4. The Salmon

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Once upon a time there was a chief who had a daughter. Many people wanted to marry her, but he was unwilling to part with her. [Finally he arranged for a contest.] He put [a pair of] elk antlers [in the middle of the house and said]: "Whosoever breaks these antlers shall have my daughter." He invited all the people. First the quadrupeds, then the birds. [When all were assembled] the people said to the snail: "You try first to break them." The snail went down to the middle of the house and tried to break the antlers, but did not succeed.

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[paragraph continues] Then they said to the squirrel: "You try next to break them." The squirrel bent the antlers a little, but was not able to break them. Then they said to the otter: "Now you try to break them." When the otter went down the girl thought: "I wish he would break them." She liked him [because he was so pretty]. He tried to break them, but did not succeed. He went up again. Next the beaver went down. He was very stout, and Blue-Jay said: "Oh, certainly, he with his big belly, he will break them." He took up the antlers and almost succeeded in breaking them, but he grew tired and went back. Then the wolf went down and almost succeeded in breaking the antlers, but he grew tired and went up. Then the bear went down and almost succeeded in breaking the antlers.

Now there was one person in the house whose body was full of sores and boils. Then Blue-Jay said: "Let him try what he can do, the one whose body is sore all over." But next the grizzly bear went down. He almost broke it, when he also grew tired. Next the panther, the chief of all, went down, but he did not succeed. Then Ipo'êpoê went down. Then the girl thought: "O, if he would break them." He took them up, but did not succeed at all. He went up. After that the sparrow-hawk went down. He almost broke them, and went up; then another hawk went down. He almost broke them, but then he grew tired. Now next the chicken-hawk went down. He tried to move them, but they did not move. Then the owl went down. They did not move. Then he went back. Then the eagle went down. He bent them and almost broke them. Now all the quadrupeds and all the birds had tried.

Then Blue-Jay said: "Give the antlers to that one who is full of sores; let him try what he can do." All the people had given it up. He continued: "Quick, stand up; [let us see] what can you accomplish? Break those antlers." Five times he said so. Then that person arose, shook his body, and shook his blanket. He shook his hair. [Then his body became clean, his hair long and full of dentalia, and he was very beautiful. They saw that he was the salmon.] Then he went to the middle of the house, took up the antlers and broke them. He broke them into five pieces and threw them down. Then he ran away. The people stared at him. After a little while Blue-Jay said: "Let us pursue our chief's niece." Then she took her dentalia and ran also. "Ah," said the wolf, "we will pursue them." Then all the people went in pursuit. They followed them a long distance. Then the man created a bay behind them. The people reached it, but the couple was already on the other side. After a while the people reached the other side of the bay. They continued to pursue them. Again they pursued them a long distance. He looked back and saw that the people were near overtaking them. Then he made a middle-sized bay. Again the people reached the bay and saw the two far away on the other side. Again the people reached the other side of the bay and continued their pursuit.

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[paragraph continues] He made five bays, then he gave it up. The people crossed all five bays. Coyote and Badger, who were among the pursuers, became tired, and Coyote said to his friend: "My friend, I am getting tired. What do you think if I enchant my arrow?" Badger replied: "All right." Then Coyote blew on his arrow [singing]: "Strike his head, strike his head." Three times he sang to his arrow: "Strike his head, strike his head." And five times he blew on it. Then he shot upward and the arrow went "Halululululululu." The arrow struck the young man right in the nape and he fell down dead. The wolves were first among the pursuers, and they took the woman. The people devoured the salmon. They gave coyote the salmon's bow. Then an egg fell down from him into a hole in the rock. Then the people went home. Now the Crow learned that her nephew had been killed. She went away and cried. She cried. Now she arrived at the place where he had been killed. She [looked for his remains,] turned over the stones, cried, and turned them again. Then she found one salmon egg. She carried it to the river, made a small hole [in the bank of the river] and put the egg into the water. In the evening she went home.

