Chapter XVII: Part 17

Now he came to the place where he had gone down. He entered his canoe. The one left to take care of the canoe had become an old man. Now he fled. And the killer whales came in a crowd to his stern. They pursued him. Then they almost upset him. And then he spilled out the blue hellebore. They sank down from him. Now they again came near him, and he again spilled some out. Now he came with her to Qꜝadō′.

Then he came to the house with his wife. And he kept his wife in the bottom of a box. There were five boxes fitting one inside the other. Day broke. Now he watched his wife closely. One day, when he looked for his wife, she was gone from the box. There was a hole in the bottom of the box.

This is part of the famous Tsimshian story of Gunaqanē′semgyet or Tsag·atilâ′o (see Boas in Indianische Sagen von der Nord-Pacifischen Küste Amerikas, pp. 294–300). The same episodes occur in one or two of my Masset stories, and in the story of He-who-got-supernatural-power-from-his-little-finger of the present series, and it is noteworthy that in all Haida versions the adventure with the killer whale occupies a disproportionately large space. That is also the section which is always taken for artistic representation.

STORY OF THE TWO TOWNS THAT STOOD ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF NASS RIVER

[Told by Jimmy Sterling of the Stᴀ′stas]

The people of these towns used to visit back and forth. They also gambled together. From one of these several brothers went to hunt beaver at the beaver lakes where they were in the habit of getting them. They counted the days. [710]

When they came there and began to destroy the dam this was carried over by the current, and they floated down in it. They barely saved themselves far below. Now they knew that some regulation had been broken. But still they continued to live where they were. And there, too, they did not kill a single thing. Then they went away. Now they were certain that the wife of one of them was indeed going with some one else. [711]

They camped at night near the town, and just before daylight the eldest went to the town. He went to his wife. Some one lay with his wife, and he cut off his head. Then he awoke his wife, and he put the head above the door. At once he went out.

At once she began to dig a hole for the body, which was left in her bed. Then her child was crying. At that time they asked her why it cried. And she said it cried because it had defecated in bed, and she was wiping it. Right there she buried [the body].

When day came she lay as she used to. Then her husband came in with his younger brother. He acted as if he knew nothing about having killed anyone. It was the son of the town chief on the other side.

When day came the chief’s son was missing. They visited each other across the ice upon the river. They hunted about the town in which he was missing. And they also hunted for him where he had been killed.

Then they let a slave look for him secretly. They sent him after fire. And he took his live coals and went away. When he went out blood dropped upon his feet. And he did not look for the cause. When he came to the middle of the river he let himself fall with his live coals. Then he returned. He reentered the house where he had got the live coals. Again he pushed charcoal into the fire on the side toward the door. And when he went out he looked. He saw the head stuck up on the side toward the door. When he got back he told them he had seen his head.

At once they ran thither. Then they began to fight. And, after the fight had gone on for a while, all the people of the town where the person had been unfaithful to her husband were destroyed. They also burned the town.

One woman, who was behind the screens when the town burned, escaped to the woods with her mother. Then the town was entirely burned. Only the woman and her mother were saved.

At once they traveled far inland aimlessly. While they were traveling about aimlessly they came to a high mountain, and she called aimlessly concerning her child. “Who will marry my daughter?” she shouted loud and long. By and by Grouse [712] came flying to her. “Why not I?” he said to her. “What can you do?” Then he said: “When summer comes, and I drum on the tops of the trees, they can hear my voice everywhere.” Then she told him he was not good, and he flew away from her.

By and by she spoke as she had spoken before: “Who will marry my child?” Then Sparrow [713] flew to her. And she asked him: “What can you do?” And he answered her: “I will make summer and winter succeed each other by my singing, and they will hear my voice everywhere.” Then she said to him: “You are not good.” And he flew from her.

When she called for her again, Kꜝū′djix̣u [714] came flying to her. Then she asked him what he could do, and he told her that when it was summer they always liked to listen to his singing. Then she told him he was not good, and he flew from her.

All kinds of birds, which she called for her daughter, wanted to marry her daughter. She kept asking them what they could do, and she refused them.

After that she again called for her daughter. She said: “Who will marry my daughter?” And Deer came to her. “Why not I?” “What can you do?” “After I have traveled about I scatter earth with my horns.” Then she refused him.

When she called again Black-bear also came to her. She asked him: “What can you do?” “I know how to catch fish. When I get angry with anything I strike it with my paws.” “You are not good.” Then he also left her.

