Chapter VII: Part 7

When he was going on from there he came to a town in which the chief’s son, who was the strongest man, had had his arm pulled out. A shaman came to try to cure him. The chief’s son was the strongest man. In trying strength with people of all ages by locking hands with them he could beat them. By and by, through the smoke hole came a small pale hand, and [they heard its owner] say: “Gū′sg̣a gᴀ′msiwa” (Tsimshian words meaning “Let us have a try”). And he put his fingers to it. It pulled off his arm. They did not know what it was. And he (Raven) alone knew that one of Gū′g̣ał’s [256] sons had pulled his arm off. Then he flew to Gū′g̣ał’s town, went to an old man who lived at the end of the town and asked him: “Say, old man, do you ever gamble?” And he said he did. “They say they pulled off the arm of a chief’s son. I wonder where the person who did it belongs.” And he said: “Why, don’t you know? It was done by the one of Gū′g̣ał’s sons who is always doing those things. The chief’s son’s arm is in a box behind the screen in his father’s house.” And he (Raven) said: “Well, although everybody knows those things, I was asking this.” Then he pulled off his (the old man’s) skin and entered it. And next day he took a gambling-stick bag and walked with a cane to the middle of the town. When he sat down he heard Gū′g̣ał’s sons say: “You are always on hand, old man; we will gamble with you.” The eldest wagered him his hair ribbon, and they gambled with him. They lost the ribbon to him. Then it was too late to go home, and he said: “I will stay right in your house.” And they said to him: “All right, old man, sleep in our house so that we may gamble with each other in the morning.” Then he entered, and they seated him near two good-looking women. They gave him something to eat. “Old man, you are always ready,” they said to him, and they went to bed. Then he broke wind. The women laughed at him every time as they whispered together. By and by, when they were asleep, [257] he flew lightly toward the screen and felt of the chief’s son’s arm which was in a box. Then he waited for daylight and flew over it. As he did so the ends of his claws touched the top of the screen. It sounded like a drum. Then he lay down quickly. “Alas! it is the one who is always doing such things. Does the old man lie there as before?” And the women said: “Yes; he lies here. He has been breaking wind all the time. Now, he is snoring.” And he asked again: “Is the chief’s son’s arm in the box?” And the women said: “Yes; it is here.” Then when they were asleep again and day had begun to break he flew up easily behind the screen and seized the chief’s son’s arm in his mouth. And when he flew away with it the ends of his claws touched the top of the screen. When it gave forth a drumming sound all looked up. He flew through the smoke hole. The chief said: “Alas! it is he who is always doing such things.” Then he came flying to the chief’s son’s father’s town and began to act as shaman around the chief’s son. He washed the arm, which had begun to smell badly [from decomposition]. Then they handed him a new mat [and he laid] the chief’s son’s arm in place under it. At once his arm was restored. They gave many things to him and much food as well.

He started from that place also. After he had gone along for a while he came to a town. The town people were glad to see him, and he went into a house. A good looking woman lived in the house. Then they went to bed, and he went over to the woman. When he came to her she asked him, “Who are you?” “I am one who came to this place for you.” But the woman absolutely repulsed him. Then he went away from her. And when the woman slept he went to her again and put dung inside of her blanket. Then he cried: “I went to the chief’s daughter, but, finding something terrible there, changed my mind.” And the woman awoke and said: “A′-a-a a-a′, don’t tell anybody about it. I will give you a substance that my father owns but always keeps secret.” And he said: “[Give me] some.” Then she gave all to him. And the woman said to him: “Don’t lose it. With that you will have good luck. And when you see anyone, you can adorn him with it,” she said to him. This is what causes people to be good-looking.

After that his sister Siwa′s planted Indian tobacco in front of White inlet. And, while it was yet in the garden, he calcined shells. But before he pulled the tobacco out he became angry with the calcined shells and threw them away. Where the calcined shells were the surface of the rocks is white.

There he went out fishing for his sister. He threw the halibut ashore. There is high, level land there called “Halibut’s place.” He named places, too, as he went along. “Your name will be like this; you will be called so-and-so,” he said as he went. Then he passed over one place, and it called after him: “What shall my name be?” Then he said to it in the Ninstints dialect: “Your name will be ‘Salt Stone,’ you common object.”

Then he set out to spear Bad Weather (Tcꜝī′g̣a). He made a spear with a detachable point. He used strong gut for cord. And he saw its head pass. Then he speared it. And it tugged him about in a sitting posture. He kept hold of the cord and was pulled out to a reef lying in front. After he had been pulled about there a while the spear point broke. [The string] struck on the face of a declivity. There the rocks show a white streak.

When he went away he stuck an eagle’s tail feather [into a certain place]. That is called “Eagle’s-tail-feather-stuck-in.”

After that he was love-sick for his uncle’s wife. Then he sat there singing a song, at the same time striking his head upon the rocks for a drum. There he made a hole. That place is called “Moving-the-back-part-of-the-head-about-while-singing.”

