Part 22

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

SUPERNATURAL-BEING-WHO-WENT-NAKED

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

After that his younger brothers again disappeared.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then the hemlock was moving there. And he went to get it. He struck it. It was as when something is split up fine. Then he laid aside two branches and took two short ones. Then he threw one [of the latter] so that it went into a tree. And he threw another one. It stuck endwise into a hemlock. He spit after it. And he said: “Future people will use these as fishhooks in getting food.” [406]

Then he spit the medicine upon his younger brothers. They arose. And he said: “Go together to the place where you used to sit.” Then he, too, followed them, and, after they had enjoyed seeing each other for a while, again one was gone. One after the other all seven disappeared.

Then he whittled the hemlock limbs. He sharpened the ends and put them over the fire. Then he took these at midnight and went to Sealion-town. And he climbed up into a tree which stood at the end of the trail.

After he had sat there for a while two pieces of pitchwood came burning out of the ocean like lanterns. They came below him like lanterns. Wonderful to see, a wā′sg̣o [407] came and stood there. At the tree lying seaward it sat. It was coming to him. It had a whale in its mouth. It had another one in the curl of its tail.

And, when it got just under him, he sat down between its ears. And he pushed the hemlock limbs into its ears. Then he again pulled himself up into the tree. It staggered around underneath. At daybreak, when the raven called, it fell as if thrown down. [408]

Then he pushed it about [preparing to skin it] and was going to cut it open. But it thundered and lightened. Then he skinned it and cut it open. He caused his younger brothers’ bones to burst out and spit medicine upon them. They rose, and he said: “Go to the place where you used to sit.” The next day one was again missing and the day after another. It went on in this way until all seven were again gone.

And, after he had sat around for a while, he started off aimlessly. After he had gone along for a while he heard something in the middle of the island which sounded like a drum. Then he went to it. Lo! he came to a trail. It had been recently trodden upon. After he had traveled on this for a while he came to a house. The door was on one side of the front. Inside of the house something made a noise like a drum.

Then he looked in. A woman, wearing a brownish red cedar-bark blanket, twisted threads. The doing of that caused the noise like a drum. He sat outside of the door which was much trodden about. Then he went along and looked down. There was a salmon-berry bush newly broken off. And he took it up. He punched her buttocks with it as she sat working turned toward the wall. Then she turned round and smiled upon him, and he talked with her for a while.

While he was still talking he heard a voice [saying]: “Huk, huk, huk, huk, huk, huk, huk, huk.” Then he looked toward it. Lo! his younger brothers were trying to run apart from each other. Then he went to them and spit medicine upon them. He put some on himself as well and tried to pull them away. He was unable to do it. Then he tried it again. Again he was unable to do it. That was Gā′gix̣it-woman, they say.” [409]

Being unsuccessful he went home. Then he came to Gū′łg̣a. He was going to enter his mother’s house, yet in spite of himself he passed by in front. Then he turned toward it again and, when he was near the door, he seized a pole which was in front of the house. But it came away in his hand.

When he could not succeed in entering he wandered off aimlessly. Soon he arrived at the middle of the top of the island. After he had traveled about a while he came to an open space. Then he sat down there. After he had sat there for a while he looked at himself. Lo! he sat there naked, deprived of both his blankets. Some thick bushes were there.

Then he turned his back to the sunshine. He held his head down with his forehead in his hands. While he was sitting thus something touched him. He looked for it but saw nothing. Then he got ready for it, and, when this happened again, he grasped in front of it. It was in his hand. It was soft. It felt like fur. It was like something phosphorescent.

Then he skinned it and used salmon-berry bushes on which to stretch it. But lo! it was slack in the middle. Then he put it on a larger one. And he laid it out in the sunshine. He was going to make blankets out of it. It became nearly dry. He was glad. And, when it was nearly dry, things from the north end of the island and the south end of the island shouted “Wā-ā-ā-ā-ā, Supernatural-being-who-went-naked is stretching his sky blankets.” They laughed at him. Then he bent down his head. After he had sat there ashamed for a while he left his blankets.[409]

Now he started on. He traveled around and around this island. One time, after he had traveled for a while, he heard some one sobbing bitterly. He went thither. A house stood there. He ran to it so fast that he kept falling. Then he looked in. In the rear of the house stood one with tears running down and pitch on his face. His earrings were long. From the ends of them small human beings hung. Their throats hung downward. Their arms were moving as they hung.

