Part 36
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.
During all that time he fasted. Again he did not sleep. He feared to. During all that time the woman brought him food. And every time he put it into the fire different things ran away from it.
At one time, when she came in to him, she again said that they would come for him. By and by ten more persons came after him in a canoe. Again a woman sang a crying song in it. “Brother Qō′łkꜝē” were the words she put into it. He again went down. Those, too, were afraid for some time to come in to him.
By and by they came in. He recognized all. When he pulled up their canoe he also stuck his dog’s bone into it, and it went in easily. He gathered all their paddles together, bound them, and went up with them. He again stood them on end near the door. As before, he told the canoe people to sit on each side of him. He again seated his sister nearest to the door.
Then he again had them wash their hands in urine. He saw them again turn their heads away as they washed. He saw that these were also land otters. He again rose and put their paddles into the fire. They all ran off again as minks. He stood then in the doorway and began to club the land otters. Again he preserved the woman only.
During all that time it was north weather. [731] Soon after he had killed these there was fine weather. The wind had been strong for ten days. When it was a fine day his friends really came in search of him. He went to them. Without waiting, they came up in front of him.
Then he tried to push his bone into the canoe bow. He could not. And he knew it was a real canoe. But he still did not believe that they were his friends. He also gathered their paddles together and took them up to the house. He again stood them near the door. He again told the people to sit opposite him.
Then he took up the urine and had them wash their hands in it. The one in front of whom he first put it now washed his hands in it after the usual fashion. His sister was really in the canoe with them. Those who had come before were only like her. When they got through washing he shoved their paddles into the fire. They burned, and one of them rose quickly and pulled them out.
And, after he had sat there for a while, he rose quickly and struck at the one sitting next to him, who caught his club overhead. During all that time he wore the skin. They were afraid to look at him. During all that time he also fasted. He always remained awake. He was nothing but bones.
During all that time they talked to him: “Qō′łkꜝē, it is we. Come with us.” He struck at one who was near him, and they caught his club above him. All at once he started to go with them. He had fought all the ten canoe people. The canoes of those who had come before had turned into large logs.
He now embarked with them. After he had gone along for a while with them he struck at the one next to him with his stone ax. Every time they caught it above themselves. They came to the town with him. When the townspeople came down to meet him he also tried to fight with them. They stopped him quickly every time.
When he came into the house they gave him some salmon to eat. He put one piece into the fire. It burned, and he put it back [into the dish]. After he had sat there for another space of time he struck at the one who sat next to him, and they quickly stopped him. During the whole time they called to him: “Qō′łkꜝē.” He also kept the stone under his anus whenever he sat down. When evening came he was afraid to lie with his wife. He even tried to kill his wife. But the next day he ate in the usual manner. He put a part of all the things he ate into the fire. When it burned, he ate of it. They [the land otters] were unable to get him.
This story, which is apparently Tlingit, gives an excellent idea of Haida and Tlingit notions regarding the gā′gix̣īt, “wild men,” and the relations that land otters were supposed to bear to them. See also the story of Supernatural-being-who-went-naked, note 19.
TWO CHILDREN’S STORIES
[Told by my interpreter, Henry Moody, of Those-born-at-Qā′gials]
I. “Habababē⁺, here is younger brother [or sister] crying.” “Give your younger brother the large clam’s head (qꜝoñg̣osqadjā′⁺) that I put away for him.” “Where is younger brother?” “I do not know. I destroyed him (qꜝoñg̣osqa′djîg̣ᴀn) as you told me to do.” [732]
II. Song-sparrow [733] lived with his grandmother. Whenever his grandmother soaked salmon Grizzly-bear [734] stole the soaked salmon. One day Song-sparrow saw Grizzly-bear doing this. He said then to his grandmother: “Grandmother, I will kill him.” And his grandmother said to him: “Do not try, my child; he will swallow you.” “That will be all right, grandmother, for I shall have a fire drill in his belly.”
He then made a bow and arrows. The people did not like him and his grandmother. By and by, when Grizzly-bear came there again, he shot him. He did not know then what happened to him. And, when he was in his belly, he came to himself. He then thought of his fire drill and made a fire in his belly. When it burned it burned through his belly. And he killed Grizzly-bear.
He then brought the news to his grandmother. “Grandmother, I have killed Grizzly-bear.” And his grandmother told him that he lied. Then he went again to it and cut some pieces from it. As soon as he showed it to his grandmother his grandmother put on her belt. He and his grandmother began at once to cut it up.
