Chapter X: Part 10

Now, after they had thought for a while, one stood up, saying: “Let them send for Sacred-one-standing-and-moving. They say that he bathed in the ocean so much in order to settle down under it.”

Then he went out of the house, threw his ribbon across again, and ran over upon it. And he said to his mother: “They are setting out to get me. You will go with me. She-upon-whose-feet-property-makes-a-noise will also go with me.” As soon as he had finished saying this, they came for him. And he said he would come by canoe by himself.

Then he went to get his wā′sg̣o skin, which he kept between the two heads of a cedar, and he put it on while he was still in the house. He walked about, too pretty to be looked at by anyone. Then they started across. His mother steered, and his sister was in the bow. He stood in the middle as they went. And his sister got off, then his mother, last himself.

They went up. His sister went ahead. She held the [duck] entrails in her hands. His mother had the feathers inside of her blanket. When he entered, the supernatural beings held their heads down to him. He looked grand. He entered wearing the wā′sg̣o skin.

And as soon as he entered he lay down underneath. He was sizzling from the fire. Again it burned at intervals. When it stopped burning, his sister greased [his skin] with the duck grease. His mother put feathers upon it.

By and by one night was counted for him. Then the supernatural beings fastened their eyes upon him. Lo, another night was about to be counted for him. At this time the supernatural beings talked about the places where they were going to settle. They divided themselves up. At that time one among them stood up. He said: “Where is the sister of the supernatural beings, Woman-people-want-to-have, going to have her place?” “I do not know. I do not know. I shall have my place with my children a little way behind the chiefs among the trees.” [353]

By and by, when day began to break, they were looking on. Presently the Raven called. It was daylight. But then they discovered him enter and lie down under it. [354] Then he came to have his place under it (the island).

Then they went for Fast-rainbow-trout [355] and Marten. And they put a string on him (Fast-rainbow-trout) and sent him up with it. Then it was not long enough. He spliced hemlock roots to it. Marten went down with the lower end. [356]

Now the supernatural beings separated, leaving the town of X̣ᴀ′ina [357] for the various places they had already talked about settling in.

Now Stone-ribs traveled about upon this island. After he had traveled for some time he entered the house and said to his mother: “Mother, toward Cape G̣ᴀ′ñxet [358] some one calls for me, weeping.” And next day he went about upon this island hunting birds. He went about upon it as one does upon something small.

And again he said to his mother: “Mother, she calls, wailing for me as if she would never cease.” Then he said to her: “I will go and help her.” And she said to her son: “Don’t, chief, don’t; they might call you skᴀ′mdal.” [359] “That is all right, mother; I am going to help her.” [360]

Then, very early next day, he started off again, passed Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o, [361] went around Skedans point, and came to Broken-shells-of-the-supernatural-beings. At that time he took quicker steps. Then he ran over to Village-that-stretches-itself-out. And he went along down the inlet. Then he came near some white shells. Seaward, to his surprise, an eagle was trying to catch something and almost succeeded several times.

Then he looked at it. Again it almost caught it in its flight. And after he had thought about it he went down to it. And, when he got there, a halibut was swimming about in the standing water. There were stripes of copper along its edges. Out of its nose hung a weasel. Now he caught the halibut in his hands. He was very glad to have it. And when he was going to split it around the edges with his finger nails it thundered; and when he was about to do the same thing along the under side it again thundered; and when he was about to split it along its upper surface it again thundered and lightning shot about. Then he [split] it along its tail; and when he had finished skinning it he put it on.

Then he went into the pond before him. Bullheads shot away from him. When he opened his mouth, lo! the bullheads all went into it. And he opened his mouth. From his mouth they came strongly and quickly. They floated about dead. He got out of it and put it in his armpit.

He had two coats. He had a copper coat and he had a marten-skin coat. Before he started off, he practiced before his mother with them on, and, when he nearly burst his mother’s house by swelling up, she cried to him to stop.

He started and came to Łg̣adᴀ′n village. [362] Then he skinned the woman’s child, and lo! he was born instead. He grew up as rapidly as a dog. Immediately he began to walk. One day, as soon as he came in from out of doors, he wept so hard that they could not stop him. She tried to stop him in every way. He would not be satisfied.

After he had cried for a while, he said: “Ha, bow-shaped object; ha, bow-shaped object.” At that time she tried to stop him all the harder. As he wept he made the motion of handling a bow. By and by his mother pounded up some copper ornament she wore and she also finished arrows for him.

He was hunting birds. He did not sleep. And, one day when it was fine weather, they went for shellfish. They did not take his mother with them. Then, after it had been stormy for a while, it was again calm, and they went for shellfish.

Then he asked his mother if she owned a canoe. And, when his mother said that she did own one, he went along with them and his mother to get shellfish. While they were still going along the leading canoes had already landed. He landed his mother among the canoes which were floating about and remained floating back of them.