Early next morning the Crow went again to look after that egg. It had grown a little. Then she made a larger hole [and put the egg into it]. In the evening she went home again. She reached her house. She did not sleep at all, and it grew day again. Early in the morning she went again [to look after the egg]. She cried while going. She arrived at that salmon egg. Now a small trout was swimming [in the hole]. This gladdened her a little. She made a still larger hole. In the evening she went home and slept a little. Early in the morning she went out again the fourth time. She arrived at that salmon egg and saw a large trout swimming there. Then the Crow was really glad. She made a large hole. Early in the afternoon she, went home. She, arrived at home. When it grew dark she fell asleep. Early in the morning she awoke, arose, and went to look after the trout. She arrived and saw a small salmon swimming there. Now she made a still larger hole and left it again. At noon she went home. She arrived at home. She thought only of the salmon. It grew dark. Early the next morning she went again. She arrived and now there swam a large salmon. She took it, threw it ashore, and it was transformed into a tall boy. Now the Crow was happy. They went home together. She said to her grandnephew: "Bathe, that you may see spirits." He bathed. First he bathed in the river and after that in the sea. Every night he bathed. After he had finished bathing in the sea, he bathed in [ponds on] the mountains. Now he became a young man.

Then his grandaunt told him: "Coyote and his friend Badger killed your father. If it had not been for that woman they would not have killed him. They took her to the wolves." He replied: "I will go and search for Coyote." "Do not go, else they will kill you." After a while the Crow told him: "They gave your father's bow to Coyote."

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[paragraph continues] "I will go and search for Coyote; I have seen enough spirits." "Oh, tell me who is your spirit?" Then he said to his grandaunt: "Let us go outside." The Crow went out with him. Then he shot his arrow toward the forest and it caught fire. He shot his arrow toward the prairie and it caught fire. Then the Crow said: "Indeed you have seen spirits." She said: "You must go, but take care of yourself." The next day he made himself ready. He put on his dentalia, and took his arrows. Then it thundered, although the sky was clear. He went on and crossed five prairies.

Then he saw a house [a long way off ]. He went on and when he came near the house he heard a person singing songs of victory. He stayed outside. Somebody was singing there at the end of the house. Slowly he opened the door and stood in the doorway. Then Coyote sneezed and sang jestingly: "Salmon's son came; certainly he will kill me. But I jump about much in my house; certainly he will kill me." He had put black paint on his face. His face was blackened, and so was Badger's face. At that moment the door made a noise and he looked back to the doorway. Verily there stood the one in the door whom they had killed. "O, my dear, my dear!" said Coyote, "they killed him whom I loved so well. Somebody who looks just like him is walking about." Then the salmon's son entered. He sat down on the bed and said: "Be quiet, Coyote! I know that you killed my father." Then Coyote was quiet. Badger meanwhile turned his face toward the wall and was rubbing it [in order to remove the paint]. The salmon's son said: "Give me my father's bow." Coyote replied: "I will give it to you, my dear!" He arose and took a bow out [of a box]. [The young man] took it and spanned it. It broke to pieces, and he struck Coyote with the pieces so that he fell down headlong. His feet quivered. Then Coyote arose again. The salmon's son said: "Give me my father's bow." Coyote replied: "I will give it to you, my dear." He took out another bow and gave it to him. [When the young man tried to span it it broke and] he struck Coyote's face with the pieces. He fell on his back and his feet quivered. Again he arose [and the salmon's son said once more]: "Give me my fathers bow! Why do you deceive me?" Then Coyote gave him another bow to the back of which heads of woodpeckers were glued. The young man spanned it with his left hand. It did not break. Then he spanned it with his right hand and it broke to pieces. He struck Coyote with the pieces and he fell on his back. Then Coyote had given him four bows; and they all broke. The fifth one which he gave him was his father's bow. Three times he spanned it with his left hand; three times he spanned it with his right hand. It did not break. The heads of red-headed woodpeckers were put by twos on the back of that bow. Then the young man said to Badger: "Be quiet, Badger, I know that you are a murderer." Badger replied: "I am no murderer; I merely blackened my face for fun." Then the young man took hold of Coyote and Badger

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at their napes, hauled them out of the house, struck them together and killed them. He threw down Coyote and said: "Coyote will be your name; henceforth you will not kill chiefs." He threw down Badger and said: "Badger will be your name; henceforth you will not kill chiefs. People will fear only your winds. You will never go near men." He threw them away and burned their house.