After they had taken all into the house he went to the neighboring town for some live coals. When he came through the doorway they asked him: “What do you come for, Song-sparrow?” And he said: “I come for live coals, skia′ldjîgut skā′ldjigut skētcꜝē′gut.” [735] After he had said this he spat out the blood of a piece of the grizzly bear that he had in his mouth.
They were surprised at this, and the townspeople ran toward his house. They took away at once all of the grizzly bear. As he also ran toward it he said to his grandmother: “Grandmother, keep hold of the biggest piece.” And, while he was running, they took all of his meat away.
After he and his grandmother had cried for a while his grandmother went to sleep. Then, while his grandmother slept, he cut off his grandmother’s vulva. And he put grease and feathers upon the place. He then cooked this. And when it was cooked his grandmother woke up. “Grandmother, get up. I found a small thing in the dirt of the trail where they have been walking. I cooked it for you.” His grandmother got up at once and ate it.
Then he took his grandmother’s urinal and went up to the top of the house with it. And he used his grandmother’s urinal as a drum. He began then to sing: “Ha′haha hē′eee, grandmother ate her cut-off vulva. In the place [I put] grease. In the place [I put] feathers.” His grandmother then used hard words toward him: “He was born at the roots of the salmon-berry bushes. [736] He is a wizard. He was born at the roots of the ferns.[736] He is a wizard.”
[The following version of the latter was obtained by Prof. Franz Boas]
Once upon a time a boy and his grandmother lived in a hut made of twigs. The boy was always going out to shoot birds. One day he saw a large bear, which he tried to kill with his arrows. Then the bear snuffed him in. The old woman waited in vain for her grandson, and finally thought he had died. The boy was not dead.
While he was in the bear’s stomach, he thought: “I wish grandmother’s fire drill would come to me!” It came at once. He made a fire in the bear’s stomach, which killed him. He then carved the carcass and carried the meat to his grandmother’s house, which he filled entirely. The old woman had no fire; therefore she sent her grandson to the town to ask for some fire. Before he left he cut off a piece of the meat and took it into his mouth. He then went to the door of one of the houses. He put down a piece of skin near the fire, chewed the meat which he had taken along, and spit the fat into the fire, so that it blazed up. The people asked him: “What are you holding in your mouth?” He then showed them the bear’s meat. Then they all went to his grandmother’s house, and they received presents of meat and of fat. They distributed almost all of it.
He then said to his grandmother: “Gather some fuel.” She did so, and started a fire. Then the old woman fell asleep sitting near the fire. While she was asleep the boy cut off a piece of her vulva and put down upon the wound. When she woke the next morning he sent her again to gather fuel; and, while she was away, he roasted at the fire the piece that he had cut from her body. When his grandmother returned he said to her: “I roasted a little of the bear meat for you.” She entered, and he gave her her own flesh to eat. As soon as she had eaten it he ran out, singing: “Grandmother ate her own vulva!”
A RAID ON THE TLINGIT
[Told by Richard of the Middle-gîtî′ns]
Qä′ndawas was going to make a potlatch in Masset. She owned ten slaves. And she had eight storehouses in the Kaigani country. [737] She was going to have [her property] brought over from there.
And she owned a copper plate worth ten slaves. She intended to sell it for that price in the Tsimshian country. They offered her nine slaves and an 8-fathom canoe. Thereupon she said that she would not part with it because there were not ten slaves. They then returned. And they came to Raven creek. [738]
And, after they had sailed from there to House-point [739] with a south wind, a strong land breeze came upon them (i.e., a west wind). They were then carried away. And it carried them to the Kaigani country, where some Tlingit were gathering seaweed. Then the Tlingit invited them in. And they got off. After they had given them food they killed them.
The slaves saw then that they killed those who were on shore, and the five who had remained to take care of the canoe put up the sails. And, after they had sailed along for a while, they ran upon a reef and capsized there. The canoe, filled with the property, then sank. It was a 10-fathom canoe.
Thinking of this while we were growing up, we grew up to war with the Tlingit. [740] In the very middle of winter we began to drink medicine, and right from Qa-itg̣a′og̣ao, [741] where we were fishing for black cod, we went to war in two canoes. We camped for the night at Kwaitg̣ᴀ′nʟ. [742] On the following night we camped at La-ut-g̣ᴀ′nʟ̣as. [743] On the next day we crossed.