He struck the ground with his baton and cried hard. “Thinking to restore his younger brothers again as he had twice revived them, the supernatural being started after them. While he was going, the supernatural being went on forever.” So he heard him put words into the song about himself as he wept.

And his boxes all had their ends toward the fire. There were four tiers of them. Then he wanted to look into them. And he ran about. After he had run around looking for something for a while he found a big rock, long and narrow, and he put it on his shoulder. Then he threw it up on top of the house. He pulled himself up after it. Now he made a hole above him and let the stone fall in. It struck his head. He dropped dead without moving.

Then he jumped down. He entered the door. He opened the box lying nearest to him. It was all full of moose hides. [410] Then he went to the rear of the house also. There, too, he opened some. Then he put five [hides] upon his back and went away. After he had run along for a while, lo! he heard his baton sound. Then he came near him and took one of his hides back. He put it on his shoulder. He did the same to all five and went away from him. And he looked in the place where he had been. He had vanished.

Then he went after him. Lo! he was crying out the same words as before. Then he turned back quickly and picked up a larger stone than the one he had before taken upon his shoulders. Now he put it on top of the house and pulled himself up after it. Then he made a hole right above him. He dropped the stone in. He fell down.

At once he jumped in, piled five blankets one over the other, and went away with them. Before he had gone far, however, he took these also from him. He remained in the same place looking at him. Now he was unable to kill him. That was Master Weeper.

And, after he had traveled about for a while, he came to a swampy place where skunk cabbage grew and jumped across it. [411] Then, after he had gone on for a while, he came to a deserted town. A little smoke came out of the house in the middle. He went to it and entered. And an old man lay there, back to the fire. [412] He looked at him. Then he arose and gave him something to eat. But he did not give him anything to drink.

By and by he said: “Hū; I am thirsty. I will go after some water for myself.” “Don’t do it, chief; those that destroyed my village live there. Go over to the corner and drink there like me, your mighty grandfather, who am doing without anything else.”

Then he went thither. It was a swampy place, full of skunk cabbage. And he turned around and defecated into it. And, after he had defecated into it, he said to him: “Manure is floating about here in it.” Then he said: “Alas! I wonder what I shall do.”

Then he said to him: “Hū; I am thirsty.” And he said to him: “Don’t go, chief; the things that destroyed my village are there.” But, without heeding him, he took the bucket and went for some. And, after the water had flowed down four times, he took some.

He did not know what happened to him. To his astonishment he came to himself sitting in its belly. Then he stretched himself in its belly. He burst it, and bones burst out of its belly. He put the bones together. If one leg was lost he repaired it with salmon-berry bushes. He spit medicine upon them. At once they got up. He revived the right side of the town.

Immediately after that the water flowed down continuously. Then he got some in the bucket, went in, and said: “Grandfather, drink.” Then he stretched his hand toward it. After he had looked at it for a while, he turned away from it. He did not drink.

After [Supernatural-being-who-went-naked] had sat there for a while, he said: “Hū, everywhere people eat things found at low tide. I want some devilfish. I am going to get some devilfish.” “Do not do it, chief; the thing that destroyed my village lives there.” But, without listening to what was said, he started off.

In the corner of the house on the side toward the door were two sticks for hunting devilfish. Then he took both. And he gave him the following directions: “After he has shot water from his mouth four times, punch in at him. That is the way to endeavor to kill him.”

Then he went. Something wonderful lived there. The supernatural devilfish shot water at him, and it went right to the sky. After it had shot out water four times, he punched it with a stick. But he found himself in its belly. Then he spit medicine upon himself and stretched out in its belly. He burst it. The mother of outbursts of human bones took place. Then he put the bones together, and part were missing. And he repaired them with any common material. Then he repaired their eyes in the same way and spit medicine upon them. At once all went away. And he said: “When you get home, walk about there.”

Then he dragged [the devilfish] along with the devilfish stick and threw it inside the door. When he came in and sat down, Nᴀñkî′lsʟas looked at him. As he was looking at him, Supernatural-being-who-went-naked said: “Now, grandfather, look about upon your town.”

Now he took his cane and went out with it. He looked to the right. To his great surprise something wonderful had happened. People decorated with feathers and having their faces painted walked about in rows. Then he also looked to the left. There things were in the same condition. Then he entered.