Chapter III: Part 3

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.

One day when a fisherman went to look at his traps, he cautioned his wife not to leave the house for fear of the thunderbirds. During the morning, she needed fresh water and started for the river. A noise like thunder filled the air, a black shadow fell over her, and a thunderbird darted down upon her.

When the fisherman returned to his house, people of the village told him of the thunderbird. He made no answer. He took his bow and quiverful of war arrows and started for the mountain. When he reached the rim of the great nest, he looked in. The old birds were away. The nest was full of young eagles with fiery, shining eyes and shrill cries. The hunter fitted a war arrow, the string twanged, and the arrow killed a young thunderbird. So the hunter killed them all.

The hunter hid behind a great rock near the nest. When the old birds came home, the thunder of their wings was heard even across the great river; their cries of rage frightened the villagers on the river's bank. The mother bird swooped down upon the hunter beside the rock. Quickly he fitted a war arrow, the string twanged, and the arrow bit deep into her throat. Then the mother bird, flapping her wings so that the hills shook, flew away to the northland.

The father bird circled overhead and then swooped down upon the hunter. He crouched below the rocks and the thunderbird's great talons caught only the rock. The hunter fitted a war arrow in his bow, the string twanged, and the heavy war arrow bit deep under his great wing. Spreading his wings like a black cloud in the sky, the thunderbird flew away to the northland.

HOW THE KIKSADI CLAN CAME TO SITKA

_Tlingit_

Long ago, when we were first born, people hated us. Then the Sky People brought war upon us. They destroyed us completely. One woman saved herself; she hid in a hole which she dug under a log.

Afterward various people came to her. "I wonder who can tell me about things," she said. Grizzly Bear came near her.

"What can you do?" she asked.

"Whenever I catch a man, I slap my paws down upon him."

The woman said, "That is nothing."

Some one in the sun spoke to her. "How am I?" said a voice.

"What can you do?"

"My father in the sun peeps out through the clouds--the mottled clouds."

So the woman married the child of the sun. He lowered down from the sky a great fort to protect the woman and her children. When the enemy saw that, they came back. The father said, "When the enemy get too strong, put your minds on me." So when the enemy became too strong, the woman and her children put their minds on Grandfather Sun. He peeped out through the clouds upon the enemy. It quickly became smoking hot. The sea water out there boiled. The enemy ran down quickly into the water and were all destroyed. Then the water stopped boiling. The grandchildren of Sun stayed inside their fort.

ORIGIN OF THE GRIZZLY BEAR CREST

_Tlingit_

A long time ago when some of the Kagwantan clan were catching herring at Town-at-mouth-of-lake, a bear came to the place where they were fishing. The bear reached down through the smoke hole and stole the herring they were drying. Then people said; "Who is this thief that is stealing our fish?" Because they said that, the grizzly bear killed all of them. Then the Kagwantan seized their spears and set out to kill the bears nearby. When they found them, the bears were lying in holes they had dug out for themselves. The people said to them, "Come out here. We will fight it out." So the bears came out and the people killed them. They took the skins from the heads of the bears and preserved them. That is how the Kagwantan came to use the grizzly bear crest.

ORIGIN OF THE FROG CREST

_Tlingit_

Long ago, a man and his wife were crossing a large bay near Sitka when it became very foggy. They could not even see the water around their canoe. Then, in the thick fog, they heard singing. The song was:

We picked up a man;
We picked up a man;
You picked up a man.

They captured a man;
They captured a man;
You've captured a man.

The voice was so strong they could hear it re√ęcho among the mountains.

As the fog rose, the song came nearer and nearer. At last they saw the voice came from a wee little frog.

The man said: "This frog is mine. I shall claim it."

His wife said, "No, it is mine. I shall claim it."

Thus they argued. At last the man let his wife take the frog.

The woman took it ashore, treating it just like a child. She took it up into the woods, put it down by a lake, and left it there. That is why the Kiksadi clan at Sitka claim the frog as their totem.

ORIGIN OF THE BEAVER CREST

_Tlingit_

A young beaver was captured, long ago, by a family of the Decitan. It was well cared for, but it became angry and began to make songs. Afterward the beaver's master went through the woods to a creek and found there two salmon-spear handles, beautifully carved. They were at the foot of a big tree. He took them home and when the beaver saw them he said, "That is my work."

After a while, something offended the beaver again. He began to sing just like a human being. Then he seized a spear and threw it through his master's chest. So his master was killed. The beaver thumped its tail on the ground and the house fell into the ground. The beaver had dug a great hollow under the house. It is from this story that the Decitan clan claim the beaver as their totem and have the beaver crest. They also have songs composed by the beaver.

ORIGIN OF THE KILLER WHALE CREST

_Tlingit_

A long time ago there was a man named Natsiane who always quarrelled with his wife. One day his brothers-in-law took him to an island far out at sea and left him there.

