Part 5
The man laughed. He said, "The water is just where I like to be." He said this because he was a good swimmer and there was much rain in his country. He stayed in the water all the time he remained in that country.
Now all this while the man and his wife had really been in the sky. Now they wanted to get down. They started back to the house of a certain woman. She was the spider. The house was her web. The woman put them into a web and began to lower them to the earth. Before they started, the woman said, "If you get caught on anything, jerk backward and forward until the web comes loose." She thought they might get caught on the edges of the clouds. So the man and his wife reached the earth safely and the web was drawn up into the sky.
THE LOST LIGHT
_Eskimo_ (_Port Clarence_)
Once upon a time, all the people were together in a singing house. While they were dancing the sun disappeared. No one knew where it had gone. Because it was so dark, people could not go hunting and soon their provisions were exhausted. Then they told the women to mend their clothing carefully and to make as many boots as possible. These they put into bags. Then the people set out to search for the sun.
They followed the seacoast. They travelled so far they wore out their boots, so they put on new boots from their bags. Yet it was dark all the time.
After many days they came to a country where were many, many seals and walrus and deer. The language of the people was different from their own. After a while they learned to talk it a little. They asked these people where to find the sun.
These people said that the sun was far off. Before they came to the sun's country they would come to five places. This was the first place. But in the fourth place beyond there lived a woman who kept both the sun and moon in her house.
So they went on. It was very cold and they ran as fast as they could because it was so cold. Then their food gave out. But they reached a country where there was plenty to eat. Here the people spoke a strange language. After a while they learned to talk it a little. These people told them that at the third place they reached they would find a woman who kept the sun and moon in her house.
The people ran on. They ran because it was so very cold. Then when their food was gone, they reached another country where there was plenty of food. The language of the people was different from their own. But after a while they learned to understand it a little. These people said that at the second place which they would reach lived a woman named Itudluqpiaq who had both sun and moon in her house, but it was doubtful if they would be able to get them.
Then they went on again. They had to run as fast as they could to keep warm. It was very cold. When their food was almost gone, they reached the country of the dwarfs. It was a country with plenty of food, walrus and seal and deer. The dwarfs tried to run away when they saw the large men coming. But the people caught them. The dwarfs said that at the next place lived the woman Itudluqpiaq who had both sun and moon.
As the people ran on from the country of the dwarfs, they found ice and driftwood in their way. They kicked it all aside. At that time the people were very strong and able to lift heavy stones.
After they had run a long way, they saw a singing house. When they came near, they went very slowly because they were afraid. At last one of the men tied his jacket around his waist and his trousers around his knees. Then he crept cautiously through the entrance and put his head through the door at the bottom of the floor. He saw a young woman, Itudluqpiaq, sitting in the middle of the house toward the rear. Her father was sitting in the middle of the house on the right-hand side and her mother on the left-hand side. At the back of the house, in the right-hand corner on the rafter, hung a large ball; in the left-hand corner a small ball.
The man whispered, "Itudluqpiaq, we came to ask you for some light."
The mother said, "Give them the small ball."
The man refused the small ball. He asked for the large one. Then Itudluqpiaq took it down and gave it a kick. It fell right into the entrance hole.
The people took the ball and ran outside. Then they tore the ball to pieces and the daylight came out of it.
It was not so warm at once, but it grew warmer day after day. If they had taken the small ball it would have been light, but it would have remained cold. The small ball was the moon.
THE CHIEF IN THE MOON
_Eskimo_ (_Bering Straits_)
Far away in the moon lives a great chief and shamans with strong magic visit him there. A long time ago a shaman went to visit the great chief. He flew like a bird up as high as the sky because of his magic. The sky was a land just like the earth, only the grass was long, and grew downward toward the earth. And the grass was filled with snow. When the wind blows up in the sky it rustles the long grass stems, hanging downward, and loosens the snow. When the wind blows the snow loose in the sky, it falls down upon the earth from the long grass stems, and men call it a snowstorm.
Up in the sky, among the grass, are many small, round lakes. At night these shine and men call them stars.
