after ten days.

One month after the birth of the child the people are invited by the father of the child. Now they dance. Now a man who has a guardian spirit [who helps him to understand] children, is asked to practice his art on the child. Then its ears are perforated. This is the custom of the Katlamat. They finish perforating its cars. Two holes are made in each ear and presents are distributed among the people. They are paid for dancing [for the child]. After a year, when the child begins to stand and to walk, the father becomes again glad and invites all the people, who dance for the child. Its ears are again perforated. Now five holes are made in each ear. This is done with both boys and girls. When the chief's child grows up and [first] catches fish with a hook, the father is gladdened again and invites the people. They dance, and all are paid for dancing. When the child becomes really large and shoots [the first] bird, he again invites the people. He gives a potlatch, and the people dance. Again all are paid for dancing for the child.

Notes.
Other taboos and beliefs.--When a woman gives birth to a child out of doors, this will be a reproach to her child throughout life. Her husband is allowed to be present during her confinement.

The father must not go fishing for ten days nor do any work that requires his going out on the water. He must not go hunting, but he may gather wood. If the child is a boy this rule holds for five days only. If a sick person is in a house where a woman is about to be confined, his bed is surrounded with mats so that he cannot see the woman.

There is a certain guardian spirit which enables its possessor to understand the cries and the cooing of babies. The child may tell him where it came from. It may say: After four days I shall go home; then it will die after four days. This spirit informed us that the land of the children is in sunrise. If a child in a family dies and another one is born later on to the same family, it may be the same child which returned. Sometimes, if it died after its ears had been perforated, the new-born child will have its ears perforated. Old people cannot return as new-born infants.

Puberty

When a chief who is continually sick has a daughter about ten years old and not yet mature, he makes a potlatch and pretends that she is menstruant for the first time. The people dance five days and are paid for dancing.

When a chiefs daughter is menstruating for the first time, she is hidden [from the view of the people]. Only an [old] woman takes care of her. Cedar bark is tied to her arms [above the elbows and at the wrists], to her legs, and around her waist. She fasts sometimes five days, sometimes ten days, or four or six days. Now the people are invited and a potlatch is made for the girl. She remains hidden five days. Now she is taken out [of her hiding place] and the cedar bark which is tied around her [arms, legs, and waist] is taken off. Then strings of dentalia are tied around her arms and legs, and a buckskin strap is tied around her waist. This remains tied around her for one hundred days, then it is taken off. Now an old woman washes her face. Another old woman paints her; still another one combs her. When this is finished the people are paid for dancing for her. Now these old women are paid and the girl is hidden again. She has a separate door. She bathes in a creek far [from the village]. For fifty days she does not eat fresh food. When she is menstruant for the second time her father gives another potlatch. She must not warm herself. She must never look at the people. She must not look at the sky. she must not pick berries. It is forbidden. When she looks at the sky it becomes bad weather. When she picks berries it will rain. She hangs up her [towel of] cedar bark on [a certain] spruce tree. The tree dries up at once. After one hundred days she may eat fresh food, she may pick berries and warm herself.

If the people move from one place to another, she is carried into the canoe. She must not paddle and is carried on the back into the canoe. She must not step into salt water. When it is night she must go to bathe. She must rise earlier than the birds. If the birds should rise first she will not live long. If she does everything in the right way she will get old before she dies. After her second menses [these customs] are finished. Later on, when she is menstruant, she goes out of the house and comes back after five days. Every month when she is menstruating she goes out at once. Sometimes she stays outside four days. No sick person must see her. When a person is sick she makes a house for herself far away. The same is done by a girl menstruant for the first time. The latter must not look at children.

When a menstruant woman eats fish that was caught in a net, the net becomes unlucky. If the people try to catch fish in the net, they find that it has become unlucky. It is the same with a hook. When she eats sturgeon, and the people try to catch sturgeon with that hook, they find that it has become unlucky. After five days she may eat fresh food. Berries which she has picked must not be eaten by children or sick persons.