Now, when the baskets of those who had gone first were full, he lay down in his canoe, and, using the canoe as a drum, beat upon it with his bow. Then they made motions toward his face from the shore. They spoke in low voices. And they loaded their canoes and went off in terror. Before they had reached the village he told his mother to hurry up. Then she put the mussels in the bow. His mother seated him at the very stern, and they went landward from Qꜝā′g̣awa-i.

As they went along in fright, he (Qꜝā′g̣awa-i) [363] came after them. And, when he came near, he opened his mouth for them. But, as he was carrying them into his mouth in a current, [the boy] took his bow, pushed his lips together, and shoved him back, and he went under the water. They went on.

When they came to her, his mother said she was saved by blowing through her labret hole and putting her feet into the water. He listened.

After they had lived there for a while, it became stormy weather again. It was bad weather. When the mussels became spoiled for food, it was again calm, and they again went out after mussels. Some time after, he and his mother went out. After the baskets of those ahead had been filled, he struck upon the edges of the canoe. And again they opened and closed their hands to him for him to stop. After he had watched them for a while, they went away in fright, and he too went after them.

After they had gone on for a while, [Qꜝā′g̣awa-i] again pursued. He had five fins. Again, as soon as the current flowed into his mouth, they floated inward. Then he (the boy) closed his lips with his hands and shoved him back.

And, when they landed, they came down to meet her. They asked whether he came to the surface, and she said that she blew through her labret and put her foot into the sea. That was how she was saved, she said.

And again it was bad weather. After bad weather had lasted for some time, he went to a point toward the end of the town, entered his halibut skin, and went into the water. Presently he came to a broad trail, and, having traveled upon it for a while, arrived at the town of Qꜝā′g̣awa-i.

After he had peered into the houses, he looked into his (Qꜝā′g̣awa-i’s). In the rear of the house between the screens, which pointed toward each other, sat his daughter. He fell in love with her, so that he shook with desire.

Then, after he had gone around the town for a while, evening came, and he entered his house. He sat down in the rear of his house. His skin clothing had five fins upon it. He looked at it. Then they went to bed. And, as soon as he went to her, they lay together.

Then day broke and the town people went fishing. After the sounds had lasted for some time, he rose. To his surprise they were fishing right in front of the town. Then he went into his halibut skin. And, after he had swum around the edges of the canoes for a while, he opened his mouth for them and closed it quickly. They went quickly into his mouth. And, after he had kept his lips closed around them for a while, he opened his mouth.

Now he went up and went toward the place he started from. Then he went in. After he had sat there for a while, it was again evening, and he again went to meet the woman. He was very fond of her. He went to her and came back often. And as he lay with [Qꜝā′g̣awa-i’s] daughter, he listened to them talking about himself and nothing else.

When they were out fishing, he entered his skin. He opened his mouth for two [canoes] and spit them out shoreward.

And again he went away, and, after he had sat in the house for a while, evening came, and he went down to her. And he lay with [the chief’s] daughter.

He (the chief) was preparing to go out fishing with the others. They brought out his skin clothing, and they brought out his war spear and his arrow box. They put pitch on the points of these [arrows] in case he (Stone-ribs) had too much power for him. And he heard him say he was going to break his head with his teeth.

Presently day came, and he heard the sound they made as they went out fishing. When it stopped, he arose, swam off again, and came out on the surface near two canoes at one end. Then one waved a paddle. They did this for Qꜝā′g̣awa-i. He had not let out fishing lines. Instead his canoe floated quietly among them.

He went thither, and those who were there pointed into the water with their paddles. “It is lying right there,” they said to him. Then he seized his spear. He looked at it. It was too small, however, and he picked up an arrow instead. Then he speared it. He struck it in the side and pulled it up. Then he said: “Is this the thing that destroyed you?” and they said to him: “Do not speak like that. That is it.”

Now he told them to begin fishing, and they pulled halibut in and clubbed them. He was lying in the canoe. The skin of the Qꜝā′g̣awa-i had already been lying there for some time. After he had swelled up so as to fill this, they found it out. Then [Qꜝā′g̣awa-i] took his spear and speared him. Instead of being harmed he stretched it more and the canoe became covered with water. Immediately the salt water boiled. He captured his skin. He opened his mouth for them. As many as were fishing came fast into his mouth, but for some purpose he let two persons go home. Then he came away with the rest. He let them out toward the shore at a bay at one end of the town. From the very shore they fell over landward like a pile of wood. They lay near the shore without skins. Fins were on them. [364] Then he went in to his mother.

Next day he said to his mother: “Mother, I intend to go away from you. I am not really your son. I came and helped you because you called for me as you wept. My mother’s place is in the middle of this island.”

At once his mother sang crying songs. And on account of her crying he thought he would stay a day more, and he stayed near her one night, but next day he went away.