When she again called Grizzly-bear also came to her. “Why not I?” “What can you do?” “I am powerful. When I become angry with any sort of thing I tear it in pieces.” And she said that he, too, was not good.

When she shouted again Beaver came to her, and she asked him what he could do. Then he told her he could fell trees, and he knew how to make a house in a lake. Then she said to him also: “You are not good,” and he, too, left her.

All the time she was asking for her daughter, all the forest animals wanted to marry her daughter. Meanwhile she kept asking them what they could do. All that time she refused them.

After that she again asked for her daughter: “Who will marry my daughter?” Then a handsome man came and stood near her. “Why not I” “What can you do?” “I will help you. I hear that they burned your uncle’s town.” Then she thought he was good.

Immediately he took them up on either side. He said: “Let neither of you look out.” Then he tried to climb a lofty mountain with them. After he had climbed for a while with them, the mother looked out. She made him slide back. Again they stood below.

After that he again told them not to look out. And again he started up with them. Again the mother looked out, and they stood below. Every time he went up she looked out and made him slide back. After he had tried many times, he pulled a limb out of a tree and pushed her in in its place. “Future people will hear your voice” [he said], and he left her, whereupon her voice sounded behind him. She is the creaking caused by limbs rubbing together, they say.

Then he went off with her (the daughter). And he brought her to his father’s house. She had married the son of Supernatural-being-of-the-shining-heavens. [715] When he came in to his father with her, his father was very glad to see his wife.

After he had lived with her for a while, she had a child by him. Again she brought forth. Now she began to have children by him. She bore five boys and she bore one girl.

After she had reared them for a while, and they got to be of some height, their grandfather taught them to gamble. After they had gambled for a while, they fought together, and their sister put a belt on and tried to stop them by seizing their weapons. He kept making them fight together all the time they were growing up.

After they had been there for a while, their grandfather let them return home. Then their grandfather brought out a box, and, after he had opened a nest of five boxes, he gave them the innermost one. He directed them: “When you come to the place where your uncle’s town used to stand, cover up your faces and pull off the cover from this box. Even if you hear a great noise near you while you lie with your faces covered over, do not look out. After the noise has ceased, look in that direction. And, when a fight becomes too hard for you, pull off the box cover,” he said to them.

Anew they started down. The five and their sister went down. But their mother still remained with her husband. Then they came to the place where the town had been. Then they lay under something, and they pulled the cover from the box. Although something sounded near them they did not look out. When the noise ceased, they looked in the direction whence it had proceeded. Six houses stood in a line.

Then they started fires in all of these and began to live there. And those who had burned the town saw people. Then they said: “In the place on the other side where you burned up the town there is another town with smoke coming out of all the houses. Let us go over and look at it.” Then one went over and looked at it. In truth, people were living there.

After they had lived on either side for a while, one went over to gamble. All that time they were whittling. The youngest was left-handed. His grandfather had given him a small wedge. He took good care of it. He also had a knife. And to his sister her grandfather had given medicine. When her brothers were killed, he had told her to spit medicine upon them.

His elder brothers gambled, but he whittled near the fire. They kept asking him to gamble. All that time he said: “I have nothing to stake.” “Stake against me the stone wedge you own,” they said to him, and they laughed at him.

By and by he started gambling. At once his sister put on her belt. For she knew he would fight. He was the one who always started the fights when they lived with their grandfather. After he had gambled for a while, lo! he began to fight with the one he was gambling against. He had staked his stone wedge. Then he killed the one he fought with.

At once they ran apart. Those on the other side came to fight in a great crowd. After they had fought with them for a while and were tired out, they went to get the box and pulled off the cover. Then the town on the other side burned. They also destroyed the people. They burned their town completely. When they killed her brothers she spit medicine upon them, and they got up. She always had medicine in her mouth.

When the fight was over they at once started down the valley of Nass river. After they had traveled for a while, they came to a town at the mouth of the river. After they had been there for a while, they began to make war toward the Tlingit country. They destroyed some people, and they returned. That was the beginning of their wars.

By and by they went to war regularly. Every time people pursued them they pulled the box cover off, a strong wind arose, and the water burned. This was how they destroyed people.

After they had done this for a while, they went to the Stikine to make war. When they pursued them that time, and a crowd of canoes was very near them, they pulled off the box cover, but nothing happened. When they had started out to war, they took a box like the right one. They left the one by means of which they destroyed people.