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

One time, when he was going along with his cousin, he came to an island of ʟꜝkꜝia′o. [258] At once he went out and ate them. After he got through eating, he went back toward shore with his cousin. And when they became thirsty he said to his cousin: “Take one stroke in the water, cousin.” As soon as he did so they came to Standing-water creek, which was very far away. Where he drank there, there is a water hole of the shape of his bill.

This is why, when people travel by canoe on the west coast, the country is easy for them (i.e., they travel about easily). The place where he and his cousin ate ʟꜝkꜝia′o is called “Pulled-off-with-the-teeth.” [259]

[Told by Tom Stevens, chief of Those-born-at-House-point]

When he (Raven) first started traveling about, numbers of persons lay along the ground, acting as if ashamed. Then he pulled them upright as he ran along. These were the mountains.

Another version

[Told to Prof. Franz Boas by Charlie Edenshaw, chief of the Stᴀ′stas]

Nenk·îlsʟasʟiñgai’s [260] mother was Gēʟîk·ᴇdzā′t (“Flood-tide-woman”). His father was ʟg̣ang̣ag·îñ (“Dorsal-fin”), [261] whose sister’s son was called ʟg̣anxē′la (“Hole-in-dorsal fin”). He was born in Naēku′n. Now, Nenk·îlsʟasʟiñgai was crying all the time. The people tried to quiet him, and they gave him various things to play with, but he was not satisfied. There was a young girl, Qalgaitsadas (“Ice-woman”). [262] She also tried to quiet him. She took him in her arms, and he at once ceased crying. He touched her breasts and was quiet. After a little while she returned him to his mother. At once he began to cry again, but when she took him again he quieted down when he touched her breast.

The boy was growing up very rapidly. Now he was able to walk. ʟg̣anxē′la was his mother’s lover. When his father, ʟg̣ang̣ag·îñ, found this out he became jealous, and he sent his wife back to her uncle, Nenk·îlsʟas. Then she took her boy on her back and went to her uncle’s house. About noon she felt hungry. She was going to start a fire, but she did not succeed. She turned the fire drill until her hands were sore, but she did not succeed in making a fire. Then Nenk·îlsʟasʟiñgai went into the woods, where he took two large sticks. He struck the ends together, and at once there was a great fire. His mother was surprised to see it, but she did not make any remark.

In the evening they lay down and slept. Early the next morning they proceeded on their journey. In the evening the mother tried again to start a fire, but she did not succeed. Then the boy went to the woods and started the fire in the same manner as on the preceding day.

Finally they reached the house of Nenk·îlsʟas, which was located in ʟg̣aē′xa. [263] A large pole was standing in front of his house. Nenk·îlsʟas’s slaves were outside the house when Gēʟîk·ᴇdzā′t was approaching, carrying her child. They entered the house and told Nenk·îlsʟas that she was approaching. He remarked: “She is always acting foolishly, therefore she has been sent back.” He told his slaves to call her into the house. She entered and remained sitting near the doorway. She did not go to the rear of the house. Her uncle gave her food. The boy was defecating in the house all the time. His excrements were very thin and spread over the floor, so that the house smelled very badly.

The boy was staying with his mother. In the night, when everybody was asleep, he arose from the side of his mother, left the house, taking bow and arrows, and shot woodpeckers (sʟō′ts’ada). He gave them to his mother and asked her to make a blanket of their skins. His mother dried these skins and sewed them up. Then he began to shoot whales, which he took to a little river near ʟgaē′xa, named Xagusiua′s. [264] Then Raven came right down from the sky, intending to eat the whales. The boy tried to shoot it, but he was unable to kill it. Raven flew away, but soon returned. Again the boy tried to shoot it, but did not hit it. Finally, however, he succeeded in killing Raven. He hid its skin between the branches of a large tree.

One day the boy said to his uncle: “My fathers are going to come from Naēku′n to look for my mother.” Then his uncle remarked: “I am afraid that boy is going to cause us trouble. Stop your talking.” But Nenk·îlsʟasʟiñgai repeated his former statement. The following day he said again: “My fathers are going to come from Naēku′n to see me.” Again his uncle begged him to be silent, but he did not obey.

After a few days the people from Naēku′n arrived. The beach was covered with canoes. Then his uncle felt greatly troubled. He had many slaves. The boy said to one of the slaves: “Go out and tell them to come ashore.” His fathers were the Killer-whales. Then they came ashore and fell down. His father and his cousin ʟganxē′la were among those whales. Then his mother took a bailer and sprinkled some water over ʟganxē′la, while she left her husband to perish. After some time the boy said to a slave: “Go out and call the water to cover my fathers.” Then the tide returned, and the whales returned to Naēku′n. The boy continued to shoot birds.