But the Malemut tribes say that the north wind is the breath of a giant. When he builds a snow house and the snow flies from his shovel, then there is a snowstorm upon earth.
THE BOY IN THE MOON
_Eskimo_ (_Lower Yukon_)
Once upon a time, long, long ago, in a village on the great river, lived four brothers and a sister. There was also a small boy who was a great friend of his sister. The brothers were hunters and in the fall hunted at sea, but after the Bladder-feast was over they went to the mountains and hunted reindeer. But the boy was lazy.
Now the boy fell in love with the girl. One day the girl took up a dish of meat and berries and went out of the house. There she saw a ladder leading up into the sky, with a line hanging down by the side of it. Taking hold of the line, the girl climbed the ladder going up into the sky. Then her brothers saw her and began at once to scold the boy.
The boy caught up his sealskin trousers. Being in a hurry, he thrust his right leg into them and drew a deerskin sock upon the other foot as he ran outside the house. There he saw the girl, far, far up in the sky, and he began to climb the ladder to her. But the girl floated far away, the boy following her.
Now the girl became the sun and the boy the moon. Ever he pursues her but never overtakes her. When the sun sinks in the west, the moon rises in the east, but always too late. The moon has no food, and sometimes almost fades away. Then the sun reaches out the dish of meat and berries and the moon becomes fat again.
THE BOY IN THE MOON
_Athapascan_ (_Upper Yukon_)
Long ago, in the days of Raven, there was a great famine. No one in the village had anything to eat. Then a boy dreamed that they would kill many caribou. Then the hunters began to find caribou and to kill them. The boy said when they killed all the caribou that the leader of the herd must be given to him. The boy's uncle gave him caribou, but not the leader, because he did not believe the boy dreamed what he said. Then the boy cried two nights because he did not get the right caribou.
The next morning the boy was gone. Now this boy wore trousers of marten skin. When they searched for him, they found only the left leg of his trousers on a pole in the smoke hole. So they knew the boy had gone away through the smoke hole.
The boy went up into the moon. He was seen there the next night. His father and mother knew it was the boy because the right leg was larger than the left. The left leg had no trousers because it had been caught in the smoke hole.
THE METEOR (?)
_Tsetsaut_
A long time ago fire was seen coming through the air from the north. It looked like a huge animal. Its face was fire. Fire came from its mouth and also from its back. Flames of fire shot from its paws. The Thing, moving backward, thundered through the air.
In the olden times, these monsters came often. Now they have not been seen for a long time.
SLEEP HOUSE
_Tlingit_
Once a Huna man and his wife were paddling along in a canoe, about midnight, in search of seals. The man kept hearing a noise around his head like that made by a bird. At last he hit the thing with his hand and knocked it into the canoe. It was shaped like a bird, only with eyelids hanging far over, and its name was Ta, Sleep. He gave the bird to his wife, saying, "Here, you can keep this for your own." So she gave it to her relatives who built a house called Sleep House. All the poles in it were carved to look like this bird. After that the man got very tired without being able to sleep. At last he ran away into the forest.
CRADLE SONG[4]
_Koyukun_
[4] Transcribed by J. A. Dall.
"The wind blows over the Yukon, My husband hunts the deer on the Koyukun Mountains. Ahmi, Ahmi, sleep, little one.
"There is no wood for the fire. The stone axe is broken, my husband carries the other. Where is the sun-warmth? Hid in the dam of the beaver, waiting the spring-time? Ahmi, Ahmi, sleep, little one, wake not!
"Look not for ukali, old woman. Long since the cache was emptied, and the crow does not light on the ridge pole! Long since my husband departed. Why does he wait in the mountains? Ahmi, Ahmi, sleep, little one, softly.
"Where is my own? Does he lie starving on the hillside? Why does he linger? Comes he not soon I will seek him among the mountains. Ahmi, Ahmi, sleep, little one, sleep.