Then all were destroyed there. Their bodies were thrown into the sea. The youngest, who used to make people grieve by his deeds, they took to the shore, pushed a stick through his anus, and stuck him up at the end of the town upon a point. In the evening his voice sounded, but still he was dead. This time they went to war they disappeared for a long time.

As soon as they had gone, their sister saw that they had forgotten the box. By means of that they used to destroy many people. They had disappeared.

Then they brought out the box, and his sister, along with their wives, went after them. After they had gone on for a while, [they came to where] cedar bark grew, and they pulled it off; and they forgot they had gone out to give assistance. And, after they had gone on for a while longer, they remembered they had come out to help them. That is why women talk themselves into forgetfulness.

After that they went back. But now they went straight along. Then people came out from the town to kill them. And, when they got close to them, they pulled off the box cover, a strong wind arose, and the sea burned. So she destroyed the people. Then they went away, and she pulled her brother off from where he was stuck in the ground, spit medicine upon him, and brought him to life. At that time he went away with them. There was no way of knowing where to look for the other brothers.

After they had returned he who was left-handed went far inland. Something also took away the box from them. After he had gone on for a while, he came to a lake far inland. After having sat near it for a while, he saw something come out of it. It made a noise, and its voice sounded loud. It always came to the surface at one spot.

He had a stone ax with him. He chopped down a cedar and split it between its two heads. Then he put a crosspiece in it and tied a twisted cedar rope to it. [716] And he pushed it out to the place where it (the creature) came out. After he had looked at it for a while, he pulled the crosspiece out with the twisted cedar rope, and something was caught in it. He pulled it ashore.

Then he began to skin it. Every time he tried, the Forest-people [717] [said] he had better not do it. By and by he cut it open upon the breast and skinned it. And he dried it. This was Loon, they say.

Then he put it on. When he dived under water with it on, he saw all the things far out under water. He came up, got out of it, put it into his armpit, and came out with it toward the sea.

After he had gone along for a while, he came to a town. After he had been there for a while, he married a woman of the place. When they had lived there for a while, they went up the Nass for eulachon. He also went with his father-in-law. On the way they camped for a while. They were very hungry.

Then he went behind the place where they were camping, entered his loon skin, and went under water with it on. Under water were two hair seals. He took one and brought it up. Then he stowed it away.

Very early next day he went after firewood. Then he brought it in and took it up to the camp. His father-in-law was very glad on account of it, and he called the people for it.

After that he again went after firewood, took his loon skin out from between the two tree tops where he kept it, and put it on. Then he saw a halibut swimming along and threw it ashore; and he brought it in. Again his father-in-law called the people for it. Every time he went for firewood he brought in hair seal or halibut. Each time his father-in-law called the people for them. By and by they went away.

At that time some copper stuck out toward the sea from a cliff on Mount Qātcꜝig̣ᴀ′n. [718] Every time they went by there was a crowd of people below. All that time they wanted to get it, and tried to bring it down with their arrows. When they did the same thing below it this time, they (the hero and his people) were also among them.

At that time a slave owned by his father-in-law shot at the copper with his sling. Then he struck his master’s wife with the sling. And the slave became ashamed. That is why slaves are ashamed when they make mistakes.

But he (the hero) hit it with the sling. And when it came down his mother-in-law became frightened and said something about having it go to the north. Thither it at once went. That is why there is much copper to the north. If she had not been frightened, there would have been very much copper in the Nass.

Afterward they set out and camped again. And from there his wife, the slave, and himself went after something. When they moved on they always wore their best clothes. Then he left his good clothes in the canoe in order to get something. When he came back the slave had put on his clothing and was sitting near his wife on the broad thwart in the middle of the canoe. Then he did not want to make him ashamed, so he got in at the stern and paddled them away. Because this chief’s son did so to them chiefs’ sons now do not like to make people ashamed.

Here he again hid his skin in the fork of a tree. Then he again went for something. And he put it on and saw spring salmon swimming about at the other side of the river. He took one and brought it ashore. He brought it to the camp. His father-in-law also called the people for that.

Again he went for something, entered his loon skin, and brought out two. He also brought those to camp. His father-in-law also invited the people for those. Every time the slave went with him and saw how he used the skin.

After he had done so at this place for a time he began to gamble. After he had lost for a while he stopped and went to the house. His wife was gone from the house. [719] Then he went to where he kept his loon skin, and that too had disappeared.

Then he went down to the river. He looked into the water and saw his wife wearing the loon skin lying with her arm round an old log in the river. After she had put this [skin] on she thought she saw a spring salmon. She seized it. But [instead] she seized an old log lying under water. There she was drowned.