When a girl who is menstruant for the first time has no father, then her mother's brother gives a potlatch for her. Sometimes her father's brother, or her father's sister or her mother's sister will make a potlatch for her. If anybody has not many dentalia the people are invited. They do not dance, but look at the girl. Presents are distributed among them. Not many dentalia are distributed. In the same way presents are distributed among the people when she has her second menses.

Marriage

When a man of one town likes a girl of another town his relatives take [part of] their property and go to buy her. They send messengers. The [girl's relatives] keep the dentalia [which have been sent them] and the messengers go home. Now the girl's father divides that property among all his relatives. Now her mother prepares her dentalia and the people make themselves ready. They bring her to the town where the people live who have bought her. They bring the bride to the groom. When they had given a small amount only in payment, they add to the purchase money, giving more dentalia and several slaves to her father. Now the [amount paid] is sufficient. The relatives of the girl stand outside the house. They put on their blankets, dance, and sing conjurer's songs. Now the man's relatives run to the other party and take off their blankets. This is done three or four times. Now a road is strewn with dentalia by the man's relatives. When it is finished a woman carries the girl over it on her back. A blanket is pulled over her head, so that her face can not be seen. Two or three blankets are laid down. The woman who carries her receives a payment of dentalia. When she lifts her load again, she receives blankets in payment. She lifts her once more. She receives much property for carrying her on her back. At last she puts her down on those blankets. Now the relatives of the girl bring her dentalia. They are torn over her head, and [they feign to] louse her. Dentalia are also strewn on the man's head by his relatives and they feign to louse him. Now the girl's relatives bring her food. This food is divided among those who helped [in the ceremonies]. Then the woman's relatives return the purchase money. When ten blankets are paid, they refund eight. When five were paid, four are refunded. When much food is brought to her, the man's relatives pay once more, and this purchase money is also returned.

The relatives of the married couple transact the purchase. [Male and] female relatives of a married couple are [called] Lâ'qoqcin.

When the relative of a family who is married in another village gives birth to a child and the child dies, the woman's father gives a slave or a canoe. He pays indemnity. When [the young wife] gathers roots or berries, she distributes them among the people who bought her. This is done every year when she goes to gather berries. When her husband dies she is taken to his younger brother. If he has no younger brother, she is taken to his father. If he has no father, she taken to one of his relatives. Then the relatives of her husband feel satisfied.

When a youth tries to buy a wife and his property is refused, he may try twice or three times. If he is still refused, he hides in the woods. in order to wait for the girl. Often he meets her there and carries her away. She goes to him. Then her relatives have lost her. Her relatives learn where she is. If she has elder brothers, they all go to take her back. They arrive at the place where she is and carry her back home. After several days she leaves again and goes to the young man. Her relatives go again and carry her back. When she leaves a third time they let her go. Sometimes she is allowed [to stay with the man] after she has left three times. Now she is bought for a small amount of property. They are married. All her relatives go to [attend the marriage]. If the man has no property, they live with his father-in-law. He looks after his father-in-law's house. He looks after his fire and catches salmon for his wife's relatives.

If a man's wife is carried away, many slaves are paid to him as an indemnity, and he is satisfied. If he is not paid indemnity he kills [the abductor]. If he does not find him he kills one of his relatives. Then a family feud arises. It is the same when the wife of a man's deceased brother is taken away. Then, also, indemnity is paid and he is satisfied.

Death

When a person dies who has many relatives, much property, and many slaves, his relatives tie [dentalia] to his body. Two young men are selected to prepare the corpse. If [the deceased] had a good canoe, he is placed into it and it is put up. It is painted and two holes are made in its stern. The people go down to the beach and wash and comb themselves. They cut their hair--men, women, and children. After they have cut their hair, they take other names. Women, men, and children change their names. Then the dentalia of the deceased are distributed. His relatives take them as well as his slaves and canoes. If the deceased liked one of his relatives [particularly] he would say. "He shall take my wife after I am dead." If he had two wives he speaks in this way to two persons. Now the women are taken to his relatives. When a woman loves her husband and she is near her death, she will say to her elder sister: "Your brother-in-law shall marry you;" or she may say so to her younger sister. When an old man dies and his widow is young, she is taken to his younger brother. In the same way [when and old woman dies and her widower is young, he is given his wife's younger sister].