His uncle’s wife was making mats all the time. The boy was very beautiful, but he continued to defecate in the house. His uncle’s wife was sitting in the rear of the house. The boy had collected much red gum, which he was chewing. One day he returned home just at the time when his uncle had finished his dinner and was washing his face. Then his uncle’s wife asked him for some gum which was hanging out of the boy’s mouth. The boy fell in love with his uncle’s wife, who was sitting on the highest platform of the house. The boy crept silently up to the woman and encircled her, placing his head under her left arm, his body over her back, and his feet under her right arm. When the woman looked down she saw that he was very pretty. His uncle did not notice it. He (the uncle) was a great hunter, and he always brought back a great quantity of food. Every evening, when his uncle had gone out hunting, he visited the woman. [The boy was staying in the house all the time; his soul went out hunting birds and visiting the woman.] As soon as he reached the woman it thundered, and he was much frightened. He defecated, and the house was so full of excrements that the slaves had to carry them out in buckets. When his uncle Nenk·îlsʟasʟiñgai came home he was about to give the game to his wife. He asked her why it had thundered that day. “It is a sign that my nephew cohabits with you [he said].”

In the village T’ano [265] there was a chief whose name was Qîng·. The boy said: “I want Qîng· to come here to be my father.” His uncle, who was sitting in the rear of the house, heard what he was saying. He asked his sister to command the boy to be silent, but he continued to say it. One day many canoes arrived on the beach. Then the boy said to his uncle: “The chiefs are coming. What are you going to do?” His uncle did not reply because he was afraid. When they approached the house the boy threw off his skin, and he was beautiful.

The chief who arrived here was called Qoēqqu′ns. [266] He lived in the middle of the ocean. He was his mother’s father. The boy had visited him and had borrowed his people, whom he took to his uncle’s house. He had put on his woodpecker blanket, and he flew to his grandfather’s house. He painted his face with a design of Ts’agul [267] and made himself very beautiful. When he returned he walked about inside the house scolding his uncle: “Why is there nobody staying with you? Now, all the chiefs are coming, and there is nobody to receive them.” Then Nenk·îlsʟasʟiñgai stamped his feet, and immediately the house was full of people. He had transformed the dirt on the floor of the house into people by stamping once. In one corner of his house were Qoēqqu′ns’s people, who spoke the Tsimshian language. When he stamped with his foot in another corner of the house people appeared who spoke Heiltsuk (or Wakashan). In the next corner, when he stamped the ground, the Haida arose, and in the last corner he also created Haida.

After a while Qîng· arrived. They performed a dance, and Nenk·îlsʟasʟiñgai gave them to eat. Then Qîng· returned to his own country. The boy accompanied him. When he made the Tsimshian he wore a flicker [268] (Sqaldzit) blanket. Then he changed and wore a woodpecker (sʟodz’adang) blanket. Afterward he used a Sixasʟdᴀlgang [269] blanket. This is a large bird with yellow head, which flies very rapidly. Finally he used a T’in [270] blanket. This is a bird that is eaten in Victoria. When they arrived in Qîng·’s house Nenk·îlsʟasʟiñgai sat between Qîng· and his wife. The chief asked him: “Are you hungry?” But he did not want to eat. He was chewing gum all the time. In the house there were many people. Two youths were standing on one side of the door when the chief was eating. The chief sent some food to them. Their skin was quite black. Their name was Squl (“Porpoise”). They were eating ravenously. The boy asked: “How is it that you can eat so much?” They replied: “Don’t ask us. We are very poor because we are hungry all the time.” But he insisted. He said: “I can not eat, and I must learn how to eat. You must assist me to learn.” They refused, but Nenk·îlsʟasʟiñgai insisted. They said: “We are afraid of your father. If we tell you, you will have bad luck.” But the boy would not accept their statements. Then they became angry and said: “Go and bathe, and when you do so scratch your skin and eat what you scratch off. Do so twice.” The youth did so, and then he became very hungry. He told his father: “I am a little hungry.” Then the old man was very glad. He called all the people to see how his child was eating. The people came, and when they had seen it they returned. After a very short time the youth was hungry again. His father invited the people, and after they had eaten they went away. It was not long before the boy was hungry again. He could not get enough to eat. He ate all the provisions that were stored in the house. Then Qîng· turned the boy out of his house and he was very poor. He asked to be admitted again, but Qîng· did not allow him to enter. Then he took his raven skin and put it on. He knocked the walls of the house with his beak, asking admission, but he was refused.

He promised to give them fox, mountain goat, and other kinds of animals. Then he went down to the beach, where he ate some excrements. After a while he returned to the house and asked again for admission. Then the boy grew angry, and wished the waters to rise. The waters began to rise, and rose up to Qîng·’s throat. Then Qîng·’s sister and her ten children began to climb up his hat, which was transformed into a mountain, which may still be seen near the village. There is another mountain near by which is called Qîñg·i xa′ñginᴇñ gutas’wa′s.