Then he pulled out his wife’s body and started inland in shame right opposite. She alone knew what her husband did. And, after he was gone, the slave began doing the same thing. Before he had done it for a long time, in going out to a spring salmon which was swimming about, he disappeared for ever.

This is why women always spoil things by meddling with them and by talking; [why] slaves, too, are always ashamed when they make mistakes.

This is another story of the rival towns so popular among Tsimshian and Haida alike. Compare the story of A-slender-one-who-was-given-away and notes to same.

SLAUGHTER-LOVER.

[Told by Richard of the Middle-Gîtî′ns.]

A chief in a certain town was married. Then he asked a good-looking woman in a neighboring town in marriage. After a while he married her. On her account he rejected the one he had first married, and she sat around in the corner of the house weeping.

Then the uncles and the brothers of the one he had just married came to him, and he gave them food. They were unable to consume the cranberries and berries of all kinds which he gave them to eat. During the same time, his brothers-in-law [720] gave him much property.

Once, when they went to bed, the one he disliked was weeping in the corner for her dead child with pitch on her face. And in the night she went to one of the chief’s brothers-in-law of medium age who had paint on his face and feathers on his head. Then the woman rubbed herself against the paint upon his face, and she rubbed herself upon his hair. Then she went to where she had been lying.

Next morning the woman’s nose and face had paint upon them, and her face had feathers upon it. And the man’s face also had spots of pitch upon it. Then the chief took to his bed [with grief]. She did this because she wanted to see whether he had really rejected her. Then his brothers-in-law went away.

Some time after that he sent out to call his brothers-in-law, and his brothers-in-law came to him. Then he gave them food. And they went to bed. All slept. Then he put water on the fire, and he spilled it on them. And their bodies lay there motionless. Then he dragged the dead bodies of his wife’s brothers[720] and uncles[720] to the bases of the trees. And he again refused to have her.

Now her mother (the mother of his second wife) was saved and cried about. She wept continually, holding her arms toward the sky. Then the chief went to the town and killed all the old people in it. And her mother went inland, made a house out of old cedar bark at a certain mountain, and wept there. All that time she held her hands toward the sky.

By and by her thigh swelled up. Before ten nights had passed it burst, and a child came out. Then she washed him. And not a long time afterward he wept for a bow. Then she broke off a hemlock branch and made one for him. Then he went out and brought in a wren. [721] He skinned it and dried the skin.

The next time he went out he killed and brought in a song sparrow that went whistling along. And he also skinned that. He went out after that and brought in a robin, [722] and he ate its meat. There was nothing [else] to eat.

After he had been bringing them in in this way for a while, one day he killed a black bear. After he had killed all kinds of animals, he killed a grizzly bear. That he also brought in to this mother.

By and by he asked his mother: “Mother, why do you live here all alone?” Then she said to her son: “My son, they destroyed your uncles. Your sister was married. Then your uncles went to her. There they were destroyed. They also came after us. I escaped from them. Therefore I am very careful where I go. I am afraid to look at the town.”

Then he asked his mother: “Where is the town?” And she said to him: “It lies over there.” And he said: “Mother, to-morrow, I am going to see it.” “Don’t, my child, they will kill you also.” “Yet I will see it.”

And next day he went down to see his sister. With his copper bow he went down to help her. He had concealed it outside from his mother, they say, and, when he went out, he threw away that she made for him just outside and took his own.

Now he went to the town. And he sat behind it and thought of his sister. He had something round his neck. It was made of copper. Then his sister came to him and he asked her questions. He asked her how he treated her. And she told him that he treated her badly.

Then he pulled off what he had round his neck and gave it to his sister. “Tell him you found this for him. And, when it begins to burn a little, run out from him with it and come to me again.”

Then the woman went in and said: “Here is something I found for you.” When he took it, fire flashed out from it, and she ran out from him. Then her brother handed her his bow: “Say the same thing to him and run out from him.” Then she went in and she gave him the copper bow. And at once she ran out. And behind her there was a great noise of burning inside of the house. The whole town burned the way (i.e., as rapidly as) a grouse flies away. [723] Not even one was saved out of it. He did it on account of his uncles.

Then he went with his sister to where his uncles had had their town. And he asked his sister: “Where do my uncles’[720] bones lie?” And she said: “They lie behind the burned town.” Then they went there and put their bones together. And, after he had spit medicine upon them four times, they sat up. Then his uncles[720] settled in the empty houses.