And, while it was yet daylight, we came in sight of the rocks along shore. We then waited for night. And, when evening came, we went in to land. At daylight we pulled up the canoes. Then we drank there four buckets of salt water. We were thirsty and ran to the fresh water, and we drank fresh water out of spruce bark sewed together and ran to the sea. [744]
And, keeping a sharp lookout unobserved by them we saw four people going along in a canoe. And, after they were gone, we drew up our canoes again. There I smoked, after which I was dying of thirst. They did not think it well to put fresh water on me then, [745] and they put sea water on me.
After that we went to look for people. We knew that people lived there. Then we saw smoke far up the inlet. And when evening came we started thither. Just before daybreak the canoes came in front of it. There were four houses there. Below was a long stretch of steep shore.
And, when we got off, A′nkustᴀ [746] whipped the peoples’ souls. He then told us to go up to look at the houses. And two persons went to look. Just as they got there a big dog barked at them. And when they came back A′nkustᴀ performed again. He then pretended to tie fast the dog’s mouth. And he said: “Now, friends, go to look at the houses again. Now, although he sees you, he will not bark.”
I then went with two others to look. Only a mat hung in the doorway. I lay down in the doorway. They were snoring in the house. And, having fastened my knife upon my hand, I entered. I found by feeling that there were only women there.
And, after we had come to where our people were sitting, I said: “Chiefs that I have for elder brothers, strengthen yourselves.” They then divided to enter the house. And they said: “Huk” (“Go on”). [747] I let Xᴀ′nxaogu′tg̣as go ahead, and his younger brother followed me.
And, when we were about to run in, I looked toward the beach [and saw] that, instead of coming after us, they were preparing to shoot. We started away then in disgust. We got into the canoe. There they asked us why we came down. And we almost came to a quarrel.
We then started off. And, when we landed among the driftwood, Gana′-i’s canoe came up behind us. They were going to land after us among the driftwood. He said then: “Come, friends; light a fire here for the sockeyes, which are good to eat.” But I scolded them for it, [748] and they got in against their will.
And they remained there still. And, after they had talked for a while about parting company with the other canoe, I said: “My father-in-law is a chief. If those who have been in your company kill people and he receives nothing, you will feel sorry for it. Let us go down the inlet after them.”
We then followed them down. After we had gone along for a while Gana′-i’s canoe passed out of the inlet around a point. I then said: “Let us paddle after them. Paddle after. Paddle after. They might meet somebody.”
And, when they had nearly rounded another point, they pulled back. Some time after that guns sounded, and they went ashore. Some Tlingit came then in a big canoe. They stood in lines in the middle. There were a great number of guns in this. We then started out to head them off.
As they paddled away from us they shot at us twice, when something struck me in the head and I lost consciousness. I came to myself lying in the canoe. By and by, after I grew stronger and had fastened my knife upon my hand, they said to me: “G̣ᴀ′nx̣oat was killed.” I then looked at him. He was hanging over into the water. And I told them not to let him fall in.
The Tlingit then shouted at us. They made a noise on the edges of their canoe: “A′lala a′lala.” Upon this Gā′ala stood up in ours, and he shot the man in the stern, so that he fell into the water. Then we said the same. We, too, said: “A′lala a′lala.” When they shot me two bullets went through the skin of my head.
And, when Skᴀ′ngwai’s father stood up and aimed at the one next to the stern, who was paddling and moving his head as he did so, and shot him, he also fell upon his face in the bailing place. We then again said the same thing. We rapped on the edges of our canoe, saying at the same time: “A′lala.” And, when he shot again, another cried out in it. They stood in lines in the middle of the canoe. Others paddled at the sides. They then bade us cease shooting. They motioned us away with their hands. We did then accordingly. The canoe was so large that the people in it could not be counted.
Then Gana′-i’s canoe went quickly to it. And, when they got close by, a Tlingit in the middle stood up with a gun. He pointed at this one and that one among them. Someone in Gana′-i’s canoe speared him with a bone spear that had a short handle. He dropped the gun. The Tlingit then quickly sat down. He pulled out the spear. His intestines came out at the same time. He broke it. And, when he started to shove the spear back into the wound, someone in Gana′-i’s canoe jumped in to him, and the people in the canoe stood up.
Then our canoe went thither. And I went to the bow and jumped into it. All had long knives. I fell in the stern. And the one I fell near stabbed me. When he struck my shoulder I felt my insides come together [with pain]. Nevertheless I struck him in the side, and his insides fell upon me. After that another one came toward me from the bow. I stabbed him also in the side. When I struck him again he died.