He went on. [After traveling sometime] he came to a prairie. He crossed it and saw smoke arising at its end. He went on. He almost reached a house, and heard a woman crying inside. He opened the door slowly, but it made a noise. The woman looked up and saw him; [he looked like] her husband whom they had killed. He entered. The house was full of meat. He said: "I came to look for you; let us go home. The one who was killed was my father." Then she replied: "The monsters will kill you." "Let them kill me," he said. She gave him to eat and he ate. In the afternoon he went outside and cut five pieces of flesh from his nape. He tied them up. Then he ate alder-bark until his stomach became full. He reentered the house and gave the woman the five bundles of meat, saying: "When the monsters come home give each one of them a bundle of meat. If they eat it I shall be able to win over them. Give it to them when they notice me." Now he deceived them. He blew on the fire until he was covered with ashes and looked like all old man.

In the evening the noise of falling objects was heard. A person entered and when he came to the middle of the house he cried: "I smell salmon; I smell salmon." When he saw the old man he kicked him many times, until blood came out of his mouth. ¹ Then the woman arose and gave him one bundle of meat, saying: "I am a human being; do you think I have no relatives? This old man [is one of my family]; he brought this for you." "O, my sister in-law's relative, why did you not tell me before, I should not have hurt my sister-in law's relative." After a little while a noise was heard again. Another person appeared. He entered. When he was near the middle of the house he cried: "I smell salmon; I smell salmon." When he noticed the old man he kicked him many times, so that he flew about and blood came out of his mouth. Then the woman arose and said: "I am a human being; do you think I have no relatives? This old man brought this for you." And she gave him one handle of meat. "O, my sister-in-law's relative, why did you not tell me before, I should not have hurt my sister-in-law's relative." Again a noise was heard outside and a, person appeared. He entered. Some distance, before he reached the middle of the house he said: "I smell salmon; I smell salmon." When he saw the old man he kicked him and he flew about in the house and blood came out of his month. The woman waited a little while, then she arose and took a bundle of meat and gave it to her brother-in-law, saying: "I am a human being; do you think I have no relatives? This

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old man brought this for you." "O, my sister-in-law's relative, poor man, why did you not tell me long ago? I should not have hurt my sister-in-law's relative." Again a noise was heard and one more person appeared. He had hardly entered the house when he said: "I smell salmon; I smell salmon." When he saw the old man he kicked him so that he flew about and blood came from his month. The woman waited a long time. Then she said: "I am a human being. Do you think I have no relatives? This old man brought this for you;" and she gave him one bundle of meat. "O, my sister-in-law's relative, why did you not tell me long ago, I should not have hurt my sister-in-law's relative." And he ate the piece of salmon. Now only her husband remained [outside]. After a little while a noise was heard and one more person appeared. He just opened the door when he noticed the smell of salmon and said: "I smell salmon; I smell salmon." When he saw the old man he kicked him many times, so that he flew about and blood came from his mouth. The woman hesitated, and the old man was kicked much. Then she arose and said: "I am a human being. Do you think I have no relatives? This old man brought this for you." She gave him that bundle. "O, my brother-in-law, why did you not tell me long ago? I should not have hurt my brother-in-law."

Now they skinned and carved the elks and wanted to give some of the meat to the old man, but he did not eat it. The woman said: "Perhaps you. have broken his ribs, so that he can not eat." Early the following morning the wolves made themselves ready and went hunting. Then the young salmon arose and went bathing. The woman boiled food for him, which he ate. After he had finished they went to bed. In the afternoon he again blew into the fire [so that he was covered with ashes] and became an old man. In the evening the wolves arrived at home and brought elks. This time they did not kick him. In the evening they looked at his arrows and said: "How pretty are the arrows of our sister-in -law's relative!" He replied: "I made them." "Make one for me; make me a flint arrowhead," said the eldest brother. The young salmon replied: "Willingly; but sometimes I will break a piece or two of flint." Then he gave him five pieces of flint. Early the next morning the wolves went hunting again, When they had gone the salmon's son went to bathe and then worked it the arrowheads. He finished them all. He took one and kept it for himself. In the evening the wolves returned and brought home elks. After they had carved them they looked at the arrowheads and said: "How pretty are these arrowheads." The salmon replied: "[That is nothing,] when I was a young man I knew how to make arrowheads." The second wolf said: "Tomorrow you must make some for me." "Willingly." Then he gave him five pieces of flint. Early the next morning the wolves went hunting. After some time he arose and made the arrowheads. He