"The crow has come, laughing, His beak is red, his eyes glisten, the false one. 'Thanks for a good meal to Kuskokala the shaman. On the sharp mountain quietly lies your husband.' Ahmi, Ahmi, sleep, little one, wake not!
"'Twenty deer's tongues tied to the pack on his shoulders; Not a tongue in his mouth to call to his wife with. Wolves, foxes, and ravens are tearing and fighting for morsels. Tough and hard are the sinews; not so the child in your bosom?' Ahmi, Ahmi, sleep, little one, wake not!
"Over the mountain slowly staggers the hunter. Two bucks' thighs on his shoulders, with bladders of fat between them. Twenty deer's tongues in his belt. Go, gather wood, old woman! Off flew the crow,--liar, cheat, and deceiver! Wake, little sleeper, wake, and call to your father!
"He brings you backfat, marrow, and venison fresh from the mountain. Tired and worn, he has carved a toy of the deer's horn, While he was sitting and waiting long for the deer on the hillside. Wake and see the crow, hiding himself from the arrow! Wake, little one, wake, for here is your father!"
PROVERBS
_Tsimshian_
A deer, although toothless, may accomplish something.[5]
[5] Deceptive appearances.
He is just now sleeping on a deerskin.[6]
[6] Comfort now but trouble ahead.
He wants to die with all his teeth in his head.[7]
[7] Too reckless to live to old age.
You think Nass River is always calm.[8]
[8] Foolhardiness of those who think everything favorable to them. The mouth of the Nass is very rough.
You mistake the corner of the house for the door.[9]
[9] A gross blunder.
What will you eat when the snow is on the north side of the trees?[10]
[10] Improvidence. At the end of winter food is always scarce.
HOW THE FOX BECAME RED
_Athapascan_
Once Fox, when very hungry, was travelling through the country. All at once he saw a goose with many goslings. Fox ran after them. As he ran he sang,
"I shall have your tender breasts before I go to sleep; I shall have your tender breasts before I go to sleep."
As Fox ran toward them, the geese came to water and plunged in. Fox followed slowly along the edge of the water. When he saw he could not get the geese, Fox became so angry he turned red all over--all except the tip of his tail.
BEAVER AND PORCUPINE
_Tsimshian_
Now Beaver was the friend of Porcupine. Much they loved each other. Then Beaver invited Porcupine to his house on the large lake. There in the very middle of the lake was the house of Beaver. Now Beaver, on his part, liked the water, but Porcupine had no way to go from the shore to the lake, because he knew not how to swim. Therefore feared Porcupine that he should die should his stomach be filled with water, because he knew not how to swim. Therefore this did Beaver: from the lake to the land he went for Porcupine. Only twice rose Beaver above the water, going to where Porcupine was sitting on the shore.
Then said Beaver to Porcupine, "I carry you. Fast hold my neck."
Porcupine was afraid. He said to Beaver, "I might die."
"You shall not die." Thus said the Beaver to the Porcupine.
Then went up Porcupine to the back of Beaver.
Beaver said, "Fast hold my neck."
Thus did Porcupine. Then swam Beaver out on the water. But not long did he swim. Beaver dived. Then much troubled was Porcupine because he knew not how to swim. Now the Beavers really own the country of the water, but among the mountains is the country of Porcupine.
Twice rose Beaver above the water. Then reached he the middle of the great lake where floated his home. But much troubled was Porcupine, lest he die in the water. Then they entered the house of Beaver. Then they ate. Now this for food had the Beaver: sticks were the food for his feast. Then really troubled was the Porcupine, there to eat sticks. Yet Porcupine ate the stick.
Well, then one day, said Beaver to Porcupine: "Friend, now we play."
Then said Beaver how he would play: "I carry you. Four times I emerge from the water."
"Surely I die." Thus said the heart of Porcupine. Yet he agreed.
Beaver said, "Fast hold to my neck. Lie close against the nape of my neck."