As soon as he went out he put on his copper coat. Over this he put his marten-skin coat. Over both he put his Qꜝā′g̣awa-i skin and started around the west coast wearing them. The supernatural beings living there opened their doors for him. After he had traveled about for some time [he came to] one living in the middle of the island whose door was shut, and, as he passed by, reaching out sidewise he took hold of him, and his house fell flat toward the sea.

And after he had traveled on he came to one fishing for black cod. When he came opposite to him he said to him: “Now, great chief, Stone-ribs, that you are, going along carefully, let me have the head. For that I am waiting here.” [365]

Then he turned back toward him. He pushed his arm into a rocky cave there, moved his arm about to make it larger, and gathered black cod together in his arms. When there were many in his arms he threw them into the cave. And he pushed him into the cave afterward. He (the man put into the cave) strung the fishing line with them, put some also into his canoe, and went away. He towed the string of black cod behind him.

Thence he wandered on for a while and entered Tcꜝā′ał inlet. [366] Where the inlet almost closes together, lo! something lay face up waiting for him. Its arms were half copper. It lay in wait for him. Then he lay still in front of it for a while and looked at it. It had five fins.

By and by, however, he let himself go on over its belly, and it seized him. Even his insides it squeezed. Its claws even went through his copper coat. He tried to swell up. In vain. Then he entered the halibut skin and escaped between its claws. It got its skin back because it belonged to the same clan [as Qꜝā′g̣awa-i].

Then he passed through the strait. When he came to Spit-point he (the point) let himself dry up on account of him. Then he remained still for a while. After he had stood still for a time he jumped up and flopped his way across it. After he had done so he entered the water on the other side. That is the Qꜝoas. [367]

After he had traveled on a while he came to where Rock-point’s house stood. Swim-far-off [368] placed himself half out of the door. He was afraid at the sight of his spines. He was looking at him, and he said to him: “Go around far from me, chief. I shall kill you.” On account of what he said he went around close to the island on the other side from him.

After he had traveled farther [he came to where] two persons were fishing from a canoe at the Cumshewa inlet fishing ground, in front of Ta′og̣ał bay. The bow man was making guesses as follows: “I wonder whether he who they say has been traveling around the west coast has passed this point.” Then the one in the stern said: “Horrors! what terrible thing will happen for what you have said. Let us go home.” And he himself cut the anchor line, and they went off in fright. Then he bit off half of their canoe and pushed the man in the stern along toward the shore. Near Ta′og̣ał he threw [the other] up from his mouth. He was changed into a rock there.

Then he went away. He stood up at Skedans bay, and inland, near the trees, he turned his back to the sunshine. Lo! he felt sleepy and lost consciousness. While he was in that condition [he heard] a noise like x̣ū. He looked toward it. Lo! he (an eagle) had his skin in his claws. Then he put on his copper coat and went after it.

The eagle flew inland and perched there. [A supernatural being] stood waiting for him. He had a war spear. He had a war helmet. Then he (Stone-ribs) passed behind him on the run. When he was at some distance he grasped him. His head was in his hand. Then he threw it toward the head of the creek. [369]

There lay the town of Skedans. [370] And the town chief there owned Sand-reef.[370] One day he went thither for hair seal and called the people in [to eat them]. They kept taking them over by canoe. All that time they called in the people for them. The town chief was named Upward. [371]

One day he went thither. At the landward end of Gwai-djātc[370] in front of Qî′ñgiłu some people in a canoe sang something. They used the edges of their canoe as a drum. He went to them. He [arrived] there, and lo! the song was about him. The song they composed was: “Upward’s wife is always fooling with somebody.” [372]

Then he pulled them in. He asked them why they clubbed seals on his reef. Hair seals were in their canoe. Then he fastened them to two canoe seats. And he started homeward with them. When they got even with Mallard-grease-in-hand on the north side of Island-that-wheels-around-with-the-current[370] one said to his younger brother: “Younger brother, take him, take him.” Then both seized him at once. They fastened him to the canoe. Then they took in his hair seal and went back.

Now they took him into their father’s house. Those that he pulled in were Farthest-one-out’s sons.[370] They laid him down in the middle of the side of their father’s house [373] and told their adventures to their father. And they said: “Father, he spoke to us about what you gave to us as a chief’s children. He pulled us into his canoe. He fastened us in the canoe.” And their father said: “My child, chief, my son, it is not as your slave father has said, but as common surface birds shall say.” [374] He spoke like this, as if speaking to a slave.

Then they brought him in. And they brought in a large, water-tight basket, put stones into the fire, and, when they became red hot, put them into the water in the basket with tongs. When it boiled, they put him in, canoe and all. Then they shook up the basket with him in it, and, when it began to swell up, he held fast to the cross-seats. Then they went to him. They laughed at him because he was afraid.

