VII. Woodpecker and Woodrat

Yana Texts, by Edward Sapir, [1910], at sacred-texts.com

VII. WOODPECKER AND WOODRAT.

Red-headed Woodpecker was married to Woodrat Woman. They lived at Wê'yuldiyauk!aimadu. The people were nearly starving for lack of food. Only Woodpecker had any; he got his acorns at a great distance. He had ten sacks, and some acorns he had in the holes of the trees. Woodpecker came home every night, and Rat Woman had lots of soup and bread. Woodpecker and Woodrat Woman would give none to any one. Woodpecker had a brother-in-law, Woodrat. He was sick, his foot was sore, he could not walk. Formerly he had been a fisherman. Woodpecker told his wife, "Give my brother-in-law plenty to eat, he is sick." She did so.

Woodpecker came home with a big load of acorns. The woman gave her brother lots of soup. Woodpecker sat there and ate too. He saw her give her brother soup, and said, "Here! don't do that. Why do you give him that?" Then he got up, took the soup away, and set it down by his own bed. Woodrat turned his back to the fire and went to sleep. The same thing happened every night. By and by the woman dug a hole under her brother's pillow and put the acorn bread in. She put some in, so that while he pretended to be asleep he could eat. Thus Woodpecker was fooled, as she offered soup each night and Woodpecker took it away. But his brother-in-law had bread.

One night Woodpecker came home. He got up in the morning- and told his wife, "Tell my brother-in-law to wash his hands mid to come and eat soup." She did so, gave him soup, but Woodpecker took it away. The next day Woodpecker said, "How comes it that my brother-in-law is so fat?" Woodrat said, "I'll get even with you." When Woodpecker had gone off, his

p. 225

brother-in-law got up and said, "Where's my salmon spear? I'm going to get salmon at Cow creek." He saw some in the water and caught two, then took them home. "Cut them up," he said to his sister. The two ate, had a great feast. By and by he hid all the salmon. Woodpecker came back and smelt the salmon. ".What is it that smells like salmon? You people must have been eating salmon," he said. She said, "No. I don't smell it. Where should we get salmon from?" Woodpecker said he thought he had smelt it; Woodrat said nothing.

Woodrat went again, and as before caught salmon. One day Woodrat said, "Sister, we have had enough salmon. Give Woodpecker some when he comes." They had it all ready; when Woodpecker came in, the salmon was brought out. Woodpecker looked at it and said, "You people have salmon. I thought so." He was very eager to get some to eat. "My brother-in-law is very good," he said, but Woodrat did not move. Woodpecker said, "Give my brother-in-law plenty to eat. I'll not say anything again." Woodrat said to himself, "I thought you had no sense. You must give me food, but I have the best food after all." The woman gave him soup and bread, and Woodpecker did not take it away any more.