When there is a chief, he takes the [deceased chief's name a long time, after the death of the latter]. His relative takes his name. Two people are told to name him. Now two people give him the name. They are given much property [for performing this service]. This is done when a man, a woman, or a child is named. After a year the corpse is cleaned. Two young men are hired, who also rearrange the canoe and paint it.

When a man dies who has a guardian spirit, his baton is placed next to the canoe. When a shaman dies, his baton is placed next to the canoe. His rattle of bear claws is hung on to the stern of the canoe. When he had a rattle made of shell, it is hung in the same place. When a shaman has many children, his baton is carried far into the woods. His rattle is carried there also. When a brave dies, his headdress is placed on top of a pole near his canoe burial. When he had a shell rattle, it is hung on to the canoe. When a woman dies, only her coat is hung on the canoe burial.

When anybody takes the dentalia away from a corpse, the person who took them is killed. When anybody makes fun of a canoe burial, and [the relatives of the deceased] learn about it, he must give away many dentalia, else he is killed. If he gives away many dentalia he is not killed.

When the child of a chief dies, he becomes very sad. He says to his relatives: "Let us go to the chief of that town." The chief tries to please him. Now the people go to another town. Then he is given three slaves, canoes, and dentalia by the chief whom he visits. He receives many dentalia. He distributes all these dentalia and canoes among his relatives. He keeps only two slaves. If [the chief of] that town does not give him any dentalia they fight. Many people are killed, and now a feud originates. When a relative [of the chief] who has given dentalia dies, he assembles all his relatives and goes to the man whom he had given dentalia. Now the same is done [as before]. They give him slaves, dentalia, and canoes. His heart becomes glad.

When a chief dies, his relatives are sad. They speak to each other and go to war. They kill the chief of another town.

When a person has been killed, an old man who has a guardian spirit is asked to work over the murderer. The old man takes coal and mixes it with grease. He puts it onto the face [of the murderer]. He gives him a head ring of cedar bark. Cedar bark is also tied around his ankles and knees and around his wrists. For five days he does not drink water. He does not sleep, and does not lie down. He always, stands. At, night he walks about and whistles on bone whistles. He always says ä ä ä. For five days he does not wash his face. Then on the next morning the old man washes his face. He takes off that coal. He removes the black paint from his face. He puts red paint on his face. A little coal is mixed with the red paint. The old man puts this again on to his face. Sometimes this is done by an old man, sometimes by an old woman. The cedar bark which was tied to his legs and arms is taken off and buckskin straps are tied around his arms and his legs. Now, after five days he is given water. He is given a bucket, out of which he drinks. Now food is roasted for him, until it is burned. When it is burned black it is given to him. He eats standing. He takes five mouthsful, and no more. After thirty days he is painted with new red paint. Good red paint is taken. Now he carries his head ring and his bucket to a spruce tree and hangs it on top of the tree. [Then the tree will dry up.] People never eat in company of a murderer. He never eats sitting, but always standing. When he sits down [to rest] he kneels on one leg. The murderer never looks at a child and must not see people while they are eating.

When a woman's husband dies she becomes a widow. Then she goes up the river. [There she stays] sometimes one day, sometimes two days. She bathes. For thirty days she does not eat fresh food. She also does not look at a child or at a sick person. She bathes every day. She rubs her body with sweet-smelling herbs. She never wears a good blanket. Her blanket is always bad. For one year she must not laugh. Then her dead husband's relatives tell her: "Now be glad; your brother-in-law will marry you;" then she puts on a good blanket. When she laughs shortly after becoming a widow, her husband's relatives are not pleased. When she marries again quickly, they ask a shaman to send disease to her and she dies. When a widow has a child which is small, her dead husband's relatives say to her soon: "Now be glad," and, indeed, she gets glad.