After they had laughed at him for a while, his wife sat down hard upon the top of the house. She was crying aloud. At the same time she made holes in the top of the house with her fingers. Water dropped into it. She asked what they were doing to her husband. But just then he began to think of a copper drum he owned, [and it came to him]. When he began drumming on it with the tips of his fingers, the chief said: “Take him and throw him out, chiefs, my children.” Then they took him, and they threw him out along with the canoe. Immediately she took her husband and went away with him.

And, after he had stayed with his wife a while, he thought of the words that Farthest-one-out’s sons put into [their songs] about him. Then he slept apart from his wife. After he had done this for some time, he woke up one night. Lo! he heard his wife talking with some one. But he did not disturb himself, and, when day broke, he sharpened a mussel shell knife he owned. And, when they went to bed, he remained awake. The moon rose. When it became light, the end of a rainbow came through the smoke-hole. He looked at it. It extended to his wife’s [room]. Then the rainbow again drew itself out through the smoke-hole.

After some time had elapsed, he heard some one talking to his wife. When the talking ceased, he crept over thither. He seized the man’s hair and cut his head off. Then he went out and fastened his head over the door.

After many nights had passed, a woman came by canoe and stopped in front of him. After she had remained there for a while, she said: “Come, chief, throw down your nephew’s head to me.” He paid no attention to her. It was Djila′qons’ son, who had been in love with his wife, whose head he had cut off.

Again she said landward: “Come, chief, put your nephew’s head into my canoe.” He absolutely refused. Then she became angry and almost struck the town with something that was half red, half blue. [375] And the town of Skedans almost tipped over. Then he went out and pushed it back again as he walked along.

The woman said the same thing again, and again he refused her. When she almost struck the town with her stick, it almost turned over again. And again he straightened it with his feet. Then he took the head and threw it out. And the hair-seal canoe [376] in which she came started off of itself, while he stood still there and looked on.

Then he went along upon Trail-inland [377] and entered the water at [point] Lying-seaward. [378] And he got his arms ready for her in the salt water. Her servants were doing the paddling. When they got above him, he laid hold of [the canoe]. Then they paddled backward. They were unsuccessful.

Then the chief-woman said, “Come in, chief, if it is you. Things shall not be different from the way you want them.” And lo! Upward rolled in through the bailing-hole. At once he went to the middle where the chief-woman sat. He stretched his arm across, and they lay there with each other. [379]

When they got home, she put her son’s head in its place, and he was restored. After he had had her as his wife for some time, and it was toward the end of autumn, the chief-woman began digging roots with the servants. One day, after they had come home, they appeared happy. He listened to them. He did not know why they acted that way. He got firewood in readiness for their return from digging roots. They came home together, and every time they were happy.

By and by, when they started off again, he went behind them. As they went along in a line, they beat upon thin boards held in their hands. They sang as they went. It sounded nice and sharp. The chief woman went in advance. He observed them stealthily.

Then they sat down at a certain point down the inlet, and sang there. The chief woman sat near the water. This he saw. By and by something having thick eyebrows came flying from above and sat near her. He was good looking. They lay with each other.

Then he went home, and, when they came home, he said to his wife, “Say! to-morrow you better not go. I will go. I will get a great quantity of roots of all kinds.” And next day he borrowed her belt and dress, and had his hair parted while still in the house. Now they sang as they walked. He went ahead of them.

He went to the edge of the water. He rolled away a rock with his hands and picked a sea-cucumber from the place where it had rested. Then he sat in the place where the chief woman used to sit. Shoreward the servants were also singing. By and by the person came flying down from above, sat near him, and lay down. And he cut off his penis. He put the sea-cucumber in its place. He went up from him making a noise.

Then he was happy, and he came home. He gave back the chief woman’s labret to her. Next day very early the servants rose, and, after they had eaten, they went outside. Just outside they sang the song. Again they went off in a crowd singing.

Now he again went along behind them. After the chief woman had seated herself, he came flying down again. They lay down. When the chief woman turned toward him, lo! a sea cucumber had been put into him. Then she wept. The servants also wept.

Then he went home and cut up firewood. And in the evening, when they came home, instead of being happy, the servants had tear marks on their faces. Then he asked them, “Why are you all sad? I guess you have become witches.” That was Snowy-owl with which the chief woman lay. For that reason he used these words.

After he had lived with his wife a while longer, some one said “The chief is coming.” Immediately they sent Marten into the woods. Then he pulled up a bunch of fern by the roots. He tied the stalks together and sat down by the edge of the fire toward the door. Five Land-otter-women sat in the corner of the house and one of them had Upward inside of her blanket.

Presently [the strangers] came in and sat in a circle. Then Raven [380] called for one of the young boys who moved in a crowd on the side of the house toward the door. And, after he had whispered into his ear, [the boy] went out. [381] And, after he had been away for a while, they spread out a mat in the middle of the side of the house, and five persons with matted hair sat upon it. After they had sat there for a while, one of them began acting as a shaman, and they sang a song for him as he acted. After he had done this for a while, he pointed at the one who held Upward hidden. When they all went to her, he (Marten) pushed the ferns on the fire. Immediately it became dark, and he was handed to another. After they had pulled her up straight, they found nothing at all upon her.