Then the boy returned to his uncle, and the people returned to their villages. The boy was in love with his uncle’s wife, and his uncle was jealous. Then he called upon the waters to rise, intending to kill his nephew. The waters were coming out of Nenk·îlsʟas’s hat. Then the boy took the skin of a waterfowl (Q’ē′sq’ut), [271] which he put on. The house began to fill with water. Then he swam about on the water. He was carrying the raven skin under his arm. When the water rose still higher, he flew up through the smoke hole and reached the sky. He shot an arrow up to the sky, which stuck in it. Then he continued to shoot, hitting the nock of the first arrow; and thus he proceeded, making a chain which reached almost down into the waters. Finally he fastened his bow to the lowest arrow and climbed upward. When he reached the sky, he broke it, went through, and saw five countries above. First he came to an open place in which many berries were growing. There were salmon in the rivers, and the people were singing. He was chewing gum. He tried to find the singers, but he could not discover them. He passed the place whence the noise proceeded, and turned back again. Finally, after a long time, he found them. He saw a number of women who were singing. He asked them, “Where did you obtain this song? I like it very much.” Then they laughed at him, and said, “Did you never hear that there are five countries up here, and that the inhabitants use this song? They are singing about Nenk·îlsʟasʟîñgai′, who is in love with his uncle’s wife.” At that time he received the name Nenk·îlsʟasʟîñgai′. He wandered about in heaven for many years, singing all the time.

He came to a large river, where he heard the people singing. He came to a town near which he saw a pond. The chief’s daughter went out to fetch water. Then Nenk·îlsʟasʟîñgai′ transformed himself into the leaf of a hemlock, and dropped into the bucket of water which the chief’s daughter dipped from the pond. When she attempted to drink, the hemlock leaf was in her way, and she tried to blow it away, but did not succeed. Finally she grew impatient and swallowed it with the water. After two months she had a child, and her father was very glad. The child slept at his mother’s side, but at midnight, when all were asleep, he traveled all over the country and came to a town. The people were all asleep, and during the night he ate their eyes. When the people awoke in the morning, they found that they were blind. They asked one another, “Did not you hear a story about such a thing happening?” But the old people said they never had heard of such a thing. The next night he proceeded to another town, where he also ate the eyes of all the people. Then he did the same in a third town. The people did not know how they lost their eyesight. Finally he went to a fourth town and ate the eyes of the people.

There was an old man in the corner of the chief’s house. He did not sleep because he wished to discover how the people in the various towns were blinded. One night he saw the boy arise from the side of his mother and return early in the morning. He returned with his skin blanket filled with something. The old man saw him sitting down near his mother’s fire and taking out something round from his blanket. While doing so he was laughing. Then the old man knew that he had taken the eyes of the people.

When, the next morning, the people heard that the inhabitants of another town had lost their eyes the old man said that he had seen how the young man ate the eyes while his mother was asleep, that he had carried them back to the house in his blanket, and that he had eaten them sitting near the fire.

The floor of the house was made of stone. The chief then broke it, took the boy, and threw him down to our earth. At that time the water was still high, and only the top of his totem pole was seen above the surface of the water. The boy dropped upon the top of the totem pole, crying “Qa!” and assumed the shape of a raven. The pole split in two when he dropped down upon it. Then the waters began to subside, and he began his migrations.

He went to a rock from which the wind was blowing all the time. He intended to kill the [s. e.] wind, Xēiō′. He tried to make canoes from various kinds of wood, but they did not satisfy him. Then he asked the birds to carry him there, but they could not do it. Finally he took the maple tree, and he succeeded in making a good canoe. He vanquished the wind and made him his slave.

Xāusgana [272] was fishing for halibut. The Raven went to visit him. He was kindly received, because Xāusgana did not know that he was trying to steal food wherever he went. One morning when he went out fishing Raven said: “On my travels I saw a large island on which there are a great many woodpeckers.” Xāusgana believed him. He said: “Let us go and see it.” One day, when the water was calm, they started, accompanied by Xāusgana’s wife. They paddled toward the island, and Raven said: “Stay here in the canoe while I go ashore to hunt woodpeckers in the woods.” There were many sʟāskʼᴇma (a plant bearing something resembling berries) in the woods. Raven took one of these and struck his nose until it bled. Then he transformed the blood into woodpeckers. Then he went back to the canoe and said: “Did you see the woodpeckers coming out of the woods?” By this time many woodpeckers had come out from under the trees, and Xāusgana became eager to hunt them. Fishermen are in the habit of tying the red feathers of the woodpeckers to their hooks in order to secure good luck. [273]

As soon as Xāusgana had gone a hunting Raven went back to the canoe. He lay down in it and thought: “I wish that a wind would start from the island and that the canoe would drift away!” He pulled his blanket over his head and pretended to sleep. Now a wind arose, and the canoe drifted away. When Xāusgana saw this he shouted: “Wake up! You are drifting out to sea!” but Raven did not stir. Then Xāusgana was greatly troubled because he had lost his canoe. As soon as Raven was out of sight he assumed the shape of Xāusgana and turned the canoe toward his house. He went up to the house and said to Xāusgana’s wife: [274] “That man who came visiting us is Raven. He is a liar.” Then the woman gave him to eat, and after he had finished the food he asked for more. The woman remarked: “How does it happen that you are so hungry now? Formerly you never ate as much as you do to-day.” She was unable to satisfy his hunger. At night he lay down with her. He lived in the house, and people believed that he was Xāusgana.