Whaling

When the people of Sealand find a whale they tell a youth to go to the town and to inform the people. A person who has to observe taboos is asked to go up and down [in his canoe] below the whale. Then he goes up and down below the whale. Thus also a person who cohabited the preceding night goes up and down below the whale. If no person who has to observe taboos would go up and down, it would drift away. Those who found the whale do not cut it; they wait for the chief. All the people reach the whale. Then the chief takes a stick and measures the whale from the head to the tail. Then he tells the people: "You will cut here; you will cut there." It is distributed among those people. The common people cut from the tail end. When it is all cut, it is carried to the town into the houses. When the whale is measured, the chief tells the people to make the [measuring] sticks two spans and one hand width long, if the whale is large[; two spans wide if the whale is smaller]. The people are told: "You cut here," and they cut the whale. Everything is done this way. A cut two spans and one hand width large is exchanged for one blanket, or for a string of dentalia five shells longer than a fathom. When a cut two spans large is sold it is exchanged for a ground-hog blanket.

When travelers from Chehalis find a whale it is taken back from them. If it is found at Oysterville, it belongs to the people of Sealand; when it is found north of Oysterville, it belongs to the Willapa. When the people of Sealand find a whale north of Oysterville, it is claimed by the Willapa. If the Willapa find one south of Oysterville, it is claimed by the people of Sealand.

When a person who has taboos sees a whale nearly drifting ashore, it will drift out to sea again. This happens with one who has cohabited the preceding night, with a menstruating woman, with a girl who is menstruant for the first time, and with a murderer. People who have taboos do not go to the beach. When they go often to the beach, no whale will be found and the people get hungry.

When a whale is found in Chehalis all the Nisal and Willapa go to buy whale meat. When a whale is found in Sealand, all the Chehalis go to buy its meat.

When the people are starving, a person who has a supernatural helper of the sea sings to bring a whale. No woman who has her regular menses enters, no young man; else a person might see the singing who has cohabited the preceding night. Therefore, also, no woman must enter, as she might become menstruant in the house where they sing. Only old people, boys, and young girls help sing. For five days he sings. Then a youth is sent and told to look seaward. Five times he is sent; then, indeed, he finds a whale adrift. When a man who has cohabited the preceding night enters the house in which the singing goes on, the supernatural helper vanishes at once. Thus also when a menstruant woman enters. The singer is covered with down. He places a pole upright on the beach and says: "Here a whale will drift ashore," and, indeed, it drifts ashore there after he has sang five days. The name of the supernatural helper of the sea is Ikê'tal.

When the Clatsop find a whale, and there are two people, they make holes [in the skin] and tie their straps to it. If they have no strap they take kelp. Each ties as many straps to it as he has relatives. Then they cut the whale. They cut much. Now they send one man to bring word to the town. Then the people go and all cut it. They will not cut where a strap has been tied to it. When the man arrives for whom the strap has been tied to the whale, he cuts at that place. If one man cuts at the strap of another one, they will fight. Those who come last take the lower side of the whale. All those people sell their whale meat. The pieces are not cut--when they are large they are left large, when they are small they are left small. Small ones are not expensive. Large ones are exchanged for a blanket. If there is a strong woman who can carry several cuts, she does so and is paid [for her services]. Sometimes she helps three people; when she is strong she may help four people. Thus also is a youth paid who helps the people carrying several cuts of meat. The Clatsop always eat very early. When a person has not yet eaten and they learn [that a whale has stranded] and they run there, he gets faint and is left behind. He comes too late to the whale and finds that only little is left. He may not arrive until the cutting is finished. The Clatsop always carry their straps and knives, which are tied together, and their mats. All do thus.

Elk Hunting

When a hunter has killed a male elk far away, then twelve men go to fetch it. When he has killed a female elk, eight go to fetch it. When a hunter has killed two elks, many people go to fetch it. When he has killed many, then it is dried in the woods [it is not carried away]. The people go home when it is dry, and the hunter distributes the meat among all the people.