Natsiane began to think, "What can I do?" As he sat there thinking, he whittled two killer whales out of cottonwood bark. He put them into the water and shouted as the shamans do. They looked as if they were swimming but when they came to the surface, they were only cottonwood bark.

Natsiane made two more whales out of alder. He tried to put the spirit of his clan into them. As he put them in the water, he whistled four times like a spirit, "_Whu, whu, whu, whu_." When they floated to the surface they were only alder wood. Then he tried hemlock, then red cedar. Afterward he tried yellow cedar. These whales swam right away like large killer whales. They swam out a long distance. When they came back they turned into wood.

Then Natsiane made holes in their dorsal fins, seized one of them with each hand, and let the killer whales tow him out to sea. He said to them, "If you see my brothers-in-law in canoes, you are to upset them." After the whales had towed Natsiane to sea for some distance, they returned to the island. They became wood again.

The next time Natsiane saw his brothers-in-law in their canoes, he put the spirit of his clan into the killer whales. Then they overturned the canoes and broke them to bits. They killed the people in them. After that Natsiane said to his killer whales, "You are not to injure people again. You must be kind to them."

So these two killer whales became the canoes of the spirits. Shamans are lucky if they can get the spirit canoes.

It is through this story that the Daqlawe clan have the killer whale crest.

THE DISCONTENTED GRASS PLANT

_Eskimo_ (_Bering Straits_)

Near the village of Pastolik, at the mouth of the Yukon, grows a tall, slender grass which the women weave into baskets and mats.

A grass-stalk which had almost been pulled up by the women became much frightened. He wished he were something else. Close to him was a bunch of herbs, living peacefully and quietly. Grass said, "I wish I were an Herb." At once it became an Herb, and lived peacefully.

One day the women came back with sharp-pointed picks, made from the antlers of the reindeer. They began to dig up the herbs and to eat some of the roots. Again Grass was frightened. He saw a small creeping plant nearby, very small and obscure. Grass said, "I wish I were a Creeping Plant." At once he became a small Creeping Plant.

The women came back again and tore up much of the small creeping plant. Grass became much worried. He said, "I wish I were that small Tuber-plant there." At once he became a plant having a tuberous root.

Soon a small tundra mouse came creeping through the grass, and began nibbling at one of the tubers nearby. Grass thought, "I will not be safe until I become a Mouse." At once Grass became Mouse.

He felt quite free as Mouse, and ran around over the tundra, nibbling at roots. Sometimes he would sit up on his hind legs and look about him. While travelling along, Mouse saw a great white Thing coming toward him. Sometimes it dropped to the ground, and after eating something would fly on. As it came near, Mouse saw it was a great white owl. Owl saw Mouse and darted down upon it, but Mouse slipped into a hole nearby and Owl flew away.

Mouse was very badly frightened by this. When he came out of his hole, he said, "I will be Owl. Then I will be safe." At once he became a beautiful white Owl. With slow, noiseless wing he flew toward the north, stopping now and then to catch and eat a mouse. After a long flight, he came in sight of Sledge Island. Owl thought he would go there. When far out at sea, he became very tired. He could hardly reach the shore.

As he rested on a piece of driftwood on the sand, two men passed along the shore. Owl thought for a while. Then he said, "I will be a Man." At once he became a fine-looking young man, but he had no clothing. Night came on and the air became cool. Man sat down with his back against the piece of driftwood and slept there until morning. When the sun arose he awakened. He felt lame and stiff from the cold night air.

Looking about him, Man found some grass which he wove into a loose robe, which helped to keep out the cold. Suddenly he saw reindeer near him. He crept on hands and knees close to one, seized it by the horns and broke its neck with a single effort. He carried the reindeer on his back to his sleeping place. He felt all over the reindeer's body but its skin was too thick for his fingers to break an opening. For a long time he thought. Then he saw near him a sharp-edged stone. He picked it up and found he could cut the skin with it. So Man skinned the deer. But he had no fire with which to cook it. Looking around, he saw two round white stones upon the beach. Striking them together, he saw they gave out sparks. He then found some dry wood and scraped off bits. With the wood and the stones he made a fire, and roasted some of the meat.

Man tried to swallow a large piece of meat, as he had done when he was Owl, but he could not do it. He had to cut it with the sharp-edged stone into smaller pieces.

The next day he killed another reindeer and skinned it. And the next day another. Then the nights became so cold he wrapped the skins upon him. When they dried, they became as part of his body. But the nights became still colder, and the days were colder. Then Chunuhluk, the man, found some driftwood and made a rough hut.