Then another acted as shaman and pointed at the one who was hiding him. Then they started for her. Again Marten shoved the ferns into the fire. While it was dark they passed him to another one. She, too, they had stand up. There was nothing whatever upon her.

Again one acted as shaman. Again he pointed at one of them. There was not a sign of a thing upon her. Still another acted as shaman. When he pointed at the one who held him, they went for her. Then Upward changed himself into a cinder and hid himself at the edge of the smoke-hole.

Then the one who sat at the end of those who came by canoe with Raven acted as shaman. And, after they had sung a song for him for a while, he pointed up at him, and they went to get him. [He floated up] and after he had kept coming down for a while, lo! they brought Upward in.

Then they brought him before Wī′gît, and he pulled his arm off. And, after he had pulled his other arm off, he gave them to the one (shaman) who sat next to him. Now he pulled out both of his legs and gave them to the shamans. And his body, too, he cut in pieces and gave to them. Then they ate it. They consumed it all. And, after they had sat there for a while, they became sick in the stomach. They died. Their bodies were pulled away and thrown outside.

[The story of Stone-ribs as told by Tom Price of Those-born-in-the-Ninstints-country]

From the town of Łg̣adᴀ′n they began to go out fishing for black cod. Then a creature having five fins at an island lying seaward called Qꜝā′g̣awa-i pursued them. And canoes were rapidly carried into his mouth by a current of water. But still they feared that they were going to starve to death and went out fishing. Many escaped. Mussels grew upon that island only. That is why they went to it. And they would not touch their paddles to the edges of their canoes [for fear of making a noise].

When he had nearly destroyed them all, Djila′qons’ son said: “I will go to the south country. I will kill Qꜝā′g̣awa-i.” Then his mother said to him: “Do not do it, chief; they will say Łᴀ′ndal to you.” [382] After she had said so for some time, she told him he might go.

And, after he had gone along for a while, [when he reached] point Skwai he became tired of walking and lay with his back against a rock. Then a sound like the rushing of wind came to his ears, and he looked in the direction of it. [An eagle] was almost touching a salt water pool in front of him in its flight.

Then he went thither, and, when he looked into the pool, [he saw] a small halibut floating there. Now he took it out. And, when he tried to cut it open along the side, all the supernatural beings protested. It also thundered. In whatever way he tried it, he was unsuccessful until he cut it open from its tail when nothing happened. Now he skinned it and dried the skin in the sunshine. He was glad to have it. And he went away with it.

By and by he came to the town of Łg̣adᴀ′n. It was evening and he looked about among the houses. He looked for a place where a child had just been born. By and by he saw a child lying in the cradle. When they were asleep, he destroyed it. But he became born in its place. His [new] mother was named Gwā′g̣anat.

And, after he had grown somewhat, he asked to have a copper bow and copper arrows made for him. All the time he was growing up they went out fishing and he (Qꜝā′g̣awa-i) swallowed them. And, when they came in from fishing, Supernatural-sparrow [383] living in front of the town ate all of their uncut halibut.

Then he began to shoot birds. He shot robins, the feathers of which along with those of the flicker were on his cradle. After he had become quite strong he killed geese and wild swans. His mother asked him whence he got them, and he said: “I am [getting them] from ʟdas.” [384] After that he also killed the big sparrow that lived there.

After he had shot birds for some time longer he said he had lost a black bird which he attempted to kill. He was sad about it. The next time he went out he brought it in skinned. That was the raven. Again he went out and flew around the island with its skin on. He flew down from above. He shot it in the country he called ʟdas.

After he was able to fly to some height he said: “I am going to kill Qꜝā′g̣awa-i.” Then his uncle said to his mother: “Put charcoal on the lips of that boy who is talking.” At once his mother did so to him. They were afraid to mention the name of Qꜝā′g̣awa-i near the fire. They were afraid that “Woman-under-the-fire” would take over to him the boy’s words. He sat around with charcoal upon his lips. [385]

After that the town people went to Qꜝā′g̣awa-i to get shell-fish, and his mother was with them. Then he cried after them. He was faint from crying. Now he told them plainly that he was going to kill Qꜝā′g̣awa-i. Then they took him with them. They fastened a weasel skin in his hair, and he took his copper bow and arrows.

After they had gathered mussels at the island for a while, they went off home from him. In that place he sang songs, and he beat upon the edges of his canoe with his bow, in lieu of a drum. They were unable to stop him. And when they went off from him he again sang the song.

At that time Qꜝā′g̣awa-i came after them. Then the canoe went into its mouth. And he came to himself in its belly, put on his halibut skin, and swelled up in its stomach. He killed it.