A menstruating woman must not take the head of an elk. Women do not eat the tongue; only men eat it. They do not break the bones of the forelegs. These are carried faraway, else a menstruating woman might see them. When such a woman eats the feet and hoofs, the hunter will be unlucky. When she steps over an elk's head, she will be sick with dropsy. Just so a girl who has just reached maturity. She does not look at an elk, else she will be sick with dropsy. When a hunter is unsuccessful, his child must not go near the water. When it goes near water, it will fall sick and die at once. When he goes hunting, his wife and children sit motionless. His wife must not go anywhere. When his children make noise, one of them will fall sick if the hunter is unsuccessful.

The Potlatch

When a chief intends to give a potlatch, four, five, or six men are sent out in a canoe [to invite the guests]. One man who has a guardian spirit is sent among them. When they approach a town the man who has the guardian spirit sings. The people of that town hear him and say, "Oh, we are going to be invited." The messengers land and tell the people to come. Then they go to the next town. After having visited all the towns they go home. Now the people make themselves ready. They wait for those who live farthest away. When they arrive they all go down the river together. Thus they do also when a chief on the upper part of the river has sent an invitation. They go up the river together. When they reach the town to which they were invited they put their canoes side by side and lay planks across. This is done with all their canoes. Now they dance, and those who have guardian spirits sing. The people dance on the planks. Their faces are painted red, their hair is strewn with down. All the women wear their dentalia, their ear and hair ornaments, and their necklaces. They wear good blankets. Braves wear their head ornaments and their faces are blackened. Shamans carry their batons. They sing and finally land. Then they tell a woman, "You shall be our head dancer." She replies, "No; I do not dare to do it." One who knows how to dance well is made head dancer, a man or a woman. Now they enter the house dancing. When a woman [while dancing] bends her head, another one goes and raises it. Then she pays her for having made her head straight. When a person gets out of rhythm, he is taken to the side of the house and must sit down there. All those who have guardian spirits sing. When the people of one town have finished, those of another town enter dancing. When there are not many people of one town, those of two towns enter together. When the house is large, the people of three towns will enter together.

If the host has too little food, two youths are sent and told, "Go and ask my relatives to bring food." The youths go to a town and ask the [host's relatives] to bring food. They all come and bring food. They also dance on the canoes and land. They enter the house dancing. When they bring dry salmon, five men hold it in their mouths while they enter the house dancing. When they bring roots, five men carry them on their backs when they enter the house dancing. After the people have danced five days they receive presents. One man is asked [to stand near the host and] to name the people. First he names the chief of one town. When the host is liberal, he gives the man who calls out the names a blanket. Or he is given long dentalia. After one town is finished, another one receives presents. Again first the chief is called. When he drags his present he is called back. Men as well as women are thus given presents.

The people are forbidden to shoot with arrows during the potlatch. If a man should want to fight against the people of a town and shoot an arrow, then the people would fight and several would be killed.

The women receive each a fathom of short dentalia. Only men are given long dentalia. Common men receive short dentalia. If a chief has many dentalia, then every one receives two fathoms of short dentalia.

War

Before the people go to war they sing. If one of them sees blood, he will be killed in battle. When two see blood, they will be killed. They finish their singing. When they sing, two long planks are put down parallel to each other. All the warriors sing. They kneel [on the planks]. Now they go to war and fight. When people of both parties have been killed, they stop. After some time the two parties exchange presents and make peace. When a feud has not yet been settled, they marry a woman to a man of the other town and they make peace.