The latter was staying on the island, unable to leave it. After a while he thought: “I wish my rattle would come here!” The rattle obeyed his summons. Then he wished his bow to come. Then he walked home over the surface of the water as though it were firm land. He reached his village. After a while he saw his wife coming out of the house. He called her and told her: “The Raven has cheated you. Let us take revenge. Close all the chinks of our house and lock the door. When everything is done shut the smoke hole; then I will appear and take revenge.” The woman reentered the house and acted as though nothing had happened. She prepared food for him, and he ate. While he was eating he said all the time: “It is strange how much I have changed. Formerly I was never as hungry as I am now.”

Meanwhile the woman closed all the chinks of the house. Then Xāusgana entered. Raven put on his skin and tried to escape, but Xāusgana caught him and killed him. He broke his bones to pieces and threw him into the latrine. On the following day when his wife went to defecate Raven spit upward at her genitalia. He took the body and struck it again, and he took a large stone and pounded it to jelly. Then he threw it into the sea. It drifted about on the water. One day many people went out in their canoe. When they saw the body they remarked: “Why is that chief drifting about on the water?” And the body replied, “A woman is the cause of this.”

After a while he thought, “I wish that a whale would come and swallow me!” Then the whale came and swallowed him.

Here follows the story of the Raven in the Whale.

The whale stranded and was discovered by the people. They came and cut it. Then Raven thought: “I wish that the chief’s son would open the whale’s stomach, that I may get out again!” At once the chief’s son cut open the whale’s stomach. Then Raven flew out right against the young man’s chest. The youth fell down dead. Then the people were afraid, and ran away.

Raven flew into the woods, and assumed the shape of an old man. He came back, leaning on a staff, and asked the people: “Why are you running away?” They told him what had happened. Then he said, “I heard that the same events happened long ago. At that time the people left the town, leaving all their property behind. I think it would be best for you to do the same.” Then the people, who were much afraid, left the village at once. Raven stayed behind, and ate all their provisions.

Beaver [275] was a chief who had his room in the rear of a very beautiful house. Behind the house there was a large lake, where Beaver went to play. Then he returned to his house. In the lake there were many salmon, and on the shores were growing all kinds of berries. When he returned home he carried a fish, which he boiled.

One day Raven, who desired to rob Beaver of his treasures, disguised himself as a poor, ugly person. In this shape he went to Beaver’s house. In the evening Beaver came home, bringing a fish and berries, which he intended to boil. Raven arranged it so that he should meet him. Then Beaver asked: “What are you doing here?” Raven replied: “My father has just died. He said that you are my brother. We have the same ancestors. He told me to go to visit you and to ask you for food.” Then Beaver invited him to his house. He boiled his fish, and when it was cooked he let Raven partake of the meal. He believed him and pitied him.

Next day Beaver went to the lake. He told Raven to stay at home. Toward noon he returned, carrying a salmon, and he spoke kindly to Raven, promising to feed him all the time. He told him that there were always fish in the lake and ripe berries on its shores.

On the following day Raven went out to the lake. He rolled up the water like a blanket, took a number of fish out, boiled them, and ate them. When Beaver came home he found Raven crying and pretending to be hungry. On the following day Raven went out again. He rolled up the water, took it in his beak, and flew away. He alighted on the top of a large cedar tree.

When Beaver went out in order to fish in his lake he found that it was gone, and he saw Raven sitting on a tree, holding the water. Then Beaver called the monster Tā′ʟat’adᴇga, [276] which has a long body, a long tail, and many legs; and he called all the beavers and the bears and asked them to throw the tree down. The wolves dug up its roots, the beavers gnawed the trunk of the tree, and all the animals tried to do what was in their power. Finally the tree fell. Then Raven flew off to another tree. They tried to throw this tree down. All the animals of the forest helped Beaver. After they had thrown down four trees they asked a favor of Raven: “Please give us our chief’s water. Don’t make us unhappy!” But he did not comply with their request. He flew away, and spit some of the water on the ground as he flew along. Thus originated all the rivers on Queen Charlotte islands. He also made the Skeena and Stikine rivers.

There was a man named K·ʼî′lkun, who lived at Skidegate. He asked Raven to give him some water. Raven complied with his request, but gave him very little only. This annoyed him so much that he fell down dead. He forms the long point of land near Skidegate. [277] The same thing happened at Naēku′n. [278] For this reason there is a long point of land at that place.