All of its five fins had the figures of human beings at the base. At that time he showed himself to be Stone-ribs. He told them that he was the son of Djila′qons. At that time he told them the crests they would use.

Then he traveled around the west coast, wearing the halibut skin. Now a big mountain called “Looking-at-his-own-shadow” called him in. He entered his house, and he was glad to meet him. After he had given him some dried food he gave him half of a whale to eat. When he had finished eating and was about to go out Looking-at-his-own-shadow laughed at him. Then he said: “Door, shut yourself.” And the stone hanging door fell. Now there was no way for him to go out.

Then, right in the house, he put on his halibut skin. And, after he had flopped around for a while, he got his fins under the edges of the hanging door and threw it up with his tail. When it fell back it broke. He shut all sorts of supernatural beings in, and they were entirely unable to get out. Only he (Stone-ribs) did it.

After that he entered the house of “Sunshine-on-his-breast.” He, however, treated him well. After he had been given something to eat, he went out of his house.

After that he entered Tcꜝī′da’s house. [386] He, too, was good to him. Then he had on the Qꜝā′g̣awa-i skin and let himself be seen by the town people. That is why those born at Kaisun wear the Qꜝā′g̣awa-i as a crest.

When he started to leave that place, they told him that Greatest-crab lived in the channel between the two islands. Still he went thither. Just as he had heard, it opened its claws for him. And, when he passed over it, it cut through the fins along the edges of his halibut skin with its teeth. Then Stone-ribs was sorry for this and went back to it. He swallowed the crab.

After that he let himself be seen upon this island. The supernatural beings were glad to see him because he saved the people from the thing that made the south end of the island empty. Only two treated him differently.

He went into Nastō′’s house, [387] also. After the latter had given him food, he let him go feeling happy. After that he let out the crab in Naden harbor. That is why there are so many crabs there.

After that Na-iku′n let himself dry up before him. [388] Then he entered his halibut skin and flopped his way across overland. That is the inside passage used by canoes. And, after he had gone on farther, Spit-point also dried itself up in front of him. Then he entered his halibut skin and passed it in the same way. That is the place through which they pass by canoe.

Then he entered the house of Many-ledges. After he, too, had given him something to eat, he went on. [Many-ledges] was pleased to see him. Afterward Qî′ñgi [389] asked him to come in. The supernatural beings invited him in because they wanted to see Qꜝā′g̣awa-i’s skin. All that time he let them see his skin.

After that he went inland and sat down at point Skwai. After he had sat there for some time something occurred like the quick passage of a strong wind. When he looked toward it an eagle had his halibut skin. But when he said “Alas!” all the forest beings told him not to go after it. “It was not yours. Your mighty grandfather, ‘Chief,’ [390] let you have his skin. It was he who took his own back.” It was an islet lying in front of point Skwai that lent him his clothing so that he might use it to kill Qꜝā′g̣awa-i.

And after that he again arrived at the town of Łg̣adᴀ′n. Now he left his Qꜝā′g̣awa-i skin there. He took his copper bow and four arrows, but the weasel skin he tied in his hair. He wanted to show them to his mother so that she would be pleased. [Because he wore them] Those-born-at-Skedans have them as crests.

Then he went to his mother. And his mother was pleased with him. Now he showed the copper arrows and the [skin of] Qꜝā′g̣awa-i he had killed to his mother and said that future generations coming out from her should wear them as crests, besides possessing the songs.

And his mother asked him: “Did they call you lakꜝî′l?”[382] And he said they did. Then he explained to her. “When I was of some height, and had been killing all sorts of birds, I said I would kill Qꜝā′g̣awa-i,” whereupon they used to say of me: “Put coals on the lips of that common person.” Instead [of being angry] his mother laughed at him. His mother foretold what they would say to him when he set out to help them.

This story, which practically includes three, is one of the most important and interesting of all Haida stories, for, while two of the preceding are largely Tsimshian and the Raven story is by no means confined to the Queen Charlotte islands, here we have heroes and places dealt with which are strictly insular, forming true Haida “hero tales.” The first two sections are of particular importance and were especially well known. The second version of the story of Stone-ribs is of peculiar interest as coming from a man of the town of Ninstints, where the descendants of the people of Łg̣adᴀ′n afterward lived, and where this particular myth appears to have been especially treasured. Sī′xa, the word which I have translated “Upward,” means more strictly “About-in-the-air,” referring perhaps to the escape of this hero from his house in the form of a cinder. “Stone-ribs” was the translation given me for G̣odᴀñxē′wat by my interpreter, but g̣ō′dᴀñ is also applied to one who discovers hidden things. The word for rib is xē′wī.