Then was ready the heart of Porcupine to die. Then dived Beaver. Yet first struck he the water with his tail. Thus he first splashed water into the face of Porcupine. Then dived Beaver. Long was he under water. Then a little dead was Porcupine. His stomach was full of water. Three times the Beaver rose from the water. Then only once more remained. Then again dived Beaver. Almost dead was Porcupine. Then with him he returned. From lake to land he took him.
Then Porcupine went back to his tribe. When again he reached his tribe, to his house he invited the people. Then into the house of Porcupine went the invited ones. Then he told them what Beaver had done in his great house on the lake. He told the people what Beaver, who had invited him, had done. He said, "Almost dead was I through my friend."
Then said his people, "Good! You also invite him. Also play with him."
This did Porcupine. He also invited Beaver, his friend. To the house of Beaver did he send. Then came Beaver into the valley. Up he went. Then came he to the house of Porcupine. Then this did Porcupine: when Beaver entered into the house, Porcupine struck on the fireplace with his own tail. Then it burnt. Then Beaver made a song:
"In the middle burnt the tail of little Porcupine, pa! In the middle burnt the tail of little Porcupine."
Then ran Porcupine around in front of Beaver to play with his friend. Now when this was finished, what did the Porcupine? He got food for the Beaver to eat. Then this did the Porcupine: bark of a tree and leaves of a tree did he give him for a feast. Then, on his part, Beaver was afraid to eat. Then this said the Porcupine to his great friend, Beaver: "Eat fast, friend. Eat fast, friend." Then so did the Beaver.
Then said Porcupine, "Friend,"--thus said he to Beaver--"to-morrow morning we play, you and I. There stands a tree on a grassy slope. There is my playground."
Then they slept. But Porcupine sang,
"Now along the edge I walk . . . out falls my shooting star."
Then spoke Porcupine to the sky, and the sky did so. Clear became the sky. The ground was ice in the morning.
Now again Porcupine invited the people to a feast for great Beaver. Then Porcupine said, "We play, friend. There stands my playground."
Now very sharp was the cold. The ground was ice. Where water ran down, slippery was it with ice. But Beaver followed Porcupine. Then again was Beaver troubled. Always slippery were his hands, but long were the claws of Porcupine. Then Porcupine returned to see great Beaver. Then said Porcupine, "Come, do it, friend." Thus said Porcupine to great Beaver. But the Beaver could not cross, because icy was the mountain. Then this did the Porcupine: he took the hands of Beaver, then across he led him. Thus across he got. Porcupine was going to play with Beaver, just as he also did once. So they reached the place where stood the tree.
"Good! Go up!" Thus said Porcupine to Beaver. Then much troubled was Beaver. He was afraid.
"Well! See!" Thus said Porcupine. So Porcupine went up first. Up he went to the very top. Then he let go the top of the tree. As soon as he dropped, this he said, while coming down:
"An-de-be-laq! An-de-be-laq!"
Then he dropped on a stone, but arose. Not dead was he!
Then said Porcupine to Beaver, "See, friend! It is not hard."
Then up on the tree carried he Beaver. He said, "Fast hold to my neck." And very fast he held to the neck of Porcupine. Then when Porcupine reached near the top of the tree, he put Beaver on a branch. Then greatly afraid was Beaver for his hands were not good for holding fast to a tree. Only a Porcupine knows that, because long are his claws.
Then thus said Porcupine: "Really hold fast, friend. I go down first." The Beaver did so. All around the branch were his hands. Then Porcupine let go the tree. Into space he went. Again he said,
"An-de-be-laq! An-de-be-laq!"
Then once more he dropped on the stones, but not dead was he!
Much troubled was the heart of great Beaver, in holding the branch. Much troubled was he at falling. Then about the foot of the tree ran Porcupine. Then up he looked to where was his friend. Thus said Porcupine: "Go on, friend. It is not hard. Look at me. Not dead am I because I fell!"
Then Beaver let go the branch. Thus said Beaver as he fell,
"Loop! Lo-op!"[11]
[11] "Stone! Stone!"
Then Beaver struck the rocks. He lay on his back. He was dead.