This is the best known, as it is the longest, of all stories told on the upper northwest coast, and many writers have given fragments of it. Although often spoken of as the creation legend, it would be more correct to say that it explains how things were altered from one state or condition into that in which we now find them. Thus topographic features, natural phenomena, the tastes, passions, habits, and customs of animals and human beings are mainly explained by referring to something that Raven did in ancient times. He was not the only originator of all these things, but he was the principal, and for that reason he was known as Nᴀñkî′lsʟas (“He-whose-voice-is-obeyed”). Until Qî′ñgî adopted him he was called Nᴀñkî′lsʟas-łîña′-i (“The-potential-Nᴀñkî′lsʟas”). Some even said that Nᴀñkî′lsʟas was a great chief who put on the skin of a raven only when he wanted to act like a buffoon. Among the three peoples who have developed this story most—Haida, Tlingit, and Tsimshian—the Raven clan is also of very great importance, and it is evident to me that there is a causal relation between the two facts. I have, however, discussed the singular prominence of the Raven clan among the people in this region in volume V, part 1, of the Memoirs of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, page 104.

Aware of the important position held by this myth, I made a special endeavor to secure as much of it as possible and consulted several different story-tellers. The main portion of the story was given me by John Sky, a Kloo man, who also related the five next and that on page 86. A long section was added by Walter McGregor, who belonged to the people of the west-coast town of Kaisun, and fragments were contributed by Abraham, an old man of Kloo, by Tom Stevens, chief of Those-born-at-House-point, the ancient people of Rose spit, and by Job Moody, a man of the Witch people of Cumshewa and father of my interpreter. A second version is appended. This was obtained in English by Prof. Franz Boas from Charlie Edenshaw, chief of the great Masset family Stᴀ′stas. He spent his earlier years at Skidegate, so I am not certain whether it is more like the story as told at Skidegate or as told at Masset. I am inclined to think, however, that it approaches the form in which it was told by the people of Rose spit. While at Masset I secured several additional texts bearing on events in the life of Raven, some of them differing considerably from the above. An abstract of these texts will be found on pages 207–211 of volume V, part 1, of the Memoirs of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition. On pages 233–238 of the same memoir will be found two sections of the story obtained from two old Kaigani. They probably contain much of the Tlingit Raven story. Finally, it must be stated that Raven is brought forward to explain so many local phenomena that an absolutely complete Raven story is neither practicable nor necessary.

A-SLENDER-ONE-WHO-WAS-GIVEN-AWAY

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

Once there was a chief’s child, they say, a girl, for whom they often hung out hawk down on the end of a pole. [279] Her father loved her. She had two brothers; one was large and the other had just begun growing.

Once people came in front of her father’s town in ten canoes, danced while coming and stopped in front of the town. Then one of her father’s slaves inquired: “What are these come for?” “They are come to get the chief’s child.” And when they said “The woman refuses,” they went away weeping.

The next day others came dancing on ten canoes. Then again they asked: “What are these come for?” “They are come to get the chief’s daughter.” And those, too, they refused, and they went weeping away.

Now, the day after a certain one in a hair-seal canoe, [280] wearing a broad hat, stood there early in the morning. He had a surf-bird for a hat. After they had looked at him in his hair-seal canoe for a while, they asked him: “Why does the canoe come?” He said nothing. They did not want him. They said to him: “The woman refuses.” A round white thing was on top of his hat. This was a foamy wave. The foam was turning round and round rapidly. As soon as they had refused him the earth changed. Out of the earth water boiled up. Then, when this island was half covered, the frightened town people thought of giving the woman up. She had ten servants, they say. And they dressed up one of these just like her. And they painted her. And they put red cirrus clouds on her and two clear-sky blankets [281] and sent her down to the chief. Then he absolutely refused her. He would take none but the chief’s child. They dressed up still another [slave] with dark mottled clouds which lie seaward, and they put two marten-skin blankets on her and had her go down. Her, too, he refused. He refused all ten in the same way.

Now, all of the town people with their children had gone into her father’s house. Then they all cried, and, without painting her, let her go. And the ten servants all went with her. When she stood near the salt water the canoe came quickly to her of itself. [Then the stranger gave them his father’s hat covered with surf-birds (tcꜝîgᴀ′ldᴀx̣uañ), which would keep flying out from it and back again.] Now, when she got in, the ten servants got in with her. What caused the canoe to move could not be seen. When the chief’s child had got in they discovered him floating at the place where he had been before.

And they made holes in the front of the whole house by pulling off planks. Through these they were looking to see which way his canoe went. After they had looked for a while [it vanished and] they did not see in which direction. And they did not see that it had sunk. And the direction in which the chief’s daughter had vanished was unknown.

At times her father turned to the wall and cried, cried, cried. And her mother turned to the wall and cried, cried, cried. One day he stopped crying and said to his head slave: [282] “Find out whither my child went.” “Wait, I will find out the proper time to go. I will go to see whither your [child] went.”

One morning, as day began to break and when it was a propitious day for him, he started the fire, and, while the people of the house whom he feared to have see him, slept, he took a bath. Now after his skin became dry he turned toward the wall and brought out the tackle he used for fishing. He untied it, and he took out blue hellebore, and he put it into the fire. And after he had watched it burn a while, he took it out of the fire, and he rubbed it on the stone floor-planks and made a mark with it on his face.