SUPERNATURAL-BEING-WHO-WENT-NAKED

[Told by John Sky of Those-born-at-Skedans]

Including their mother and their sister there were ten of them. Bad things came through the eldest. [391] His younger brothers were like the supernatural beings. One day one of his younger brothers went out and shouted “Hū-ū-ū-ū-ī.” [392] Then a cloud came out of the ocean. It came down in front of Gū′łg̣a. [393] One stood in the place [which it touched] and they wrestled with each other. After they had wrestled for a while the younger brother of Supernatural-being-who-went-naked was pushed down, and he bewitched him. “Go to the flint point which sticks out in the rear of my father’s house,” [he said], and he went thither with noise (i.e., quickly).

By and by the one who was born next to him also went out and shouted. He called in the same way as the other had done, and again the cloud came into the inlet. Again a person stood in the place [which it touched] and wrestled with him. After they had wrestled together for a while, he again knocked him down and said as before: “Go to the flint point which sticks out in the rear of my father’s house.” Then he went up into the air with noise.

Now he treated all seven in the same way. Afterward their mother wept. When she was through weeping, she blew her nose out (i.e., cleared her throat) and said: “My eldest son is nothing. My mind is so (i.e., sad) all of the time.”

Her daughter always took care of the fire. Every time they went to bed Supernatural-being-who-went-naked slept in the place where the fire had been. He was weak. He was unable to sit up.

Now he heard what his mother kept saying about him. Then he called to his sister: “Sister, come and bring out one of your mother’s stone boxes.” His sister poured some [water] into one, and, as he crept thither, he fell on his side and almost fainted. After he had lain there for a while he started to creep to it again, and he crept into it.

Then his buttocks were floating, and his sister picked up a poker and pressed on his buttocks. After his sister had pressed upon him for a while, she took away the stick from him. Lo, his buttocks were covered with water. And, after he had been in the water for a while, he stretched himself in it. He burst it.

Then his sister poured some water into another one, and he got into it. After he had been in it a short time (lit., the length of a hand), he burst it by stretching. Then he got into another. That, too, he burst with his knees.

Now his sister poured some water into the remaining one. As soon as he had got into it he stretched himself. He burst that also.

Then he went into the sea in front of Gū′łg̣a. And after he had been in the water for a while something touched him lightly. When he grasped for it he pulled off the tail of a flounder and threw it ashore. After he had been in the sea a while longer he seized the tail of a halibut. He also seized the tail of a porpoise and the tail of a white porpoise. [394] And after he had been in the sea a while longer he seized a whale’s tail. “But steam those,” said he to his sister.

After he had been in the sea a very much longer time something touched him. He grasped for it. He felt nothing. After he had been in the sea for another space of time something again touched him, and he reached quickly ahead of it. Something slender was in his hand. Then his hand began to slip off, and he seized it with both hands. Now something pulled him away. At Łg̣a′-ixa [395] he got a new foothold. After some time the bottom of the island cracked. Then he fastened it around his head and came back up the inlet. He passed close in front of Gū′łg̣a and lay still at the mouth of Xā′nᴀ. [396]

After he had been in the water there for a while something came down from the head of the creek, making a noise as it descended, and he listened as he stood there. Then the sound came near to him. Now he looked in that direction. Fallen trees came down toward him, striking against each other as they came. They came near him. They came straight toward him. Then he ran ashore from them.

Upon this all the vegetation in the forest and all kinds of birds in the woods called him a coward. “Is this the one who is trying to obtain power for himself? His power is weak.” Then he jumped into the water again, and they came upon him, striking together. When they struck him he felt nothing. What had become old rotten trees floated away from him.

And after he had been in the sea a while longer ice came down, striking together on the way. And again he ran away from it, and they said he was a coward. Then he again jumped into the water to meet them. After they had struck on each side of him they floated away, transformed into some soft substance.

After he had been in the water for another space of time rocks came floating down, striking together, and he ran away from them. They again told him he was a coward, and he again went into the water. And they struck upon him. They became brittle rock and floated away from him.

After he had been in the sea still longer he heard some one walking toward him. He looked in that direction. Someone short and broad with red skin was coming toward him. He held a knot in one hand and some g̣ōdañxō′sgî boughs. [397] On the other side he held some kwē′aogia′gadañ twigs [398] and some seaweed.

And he said to him: “Come, let me whip you, grandson.” He went to him and faced him. Then he struck him with the knot. He did not feel it. Instead, it broke in pieces. And he struck him also with the g̣ōdañxō′sgî. He did not feel it. And he also struck him on his back with the kwē′aogia′gadañ. He did not feel it. Then he struck him with the seaweed. He almost touched the earth with his head.

Then they seized each other. He pushed Greatest-strong-man down. Then he smiled at him, and went toward the woods upon the ice. Landward stood a dead tree on the sea side of which a dead limb stood out which he tried to pull off. He could not do it. But he (the human being) went over to it and pulled it out. And he said to him: “Now, grandson, go home, for your things are there.” And he went down the inlet.