Then he went to get his mother. Now his mother was already an old woman. And he spit medicine over her, and she became young. Then he settled his mother down in the town. And he spit medicine upon the old people they had killed, and they also became young. [724]

And he went out in the evening and came in next morning, and he told his mother he had killed a whale. And, when they went down to see it, a whale lay there. Then the town people cut it up. And the next evening he went out and came in in the morning. And he pulled some strings of halibut in in front of the town.

One day he called the people. At that time he gave them all kinds of food. The things in the trays were not consumed. Then they went away. Those he restored to youth were married. Then he said: “I will give you ten whales to eat.” And, after they had returned home and the next morning had come, ten whales were floating in front of the town.

And after that he looked about in the neighboring towns for a wife. In the evening he went out. He came in very early. All that time he concealed the things with which he was born. Only his sister knew about them. By and by he prepared to ask the chief’s daughter in a neighboring town in marriage. Presently he was accepted and all the town people went with him to get her. And she came in with him.

Then his uncles gave him the town. And he frequently gave them food. When he sent to call them in he told them to go out aimlessly and get things for him. It was as if things flowed in through the doorway, and he fed them.

After some time had passed he went to his father-in-law. Then all his uncles again went with him. But instead of receiving him kindly they used supernatural powers against him. Before anything they tried against him came to him, it was gone. By and by his father-in-law pulled him against a cloak he wore which was covered with needles. Then the needles dropped from it, and he threw it into the corner.

Then he said: “Did you lie to me formerly?” And he began to give his son-in-law something to eat. And, after he had got through feeding him, he arose very early next morning, and, when he went to the fire, something near him made a thundering noise. Now he sent his uncles home. And he remained behind. After he had received food there a while he asked his father-in-law to take him over. Then he took him over, and his father-in-law [returned without] going into the house. Then he said: “I am giving you ten whales.” And the morning after they got back ten whales floated in front of the town.

And he again feasted the people. By and by one of his uncles came in to him, saying he was not in good circumstances. And he said to him (his uncle): “Live over there. You will be well off over there.” And, after he had given his uncle food, he told his uncle he had better go. “Go. You will cease being poorly off. When I have food brought to you, invite your elder brothers.” He went at once. Food came in of itself after him. Then he called the people for it.

And then his wife became pregnant. And her thigh was swollen, as that of his mother had been. Out of it came a woman. Within ten nights she started to walk. She was he himself born again.

And before he went away he stole a look at his father-in-law. Then he prepared to leave [him]. “I will go to renew my town, which has become old.” And one evening he started. He was gone for good.

And he came to his town. His town was old, and he spit medicine upon it. It was as it had been before. Then his wife went back to her father’s town.

And one of his uncles who was in the town went out one evening. Something took him up. Then he took their wives also to the town. That was the Moon who was helping them, because she raised her hands and wept. Then he took all of his uncles up and let them become his servants. There he took good care of them.

This was told me by an old man who had spent much of his youth among the Kaigani, and it is probably a mainland story.

THE WOMAN AT NASS WHO FLED FROM HER HUSBAND

[Told by Jimmy Sterling of the Stᴀstas]

A married woman consorted with a man. She grew to be very much in love with him. Her child was rather a large boy. When he (her lover) went to visit her she said to him: “I will let myself fall sick, and I will let myself die. I will tell them to place me on a tree top. On the night when they place me there go quickly and get me. When you get ready to come up for me get some wet, rotten wood, out of which the water will run and which will just fit the box.”

After she had gone with him for a while she let herself fall sick. She then gave her husband directions: “When I die place me on the top of a tree. I do not want to be on the ground.” As soon as she died they put her into the box and put a strong cord around it. They then put her between the two tops of a tree.

He who was in love with her went at once to her in the night. As soon as he had found some wet wood he untied the ropes which were around her and let her out. He then put the wet, rotten wood in her place. She had told him to do this in order that the water might drip out of the wood and they might think that it was the grease from her body.

He then told the woman where to wait for him the next day. And he let her go before him. On the next day he went after her. He told his friends that he was going to get furs.

They at once set out to go far inland; and, after they had traveled about for a while, he built a house for them far inland, and they began to live there.

Her husband constantly came weeping with her child to the place where she had been placed on high. By and by [what he supposed was] the grease from her body began to run down. That was the liquid running out of the rotten wood. The man who went for furs disappeared moreover. His friends thought that a grizzly bear had killed him.