Historical Tales

War Between Quileute and Clatsop

A youth at Clatsop was sent to bathe at Nakôt!̲â't. After five days he returned, going along the beach. In the evening he approached Clatsop and came around the point. Then he looked landward and saw many canoes lying side by side. "Where did these canoes come from?" he thought; "I will turn back." He was going to turn back, then many people pursued him. The beach was full of people. He looked in the direction where he wanted to go. Now there also the people went down to the beach. They cut him off and he was surrounded. They all held spears in their hands. They threw the spears at him. He jumped up and they missed him, the spears passing below him. "Ha, ha!" said the people. They threw their spears again and aimed higher. He stooped and they missed him, the spears passing above him. Again the people said "Ha, ha!" Now he jumped right through them and escaped. They pursued him. They threw spears at him, but he jumped high. He escaped and arrived at Clatsop. The youth had no mother and no father; they were dead. He lived with his grandfather. Now it was evening when he came back to Clatsop. The Tillamook stood there and were dancing. "What are you doing?" he said. "Take your arrows. We shall be attacked. The beach is full of people. Make yourselves ready." "Eia, he lies," said the people. "He wanted to see the ghosts and became frightened." Then the youth said to his grandfather, "Take your blanket. Let us go inland and hide ourselves." Then he and his grandfather went inland to hide. Now the Tillamook danced. At midnight they lay down. When the dawn of the day approached, an attack was made on the village. The

Tillamook who slept outside were all killed. Now they attacked the houses. Only a few were killed in the upper half of the town, when the people awoke. The Clatsop awoke. Now the [enemy retired and] carried away the children. The Quileute carried away many boys. Now a person ran up the river to inform the people at Konô'pê. Now he told them what had happened; they took their arrows and ran down the river. The Quileute took away the nets. Now the people fought, and the Quileute were driven away. One half of them were killed. Then [the dead ones] were carried into the canoes and they launched their canoes. Part they left on the shore.

The Clatsop took those canoes and launched them. They went into the canoes of the Quileute and pursued them. They shot their arrows at them. Then the Quileute threw a boy into the water. They struck him on his head and he was drowned. They threw another one into the water and struck him on his head. He swam, and the Clatsop took him into their canoe when they reached him. Thus many boys were thrown into the water. Part survived and part were drowned. Now they passed Point Canby. The Clatsop pursued them on the open sea. Now only three or four men survived in each canoe, and a few canoes only were left. Then the chief of the Clatsop said, "We will return. We have killed a great many." Now the Clatsop returned and the Quileute went home. They arrived at Quenaiult. Their canoes were full of corpses. They placed them upright and put on their hats. Then the survivors went ashore, where they were fed by the Quenaiult. The Quileute ate. Now the Quenaiult carried food to their relatives to the canoes. Behold, they were dead! The Quileute had lied because they were ashamed [that so many of their number had been killed].

The First Ship Seen by the Clatsop

The son of an old woman had died. She wailed for him a whole year and then she stopped. Now one day she went to Seaside. There she used to stop, and she returned. She returned walking along the beach. She nearly reached Clatsop; now she saw something. She thought it was a whale. When she came near it site saw two spruce trees standing upright on it. She thought, "Behold! it is no whale. It is a monster." She reached the thing that lay there. Now she saw that its outer side was all covered with copper. Ropes were tied to those spruce trees and it was full of iron. Then a bear came out of it. He stood on the thing that lay there. He looked just like a bear, but his face was that of a human being. Then she went home. Now she thought of her son, and cried, saying, "Oh, my son is dead and the thing about which we heard in tales is on shore." When she nearly reached the town she continued to cry. [The people said,] "Oh, a person comes crying. Perhaps somebody struck her." The people made themselves ready. They took their arrows. An old man said, "Listen!" Then the people listened. Now she said all the time, "Oh, my son is dead, and the thing about which we heard in tales is on shore." The people said,