Then he got ready to start. He was going to search for the chief’s child. The chief’s child’s mother was with him.

And he was a good hunter. He had a sea-otter spear. When he pushed off he threw the sea-otter spear into the water, and, throwing its tail about, it went along forming ripples in its passage, and he went with it.

By and by the canoe stuck. The same thing happened to the sea-otter spear, they say. Then he pulled the canoe ashore. The chief’s wife got off, and he turned the canoe over. Long seaweeds were growing on it. These were the things that stopped the canoe. He had been moving along for a whole year. Then he took off his cape and rubbed it on the bottom of the canoe and on the chief’s wife. And he rubbed it on himself as well and became clean.

Again he shoved off the canoe. Then he threw the sea-otter spear into the water again, and it moved on anew. He followed it. After he had gone on, on, on, on for a long while, the canoe again stuck. Then he pulled the canoe ashore still again. And he turned it over again. [A kind of] long seaweed had grown on it, and on the chief’s wife, too, and on himself. Then, as before, he took the cape off. And he rubbed it on the canoe and on the chief’s wife as well. Then he rubbed it also on himself. And after they had become clean he launched the canoe again. Again he threw the sea-otter spear in, and again they followed it. After he had been towed along by it for a while he came to floating charcoal. There was no way for him to pass through this, they say. He had brought along his fishing-tackle box, and he looked into it. And in it he used to keep the [old spruce roots] taken off when he repaired his halibut hooks. When he put these roots into the water, [the charcoal] divided, and he was towed through. Not far away the canoe came to another place where it (the passage) had closed together. And when he put some [roots] into the water, as before, that also parted.

Then he was towed out of it and was brought to the edge of the sky. Now, after it had shut together four times, he braced the spear under it. [283] He went under. Then he pulled his spear out and put it into the canoe. He took the paddle and began paddling.

By and by he could see the smoke of a great town. And he pulled the canoe ashore some distance to one side of the town, they say. After he had turned the canoe over he made the chief’s wife sit under it. Then he walked to the town. When he came to the end of the town it was low tide. A certain woman, with her infant on her back, had come down to the uncovered beach. She held a basket in her hand, and she had a digging stick and moved it before her as if hunting for something. While putting something into the basket she looked up to where he was seated. And, after she had looked for a while, she did the same thing again. And, after she had rolled away the stones, she put sea cucumbers into the basket. That was Property-woman. [284]

When she again fastened her eyes on the place where he sat, she said: “I know you.” And then he stood up. And he went down on the beach and stood near her. Then she said to him: “Do you travel hither expecting to see the chief’s child?” He said “Yes.” “You see this town. He thought grease into his son’s wife’s mind [285] because he gave away his father’s hat as soon as he married the chief’s child. [286] She is lying over there in a cave. When you have entered pass along by the right side of the chief’s house and go behind the screen. There you will hear news.”

Then he started away from Property-woman and went into the cave to the chief’s child. And as she lay there she was winking her eyes. He took his coat off and rubbed it upon her. And he tried to make her sit up. In vain. And he became angry because he was unsuccessful. And, since he could not succeed, he started off.

He put on his two yellow-cedar blankets and walked about among them (the people). And they did not see him. Then he went into the chief’s house and to the right. It had ten tiers of retaining planks. On the upper one, in the middle of the sides, one sat weaving a chief’s dancing-blanket. Then from the blanket she was weaving something said: “To-morrow, too, one of my eyes [will still be] unfinished, unfinished.” [287]

Then, contrary to the expectations of those in the house, he went round behind the screen and a wonderful sight met his eyes, they say. A large lake with several gravel points running into it lay there. The points were red with cranberries. Canoe songs [288] resounded across it. Near the stream which flowed out of this large lake they had a fire for [drinking] salt water. [289]

Then some people came in from picking berries. As she walked past the last one snuffed with her nose. “I smell a human being” [she said]. And he said to her, “Say! it is I you are speaking about.” “It was the yellow cedar-bark blankets of the chief’s child’s ten servants whom they ate, which I am wearing that I smelt.” That was Mink-woman.[289]

And now he turned himself toward the fire which they had made [to warm] salt water. When he got near, one among those sitting there in a group said: “What will happen when they (her family) look for the chief’s daughter?” “Why, what are you saying? When they look for the chief’s child and return his father’s hat which he (the son) gave away, he (the father) will make her sit down (i.e., restore her).”

After he had heard all the news he turned round. He remembered the chief’s wife, ran back to the canoe and turned it over, but only the chief’s wife’s bones lay there. Then he drew his coat off and rubbed it upon her, and she awoke as if from sleep. She had been perspiring. He put his arm into the canoe and pulled it into the water. After he had let the chief’s wife in he came to the village. He tied her into the canoe. He tied himself in the same way as the chief’s wife. He tied himself as Property-woman had told him to do. They were there tied in front of the chief’s house. As they floated there one came out of the chief’s house and said: “Wait; they want the chief’s wife to remain there. They are going to dance near by.” After she had remained there for a while a thunderbolt [appeared to] drop in the house, they say.