After finishing his hut, Chunuhluk was walking over the hills one day when he met a strange black beast among the blueberry bushes. Chunuhluk did not know what to do, but at last he caught it by the hind legs. The black thing turned around with a growl and showed its white teeth. Chunuhluk quickly caught the bear by the heavy hair and threw it to the ground so it lay quiet. Then he killed it. Then he threw it across his shoulders and went home. Then he skinned it.

When Chunuhluk skinned the bear, he found it had much fat. He thought it might burn. His hut was very dark. So he went along the beach until he found a flat stone with a small hollow in it. He put the oil from the fat in this; then he put in a bit of dry moss and set the end of the moss on fire. Then his hut was lighted very well.

Chunuhluk also hung the bearskin in the opening of the door to keep out the cold. So he lived many days.

But at last Chunuhluk became lonely. Then he remembered the two men who had passed him when he was Owl. He went in search of people. At last he found two new kayaks at the foot of a hill, with spears, lines, floats, and other hunting implements. Then he saw a path nearby. On the top was a house. On the ground around were several dead white whales. Chunuhluk crept cautiously into the entrance way and up to the door. He lifted the corner of a skin and saw a young man working on some arrows. He stepped in very quietly. The young man raised a bow and arrow to shoot, but Chunuhluk said, "I have come, brother."

The young man said gladly, "Are you my brother? Come and sit beside me."

At first the young man was very glad. He taught Chunuhluk all things. Then at last he became jealous of him. Then Chunuhluk became scornful. He said one day, "You cannot kill anything without a bow and arrow. I can kill with my hands alone." Then the brother became still more angry.

One day both were out on the water in their kayaks. The young man said, "Now let us see who can gain the shore first." They both reached the beach at the same time. Then the young man said, "You are no more my brother. You go in that direction and I will go in this." So they parted angrily. As they went, Chunuhluk turned into Wolverine and his brother became Gray Wolf. To this day they wander in the same country, but never together.

THE WIND PEOPLE

_Koryak_ (_Siberia_)

It was at a time when the Creator lived. Once a violent snowstorm broke out and it blew incessantly. Creator got ready to go to Wind Man's village to find out why the storm raged so constantly. He took a skin boat instead of a sledge. He hitched to it mice instead of reindeer. Then he started.

He came to the village of the Wind People. All the people surrounded him and laughed at his sledge and reindeer. "How will you carry off our presents on such reindeer?" they asked.

Creator said, "Just put them into the boat and never mind how I carry them off."

The Wind People took out all the food and clothes they had and loaded the skin boat heaping full. Creator drove back his mice which dragged the loaded skin boat home. Then he returned to the village of the Wind People. They loaded his skin boat again and he carried off everything they had. Then Creator's mice gnawed the straps off all the sledges and harness of the Wind People. Thus the Wind People could not drive any more and the snowstorm ceased. That's all.

TRICKS OF THE FOX

_Koryak_ (_Siberia_)

One day Fox said to his children, "I am going to get some eggs." He went to the woods and saw Eagle's nest high up in a tree. He put some grass stalks into his ears, knocked with them on the tree, and said to Eagle, "Throw me down an egg. If you don't, I will knock the tree over with these stalks and break it."

Eagle became frightened and threw down an egg.

"Throw down another," said Fox.

"That's enough," said Eagle. "I will not throw down any more."

Fox said, "Throw it down. If I knock down the tree, I'll take them all."

Eagle was frightened and threw down another egg. Then Fox laughed and said, "I fooled you nicely. How could I have knocked down a whole tree with these small grass stalks?"

Eagle became angry. He threw himself upon Fox, grasped him with his talons, lifted him high in the air, flew far out to sea and threw him down upon a lonely island.

Fox remained on that island. He lived there and thought to himself, "Am I really going to die on this island?"

Fox began to sing shamans' songs. Seals, walrus, and whales appeared near the island. "What are you singing about?" they asked Fox.

"This is what I was singing about," said Fox. "Are there more animals in the waters of the sea or on the dry land?"

"Certainly there are more in the waters of the sea," so the Sea People replied.

"Well, let us see," said Fox. "Come up to the surface of the water and form a raft from this island to the land. Then I will take a walk over you and count you all."

The Sea People all came up to the surface of the water and formed a raft. Fox ran over their backs, pretending to count them. But as soon as he reached land, he jumped ashore and went home. That's all.

THE END

Transcriber's Note

Variations in spelling are preserved as printed.

The following amendments have been made:

Frontispiece caption--Tinglit amended to Tlingit--Tlingit
Indians in Dancing Costume

Page xiii--Tinglit amended to Tlingit--Tlingit Indians in
Dancing Costume

Page 19--beak-mast amended to beak-mask--Then Raven pulled down
his beak-mask, ...

The frontispiece illustration has been moved to follow the title page. Other illustrations have been moved where necessary so that they are not in the middle of a paragraph.