Where they stayed, far inland, there was plenty of all kinds of animals, which he killed for them. They had plenty of all kinds of berries and salmon. And they wore hides sewed together. They became like Wood Indians. [725]

Moreover, they began there to sing songs. The woman danced the whole time. She also made up new words. During all that time she taught her husband. She made up new words in order that when she went back they should not know her. After they had stayed there many years they went away. They carried on their backs skins of all kinds of animals prepared in unusual ways. Furthermore, the woman dressed herself differently. She wore things such as the Wood Indians wear. But the man did not dress himself so. They now came back to the town.

The man said that he had come to a town while he was hunting far inland, had there married the woman, and had remained there. One night he said that his wife would dance. All the while she spoke the words that she had composed for her husband. But her husband said that it was her language.

All the people of the town then went into the house where she was, and she began to dance before them. Her dances and her songs were strange. Nevertheless she made them desire to come in and look at her.

Whenever she danced her former husband and her child came and looked on with them. When she ceased her dancing she pointed her finger at her child and said something. Her husband then explained her words. She said, [he explained], that she had a child like him in her own country. She then called her child, and she cried.

When she first danced her former husband recognized the motions that she used to make, and her voice. Although he recalled the one who was dead, he did not believe that it was she. That was why he continually went to look. Because she kept them up all night to see her dance they were all asleep in the morning. They learned her songs.

After a while, having positively identified his wife, he climbed up to where she had been put and untied the box cover. Only rotten wood was there. Some time after he had seen this, very early one morning after she had danced, while they still slept, he went thither. Then, after he had pulled from her face the thing that she wore as a hat as she slept, he saw it was his wife. And while they slept he killed them both.

Then they discovered it, but the woman’s friends were ashamed. The man’s friends were also ashamed. Nothing happened. [726]

A similar story from the Alaskan Haida will be found in Memoirs of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, Volume V, part 1, page 263.

THE REJECTED LOVER

[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o.]

At Qꜝadō′ a certain person fell in love with a woman. She then refused to have him, but she told him to pull out his hair, and then she would fall in love with him. He went again to talk to her. She then told him to pull out his eyebrows and his eyelashes; she would then fall in love with him. After that he went again to speak with her. That time she told him to pull out his mustache and the hair on his body. Only then, [she said], would she fall in love with him. After that he again went to her. Then she absolutely refused him.

He ceased going abroad among the people. When he needed anything he always went out at night. He began to work inside. He whittled. After he had done this for a while he had filled two boxes. And, when a moonlight night came, he went out.

He then shot the sky. He picked up another arrow and shot it into the notch of the first. He did the same thing again and again. After he had shot away his two boxfuls it hung a bow’s length from the ground, and he laid the bow upon them. He at once went up upon it.

After mounting for some time he came to a town. That was the Moon’s town, they say. After he had gone about the town for a while some one said to him out of a big house: “Your grandfather invites you in.” And he entered. He (the Moon) then had him sit at his right hand in the rear of the house.

After he had sat for a while looking at him, as he sat near him, he had a box brought to him. He saw that all of his hair was gone. At that time he saw only one box. After he had pulled them apart five times he took a small comb out of the inmost one.

He then had water brought and began to make his face look as it ought to look. Each time he wet his hands he rubbed them upon his eyes. When he had made him good-looking he began to comb his hair. He ran the comb down along half of his head, and when it had passed below he took it off. And after he had done this to him three times he stopped. After that he also made his eyebrows with the comb, and his eyelashes, and he also brought out his mustache.

When he first came in he said to him: “Grandson, news had come that you were going to come up to let me set you to rights. I will make you quite proper.”

He straightway made him good-looking. He finished him. He was there many nights. Then he gave the chief directions: “When the one that you loved, who made you pull out your hair, comes with the others to look at you do not turn your face toward her. Turn your back to her.”

He then went down again upon the arrows. Now he sat erect in his father’s house, and all the town of Qꜝadō′ came in to look at him. Then the one with whom he had been in love looked in at him, and he turned his back upon her. By and by, fascinated by the sight of him, she died.

The first part of a longer Masset story resembles this. See Memoirs of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, volume V, pages 228 and 229. Also compare the story of Big-tail of the present series. The scene of this, like many others, is located at the Tsimshian town of Qꜝadō′; see the last episode in the story of A-slender-one-who-was-given-away.

HE WHO GATHERED FOOD FOR AN EAGLE

[Told by Jackson, late chief of Skidegate.]