By and by feathers came out of the smoke hole in a point. After it rose into the air it broke off. Then it came to them in a point and struck them, and they both forgot themselves.

They came to themselves lying on the retaining timbers. And then he untied himself and the chief’s wife as well. When he could walk he untied her. Her son-in-law sat opposite the door, and they spread out mats for her below. Then they came down and sat in the middle of the side. [290] Then one brought food in a small basket. In it were large clam shells, small clam shells, and two mussel shells. They gave some to the chief’s wife. They let her eat. After different kinds of food had been brought out and eaten and all was gone, they brought a basket to the fire, poured water into it, and put stones into the fire. When these were red-hot they put them into the basket with wooden tongs.

It boiled. Then the chief said something to a youth who was walking around the basket. Then he went into a storeroom in one corner and brought out a whale on the end of a sharpened stick. He put it into the basket. Now, when he had tried it with a stick and it had become soft, he put the whale into a dish the shape of a chiton and laid it down before them.

Now he again said something, and he (the youth) gave her old clam shells to drink the soup out of. She was unable to drink with these. Now she got her own basket and took out two large clam shells and two mussel shells, whereupon the people all stopped in a moment as when something is dropped. [291] And the chief, too, looked at nothing but those mussel shells. When his eyes were fastened upon them she noticed it and stopped.

Then she handed the shells to her husband’s slave and had him give them to her son-in-law. He made a place for them [on his blanket]. Now, after he had looked at them for a while, he said something, whereupon they went to him to get them and put them away behind the screen.

In the evening those in the house went to sleep, and they (the visitors) also went to sleep.

When day broke a young hair seal was crying in the corner of the house, they say. At daylight they started off by canoe.

Now the canoe lay on top of the retaining planks. There he fastened the chief’s wife, and he fastened himself in the stern. The thunderbolt dropped behind the screens which pointed toward each other. When the feathers came out from it in a point toward the fire and struck them they forgot themselves. When they came to themselves they were on the ocean.

Now he untied himself, went to the chief’s wife, and untied her. And when they went off it was the middle of summer when the young hair seal cry. He picked up his paddle and started paddling. After he had made two strokes he reached his master’s town.

The chief’s wife went in and sat down. She related to her husband how his daughter was situated. Then the slave also went to his master and told him what those thought who had had a fire for salt water. He repeated what they said to him word for word.

At once he spoke to the one who had charge of the fire. Two persons went through the town summoning the people. Immediately they entered. The house was full. Then he opened supplies of good food. He fed them. He fed them all. When the food was all gone he told the town people what he had in mind. He told the town people that he was going to look for his daughter. All were well pleased. He told all the chiefs to start in ten canoes. They agreed.

But the next morning his oldest boy had disappeared. When they began to get ready the next day the youngest also was gone.

For the chief and the chief’s wife each they drew the figures of cumulus clouds upon ten clam shells. As many mussel shells were inside of these. He had ten drawn for the elder [son] and he had ten drawn for the younger. The town people who were going away all gathered ten apiece [for the men] and five apiece for the women. And after they had got through gathering them they waited for the two sons who had gone off to marry. They got tired of waiting for them because they wanted to restore their sister. The town people had everything ready and were awaiting them.

The elder got home at midday. His hair was fastened with cedar limbs. “Mother, I have brought a wife to you. She stands outside. Go out and get her.” So he spoke to his mother: “Oh! my child has come.” She looked outside, and a woman stood there having curly hair parted and large eyes. This was Mouse-woman.

After the youngest had been away for a while, he, too, came back at midday. He came in, his hair fastened with a small fern. Hai hi hi hi hi⁺⁺⁺. [292] “Mother, I bring a wife to you. She stands outside. Go out and get her.” A wonderful person stood there. She was too powerful to look at. Something short with curly hair and a copper blanket [stood there]. “Chief-woman, come in.” She did not wish to enter. “She does not wish to come in. She positively refuses, my child; your wife positively refuses.” “Why! she goes by contraries,” he said to her as he stood up. He went out to his wife, came in with her, and sat down.

Next day, very early, they went off. The town people all started out together upon the ocean. The elder son’s wife sat up on one of the seats, and the younger one’s wife concealed herself inside. She (the former) sat up high to look after those who were starting off. She always kept her small wooden box with her wherever she turned. When they were all afloat she hunted in it and took out a bone awl. And she put it into the water. The water rushed aside as it cut through. In behind it they placed the canoe. The bone awl began to tow them along.

After they had been towed along, along, along, along, along for a while, they came in sight of a broad band of smoke from a town. Some distance from the town the elder brother’s wife told them all to land. She talked to them. The elder brother had married Mouse-woman so that they might follow her directions.