After he had swum along for a while, he stood up at Gū′łg̣a. And, after he had stood near the door for a while, he entered and dried himself near the fire. He asked of his mother, who was weaving near the wall: “Mother, have you any?” “Yes, chief, my son; when something made you and shut you in the womb I had some made for you. They are here.” Then his mother hunted in a box, brought out two sky blankets, [399] and gave them to him.

Then he sat down on one of the bedsteads belonging to his younger brothers. He broke it by sitting. And he broke another by sitting on it. After he had broken all by sitting on them he made one for himself. And he also broke that by sitting on it. And, after a stronger one with yellow cedar corner posts was finished, that, too, broke down. And he gave it up. Then he fastened the pokers lying near the fire together in the shape of a cross, laid dead salmon-berry bushes across them, laid the planks on top of these, and sat down upon them. That, however, was strong. Then he went to bed.

Very early next day he went out toward the woods. After he had traveled along for a while upon a faint trail, [he came to] a dead fallen tree lying across the trail. There a shrew [400] with cranberries in her mouth was vainly endeavoring to climb over it. Then he put her over and passed by her.

He came to a mountain covered with devil’s-club and began eating it. And when he was half through evening came upon him, and he stayed there over night. And next day he again began eating. When evening came he had eaten all.

And the last he ate he spit out and said: “Perhaps I shall become a wā′sg̣o if I swim about so much.” Then something up the inlet said to him: “Ah! Red-backed-grouse [401] hears your voice.” From down the inlet something else said: “Ah! ʟꜝuqaᴀ′ndas [402] hears your voice.” Then he went home.

Next day he again went toward the woods. There the mouse[400] was trying to climb over. Again he put her across. And, after he had traveled for a while, he came to a mountain covered with x̣î′lg̣oga. [403] Then he ate it, stayed there all night, and continued eating next day. When he swallowed the last of it, he spit out part. He spoke the same words as before. And beings spoke to him as they had done before. Then he went home and went to bed.

Very early next day he went out to challenge some one to a wrestling match. When he started to wrestle with the thing which had destroyed his younger brothers, he said: “Now, when you throw me down, stand awaiting me.” Immediately they seized each other. Then he was thrown down. As soon as that happened, he (the opponent) pronounced the words.

And after he had gone through the air for a while, he came to the flint. At once he rubbed a medicine Mouse-woman had given him upon himself. Now, when he struck on it, he pulled it down. At that time his younger brothers’ bones burst out of it. Then he spit medicine upon them. And as soon as he got down [he found] the other still standing there waiting for him. Then he threw him down. “Future people will see you.” He became a kind of brittle rock. [404]

After that his younger brothers again disappeared.

After he had lain in bed awhile day broke, and he began to think of the animal he had put over [the log]. Then he went thither. Lo, she was again trying to climb over. He put her across. And he watched to see which way she went. Then she went in at the butt end of a clump of ferns. And a house stood there.

Then she said to him: “Come in, my son; news has come that you are going to borrow something from me.” Then he entered to her, and she let him sit down next to her. Then she turned to the wall. She took a tray out of one of her boxes. On both sides of it sat [carved] mice. She placed a piece of dried salmon which was in it before him. And he thought: “I have been fasting a long time. What a small thing I am going to eat.” Then she said to him: “Eat it. However small it looks, it can never be consumed.” He took it. While doing so he looked. It was still there. And he again picked it up. He was unable to consume it, and she put [the tray] back.

Then she again turned round toward the wall. She put a single cranberry in front of him. Then he picked it up with a spoon. That, too, he was unable to consume.

Then she turned round again. And she took something blue out of the box. [405] Then she bit off part for him. “Here is something for you when you think of eating medicine, Go up to Gū′łg̣a lake. There lives Among-the-hemlock-boughs, who destroyed your younger brothers. When you come to the shore opposite him where the ground is trodden down by many feet, whistle for him, and when he comes out to you and has nearly reached you drop on the ground quickly. Then you will come to yourself sitting in his belly. Put medicine upon yourself. Then you will restore your younger brothers. And when your younger brothers are gone again run quickly to Sealion-town. Then climb into the tree which lies seaward at the end of the trail running inland. When [a creature] comes to you from the sea push the thing you are going to make into his ear, and when he staggers about wounded climb into the tree again. At that place you will restore your younger brothers again. After all have disappeared again and you start after them you will keep on going forever as one with supernatural power.”

Then he went away. After he had been in bed for a while, day began to break, and he went up to the woods and reached his destination. There was a place there trodden bare by many feet. The footprints of human beings were in it.

Then, just as day began to break, he whistled. After he had done this for a while something like a person with his hair floating upon the water came along. When it got near him, he dropped flat, and, after some space of time had elapsed, lo, he came to himself in its belly. Then he put the medicine upon himself and stretched himself in its belly. His younger brothers’ bones poured out. He, too, was thrown out on top of them.