He had ten uncles. They gathered food at a certain salmon creek. Then he went up, got very many salmon, and filled his canoe. An eagle sat on a sand bar. He split open the salmon, threw them off there, and paddled away with an empty canoe. On the next day he again went out, split the salmon open, and threw them off. After a long time the people came to know about the eagle.

They then gathered all kinds of berries. His mother was a widow. His mother looked after his youngest uncle’s wife. For that reason he picked wild crab apples and cranberries and gave them to his uncle’s wife. And, when they moved away, since he and his mother had done the best that they could for his youngest uncle’s wife, they stayed with them. The minds of the rest of his uncles became different toward him, because he had gathered food for the eagle.

Now they came to the town. After they had stayed in the town for some time, and it was spring, they became hungry. He then went to the wife of one of his uncles, but she said to him: “Live upon the food that you gathered for the eagle.” He went out and entered another house. There they said the same thing to him. He went into the houses of his ten uncles, and every time they said the same thing to him. When he went into the house of his youngest uncle’s wife, they gave him the dorsal fin of a salmon, and he chewed it.

Now, when it was near the end of spring, they moved away from him. They did not leave even a small piece of old cedar bark in the town. And his youngest uncle’s wife explained to his mother. “When they start off, dig about in the place where I sit down to defecate.”

Now, when they pushed off, she was the last. And he dug about in the place where she had sat to defecate. He then found a bag holding a humpback split open and small pieces of food of various kinds. That was the only food obtainable where they were.

And his youngest uncle left them a little old canoe. And the boy also started off, not knowing whither he was going. [727]

[Told by Wī′nats, chief of the Seaward-gîtî′ns.]

Far away from where they left him was a rock. One day a young eagle sat on the top of the rock. When it flew away, he (the boy) went to the place. Beside the rock lay the tail of a spring salmon. He picked it up and brought it to his mother. She steamed it, and they drank the soup.

The next day he again looked toward the place where the eagle had sat. It sat there again. And he again went thither. A larger piece lay there than the one he had found before. Every morning they became larger until a whole spring salmon lay there.

One day, just at dawn, [728] he looked for the eagle that helped him. It sat there, and he went thither and found a porpoise tail lying there. He then took it to the house, and she (his mother) steamed it. There was a larger piece every morning until a whole one lay there.

One day the eagle sat there again, and he went thither. The tail of a black whale lay there. He cut it up and took it over to the house. The pieces of whale became larger every time until a whole one lay there. Then there were more whales. At last there were ten.

Then the slaves of his uncles went out to look for him. He felt their presence, brought them to the house, and gave them some food. And he watched them while they ate. He watched to see that they did not hide any mouthfuls. When they went away he told them not to say that he was being helped. And they went off.

The slaves returned home. They said that they had not seen him. They then went to bed. In the night something choked the child of the head slave, and they made a light for him. They tried to take out the object with their fingers. They pulled something fat out of his mouth. They then put it on a hot stone. It sizzled.

They then began to ask them about the thing, and they answered: “You ought to see how the one you abandoned is living. Black whales are floated ashore in front of him like driftwood.”

His uncles then dressed up their daughters, because each thought he would have his nephew marry his child. But the daughter of his youngest uncle was lame. She was the one who had left food for him. They then went to him, but he refused the women and waited for the one who was lame.

Her father brought her last. And he invited her father into his own house. He then married her. She was not pretty, but he married her because she had left food for him. [729] And because the woman helped him to live coals he brought down food to her father. But his nine [remaining] uncles began to buy food from him. Because he gathered food for the eagle they (the daughters) did not marry him. For that reason he, too, would not give them food.

This is said to be the family story of a Tsimshian family called Nîstoy. As the two parts were obtained from different sources there are several inconsistencies, and I suspect that the first story-teller would have completed the tale somewhat differently.

QŌ′ŁKꜝĒ

[Told by Jimmy Sterling of the Stᴀstas.]

He used to say that he would not let himself become a gā′gix̣īt as others had done. One time he went to get firewood. He went alone. Only a dog that he owned was with him. After cutting firewood for a while he filled his canoe and went away. While he was on the way a strong wind came upon him. He then upset.

Then he and his dog got safely ashore. He had cut the firewood with a stone ax. As he swam he held it in his mouth. As soon as he reached safety he began to cut firewood. He was handling heavy things and warmed himself by doing so. He also cut hemlock limbs and made a house.