THE MARK OF THE MARTEN
_Athapascan_ (_Upper Yukon_)
Long ago a hungry marten went to an Indian camp. The Indians around the camp fire were eating salmon. Marten sat still and watched them. He was hungry and he watched this Indian and then that. Then an Indian threw at him a piece of red salmon. It struck Marten on the breast and the reddish mark is there, even to this day.
THE WOLVES AND THE DEER
_Tsimshian_
Now the Wolves had a feast on a prairie at the mouth of Skeena River. Then invited the Wolves to the feast all the Deer chiefs. At once came the invited Deer. At once they sat down on the prairie face to face with the Wolves.
Then said the Wolves to the Deer, "Laugh ye on the other side."
"No," thus said the Deer to the Wolves, "ye first laugh."
"Well," said the Wolves at once, "then we will laugh. _Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!_ Go on, ye also. Ye also, on the other side, laugh."
"Well," said the Deer. Then they laughed, "_Mm, mm, mm, mm, mm!_ Again also ye must laugh."
"Well." At once again laughed the Wolves: "_Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!_"
At once the Deer were much afraid when they saw the great teeth of the Wolves. Then again said also the Wolves, "Go on! Laugh again, ye on the other side. Keep not your mouths closed when ye laugh. Not so does any one laugh. Open wide your mouths when ye laugh." Thus said the Wolves. "Now, laugh ye!"
At once then laughed the Deer: "_Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!_" Thus laughed the Deer, opening their mouths. But they had no teeth. Then the Wolves saw that the Deer had no teeth. At once they attacked them. At once the Wolves bit them all over. At once they ate the Deer. Only a few escaped. Therefore now are the Deer afraid of Wolves.
THE CAMP ROBBER[12]
_Athapascan_ (_Upper Yukon_)
[12] The camp robber is the slate-colored Alaskan jay, troublesome for its habit of stealing food from the camps.
Now in the days of the animal people, the camp robber was a medicine man. One time the people had nothing to eat, so they asked the medicine man to find food for them. Therefore for six nights the men dreamed of a way to find food. The camp robber was the sixth man. He dreamed on the sixth night. Then he called all the people together and told them to bring their snares with them. He took all the snares, make a pack of them, and put them on his back. But the people heaped up the snow in a great pile. Around this snow pile the camp robber walked, chanting and singing "By and by meat will come." Thus he sang.
Then the camp robber reached into the snow and pulled out a caribou's head by the horns. This was not a real caribou; it was the spirit caribou. So the camp robber painted the horns and tail red and sent it back into the snow heap. The next day a great herd of caribou came. The one with red horns and tails was among them.
That is why an Indian never kills a camp robber when he steals food. He lets him go because he helped to find food for them in the days of the animal people, when the camp robber was a medicine man.
THE CIRCLING OF CRANES
_Eskimo_ (_Bering Straits_)
One day in the autumn, long, long ago, the cranes were preparing to go southward. As they gathered in a great flock, they saw a beautiful girl standing alone near the village. The cranes wanted to take her with them. They gathered about and lifted her on their outspread wings. So they carried her into the air and far away. Now when the cranes were taking her up into the air, they circled below her closely so she could not fall. They also cried in loud, hoarse voices so that people could not hear her call for help. Therefore the cranes always circle about in autumn when preparing to fly southward, and utter loud hoarse cries.
THE LAST OF THE THUNDERBIRDS
_Eskimo_ (_Lower Yukon_)
Long, long ago there were many thunderbirds living in the mountains, but at last there were only two left. These birds made their home on the round top of a mountain overlooking the Yukon. They hollowed out a great basin on the summit for a nest, and from the rocky rims they could look down upon a village upon the river bank.
From this perch the thunderbirds, looking like a black cloud, would soar away, bringing back to their young a reindeer in their talons. Sometimes with a great noise like thunder they swooped down upon a fisherman in his kayak and carried him away. The man would be eaten by the young birds, and the kayak broken to bits in the nest. Every fall the young birds flew away into the northland, but the old birds remained in the nest. They had carried away so many fishermen that only the most daring would go out on the great river.