"What may it be?" They went running to meet her. They said, "What is it?" "Ah, something lies there and it is thus. There are two bears on it, or maybe they are people." Then the people ran. They reached the thing that lay there. Now the people, or what else they might be, held two copper kettles in their hands. Now the first one reached there. Another one arrived. Now the person's took their hands to their mouths and gave the people their kettles. They had lids. The men pointed inland and asked for water. Then two people ran inland. They hid themselves behind a log. They returned again and ran to the beach. One man climbed up and entered the thing. He went down into the ship. He looked about in the interior of the ship; it was full of boxes. He found brass buttons in strings half a fathom long. He went out again to call his relatives, but they had already set fire to the ship. He jumped down. Those two persons had also gone down. It burnt just like fat. Then the Clatsop gathered the iron, the copper, and the brass. Then all the people learned about it. The two persons were taken to the chief of the Clatsop. Then the chief of the one town said, "I want to keep one of the men with me." The people almost began to fight. Now one of them was taken to one town. Then the chief was satisfied. Now the Quenaiult, the Chehalis, the Cascades, the Cowlitz, and the Klickatat learned about it and they all went to Clatsop. The Quenaiult, the Chehalis, and the Willapa went. The people of all the towns went there. The Cascades, the Cowlitz, and the Klickatat came down the river. All those of the upper part of the river came down to Clatsop. Strips of copper two fingers wide and going around the arm were exchanged for one slave each. A piece of iron as long as one-half the forearm was exchanged for one slave. A piece of brass two fingers wide was exchanged for one slave. A nail was sold for a good curried deerskin. Several nails were given for long dentalia. The people bought this and the Clatsop became rich. Then iron and brass were seen for the first time. Now they kept these two persons. One was kept by each chief; one was at the Clatsop town at the cape.

Colophon

Franz Boas's Chinook Texts, told by Charles Cultee, was first published in 1894 by the U.S. Government Printing Office as Bulletin 20 of the Bureau of American Ethnology. Public domain (pre-1930).

Source: digitized text of the sacred-texts.com archive, from the library's local mirror.

Prepared for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted research, transcription, and editorial work.

The source digitization's chapter heading and running head for the fourteenth myth both read "18. Blue-Jay and Iô'i" — the same misnumbering appears on the site's own index page — while the book's own front-matter Contents page correctly lists it as the fourteenth item, between "13. Robin" and "15. Blue-Jay and Iô'-i." This edition follows the Contents page's numbering and titles it "14. Blue-Jay and Iô'i," since three consecutively numbered tales all bearing the same subtitle depend on correct sequence numbers to stay distinguishable; no other wording was changed. The source file for myth "4. The Salmon" is blank in the sacred-texts.com digitization itself — an empty HTML page where the tale should be — so the title is retained in its place in the sequence with a note rather than invented text; this is a gap in the mirror, not an editorial omission, and no other tale in the book is affected. The book's own frontispiece, a photographic portrait of Charles Cultee listed on its Contents page, is not part of this HTML digitization and so is not reproduced here.

Footnotes are renumbered [1] at the end of the tale in which they occur, in place of the source's per-page numbering; three of the book's four footnotes required matching a bracketed in-text marker to a same-page definition across a stray non-breaking space the digitization inserted between the marker number and its neighboring word, which has been normalized to an ordinary space throughout this edition (a handful of other places in the text used the same non-breaking space simply as inter-word spacing, e.g. in a few repeated song-syllable lines; these are likewise normalized to ordinary spaces, no wording changed). The mirror's own errata notice (a single correction, "page 236: 'poeple' -> 'people'") is already incorporated into the digitized chapter text as found; no further change was needed. Two short passages of sung verse in "How Cultee's Grandfather Acquired a Guardian Spirit," mechanically broken across extra paragraph breaks by the conversion process, have been restored as blockquoted verse with single line breaks; no wording was changed. The source digitization splits a number of paragraphs at every printed page boundary even where the boundary fell mid-sentence; wherever a split plainly broke a sentence in two, the halves have been rejoined here into one paragraph, with no wording changed. Boas's own bracketed insertions — his clarifying glosses, e.g. "[Then the supernatural beings said:]" — are original to his translation and are preserved throughout, distinct from this edition's own editorial notes.

Spot-read against the source HTML: the Introduction and Alphabet, the opening myth ("1. CikL̲a"), a myth from the middle of the sequence ("13. Robin and Blue-Jay," including its footnote), "The Soul and the Shamans" from the ethnographic section, and the closing "The First Ship Seen by the Clatsop." No other dropped or garbled text was found in the sections checked.

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