15. THE FRIGHTENER.

Fisher-Man lived with his brothers. And they say that they all went hunting, and returned towards evening. Their wives were cooking, were roasting ground-squirrels, roasting fish. And just as they were setting it down ready for supper, a man came after them to kill them.

They were afraid just to hear him talking; and that sweat-house-ful of men and women started to run, they started to run away. Meanwhile (just by) speaking, by speech, he scared them. Thoroughly (he scared them); the sound of brush being dragged along, with hearing the sound of brush dragged along, he scared them again. Then, jumping up by the smoke-hole, he was stamping and dancing. So they, being frightened, all ran away.

Meanwhile having crawled in, all being gone, he took from the fire the fish, and ground-squirrel, and all such food, and ate it. Then, after he had eaten, he went off, carrying what remained to his house.

They (Fisher and brothers) again, another morning, went fishing with nets, hunting ground-squirrels as they went along. When it was night, those who had been hunting ground-squirrel, as went along, came back together. And those who had been fishing came back together. Then they (said), "I wonder what it is that is doing this to us! Even a big person would be well frightened to hear it."

Again, just before they ate supper, they heard him from that direction. He frightened them again by making them hear the sound of dragging brush (in) the region

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over towards the side-hill (?). They all ran away. And when they had listened from a little distance away opposite, they were frightened to hear him talking. So, after a while they went off farther. Then, all having come back, they all went to sleep without any supper. "I wonder what it is! Surely, if he should do the same thing again to-night, I will see him!" one said.

Then the men went off hunting, went off hunting without any breakfast. Towards evening they returned, one after another. They brought back (?) fish caught in nets. So, while they were being careful, one said, "You must be eating (your) supper." Then, just as they were getting ready to eat the supper, there was a noise from that direction.

He made a sound like dragging of brush, sound of talking. "I am a supernaturally powerful man. I am a fighter, a fighting-man." So it was he made a noise. Then they, being frightened, all ran away.

Meanwhile Fisher-Man stood up close beside the door. Now (the other) had made the people run away. He made a noise, stamping on the house. Thence no one appeared, stood up (?), Then by and by he crawled in. He sat down beside the fire. He took those people's roast from the fire, and, having taken it out, ate it. just as he was going to take a bite (?), he said, "Spider, shake it off." ¹ Then he ate, sitting there.

Meanwhile he (Fisher-Man), having walked towards him from where he had been standing, picked up the poker, and, striking him on the head, knocked him down. "Evil one! You shall be a bird, and not one who scares away men! (You shall be) one who shall get his living by scratching about under bushes, not troubling mortal men," he said. After he had killed him, he spoke.

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Meanwhile the crowd, who had run away, came back one after another. "I wonder that such a thing should have done so to us, frightening us!" they said. "Why didn't we kill him long ago, (for) it was long ago he made us timid?" Then they were there eating their roast, eating their supper, only then (i. e., that was the first time they were able to). Then, having completely killed him, they remained at this same place in the olden time. "Squinting women are all gathering cat-tails." ¹ That is all, it is said.

Footnotes

217:1 A phrase said to be repeated before eating,--a prayer to Spider "shake" off any evil or danger connected with the food.

219:1 A phrase often used at the end of myths. The allusion is not clear.