After he had been busy at this for a while, and had finished it, he started to make fire with a drill. When it burned he built a large fire in front of himself. At the time when he reached safety he found a flat stone, and, whenever he would sit down, he sat upon it. When evening came he sat on it near the fire.

When he first saved himself he saw a large fire at some distance, and near it a crowd of people talking. He longed to go to it, but he steadfastly set his mind against it. He had heard that when one goes to it the fire goes before him, and he goes on forever. That was why he did not go to it.

In the evening, when his fire and his house were ready, he killed his dog, and he skinned it. He cut it open along the breast. He then left its skull there. And he rubbed its blood upon his face, head, and body. He pulled out an ulna and ground it on a stone. After it had become sharp he constantly kept it in his hand. Evening now came upon him.

After he had sat near the fire for a while something came and rapped on the place where he was sitting. The creature that makes people gā′gix̣īts [730] came and rapped in order to go into his anus. When it could not get in it kept saying to him: “Ho Qō′łkꜝē’s anus is closed tight.” He did not see it; he only heard its voice.

At the time when he upset it turned dry and cold. It was north weather. During the whole time he remained awake all night long. He was afraid to sleep. When day came he stopped up the chinks in his house. He then cut a block of wood and hollowed it. He wanted to urinate in that only, and in that he did urinate. Again he stopped up all the crannies in the house very tight. Again night came upon him.

During all that time wherever he sat down he had the stone with him. He always sat upon it. During all that time something tried to get into his anus. Something kept saying to him: “Ho Qō′łkꜝē’s anus is closed tight.” He only heard the voice.

When night came upon him he sat near the fire. During all that time he let it burn every night. After he had sat there for a while, a woman came in to him holding in her hand a basket containing something. “Brother Qō′łkꜝē, I bring food for you.” She gave him chitons.

He then was glad. He set them in front of himself, and he had her sit on the opposite side of the fire. He then took out one and put it into the fire. Then, however, wood ticks ran away from the fire. He then threw all into the fire. There was nothing but wood ticks running away. He then gave her her bucket. She now said to him: “Hu, brother Qō′łkꜝē,” and she went away from him.

He wore on his head the skin of the dog, showing its teeth. The rest of the skin hung down his back. He was covered with blood. He was not agreeable to look at. During all that time the north wind blew strongly. In the place from whence he had gone after wood they were troubled about him, but the wind was too strong. There was no way to search for him.

On the next evening something again came to him with food. That time it brought mussels to him. He put those, too, into the fire. Minks ran away from it. For a second time he returned to her her empty basket. A mink which had changed itself into a woman brought him food. They gave it to him in order that when he ate it he would become a gā′gix̣īt. But he was too cunning. Although he knew that something had changed its form [to harm him], he did not touch it (the woman).

During all that time something kept tapping upon his buttocks. During all that time it could not get into him, and it said: “Ho Qō′łkꜝē’s anus is stopped up tight.” But he only heard the voice. He always held the dog’s ulna. And he did not let the stone ax go. The woman came in every evening. He had her then sit directly opposite to himself.

At one time, when she came in to him, she brought him the following news: “To-morrow your friends are going to come for you.” During all that time he urinated nowhere but in his box. On the next day many people, as many as ten, came to him by canoe. In it his sister sang a crying song: “Ha, brother Qō′łkꜝē.” He looked out of the hemlock house.

During all that time he wore the dog’s head. Again he did not sleep. While they were still out at sea he went down to meet them. When they got in front of him, in truth, his younger brothers were there. His sister was also there. He recognized them all. They feared for some time to go in to him.

And, after they had remained there for a while, they came in to him. Then, as he pulled it up, he thrust the dog’s bone into the end of the canoe. It went in easily. And, when he passed down to the middle, the same thing took place there. The whole canoe was like that.

Then all got off, and he tied all their paddles together and went up to the house with them. He then brought them into the house and stood them on end near the door. He then had the canoe people sit in a circle. His sister sat with them next to the door.

And he intended to let them wash their hands in urine after they had sat there for a while. He put it first in front of the one nearest to the door. While he washed his hands he turned his head away and snuffled. As each washed his hands he did the same thing. He then knew that these were Land-otter people. He picked up his urinal and put it back into its place behind him.

After that he put the paddles into the fire. Lo! minks ran away. When he clubbed those that had come after him, they did not any longer conceal the fact that they were land otters. He straightway placed himself just inside the door and clubbed the land otters to death. But he did not touch the woman. The Land-otter people changed themselves to make him a gā′gix̣īt. If he had gone with them he would have become a gā′gix̣īt.