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finished them all, but kept one for himself. In the evening they arrived at home. When it had become dark they looked at the arrowheads which the old man had made. He gave him four and kept one for himself. Then the next said: "To-morrow you must make some for me, my sister-in-law's relative." He also left five pieces of flint. Early the next morning they left and went hunting. Now he worked again at the arrowheads and finished all. He kept one for himself. In the evening the wolves arrived at home. When it grew dark they looked at the old man's work. "Oh, how pretty are these arrowheads," they said. Then the fourth wolf said: "To-morrow you must make some for me, my sister-in-law's relative." He gave him five pieces of flint. Early the next morning the wolves made themselves ready and went hunting. Then the salmon's son arose. He worked at the arrowheads and finished them all. One he kept for himself. In the evening the wolves arrived at home. It grew dark and he gave them four arrowheads, one he kept for himself. "Oh, how pretty are these arrowheads." "To-morrow my brother-in-law will make some for me," said the youngest wolf, the husband of that woman. "Willingly," replied he. He left five pieces of flint for him. Early the next morning the wolves made themselves ready and went hunting. Then the salmon's son arose; he worked at the arrowheads and finished them; one he kept for himself. In the evening they arrived at home and brought elks. Their house was full of elk meat. When it grew dark they looked at the arrowheads which he had made: "Oh, my brother-in-law, your arrowheads are pretty, they are good." Early the next morning they arose again and went hunting. Then the salmon said to the woman: "Arise, now I shall kill them." The woman arose. "Take care," she said. Then they made themselves ready.

The five wolves had each a well. The salmon's son and his widow went out of the house. He took his bow and spanned it; he pointed his arrow to the mountains. Then it became hot and the wells dried up, except that of the youngest wolf, in which a little water remained.

The eldest one was on his hunt; [the heat dried the bows of the hunters and when the eldest wolf spanned] his bow it broke. Then he cried: "O, certainly the salmon's son came in disguise." He went to the beach. He became very thirsty and came to his well; he looked into it and it was dry and empty. He looked into that of his younger brother; it was also dry and empty. Then he looked into the well of the middle one; it was dry and empty. He looked into the well of the next brother; it was dry and empty. Then he looked into the well of his youngest brother, and there he found a little water. He jumped down and began to drink. He drank, and drank, and drank until he had enough. Then the salmon's son shot him. He fell right where he stood. They hauled out the body and hid it.

And the second brother was on his hunt [etc., as before]. He found a little water. He looked at it. He looked and looked, but he did not

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see anything and went into the well and began to drink. He drank, and drank, and drank, until he had enough. Then. the salmon's son shot him and he fell right where he stood. They hauled out the body and hid it.

And one more went out to hunt [etc., as before]. He found a little water. He looked, and looked, and looked. He intended to go down, but looked again. He went around the well once. Then he jumped down into it. He drank a little and looked again. Then he drank again. He drank, and drank, and drank, until he had enough. Then the salmon's son shot him. He fell down right where he stood. They hauled out the body and hid it.

And still another went out to hunt [etc., as before]. A little water was in the well. He looked, and looked, and looked. He observed something suspicious, but decided to go down. He went around the well many times, and waited a long time; then he went down. He drank a little, then came up. At last he went down again, and drank, and drank, and drank until he was full. Then the salmon's son shot him and he fell. They hauled him out and hid him.

And the youngest one went out to hunt. Then he broke his bow. He cried: "Oh, the salmon's son came to us in disguise." Then he went out of the woods and looked into the wells of his elder brothers. They were dry and empty. The wells of his four elder brothers were dry, but a little water was in his own well. He saw a little blood. Then he went often around his well and he searched for them. He looked about. He almost stepped on them. Then he jumped down and drank. He jumped up again. Now he looked up again and looked about. He jumped down again. Five times he jumped up and down. Then he drank and got enough. Then the salmon's son shot him. He killed the last one.

Now the man and the woman went down to the water and burnt their house. He went home and took the woman along. They came to their canoe and went down the river. When they had gone a distance he said: "I am getting sleepy. I shall lie down in the canoe; you shall not awake me until after five days." He lay down in the canoe, and they traveled on. He slept two nights; then the woman noticed flies on his mouth. After three nights she, saw that he was full of fly-blows, and after four nights she saw maggots crawling around his month. Then she [became afraid] and awoke him. She shook him. He awoke, took hold of her and said: "Why did you awake me? Did I tell you to awake me?" He flung her into the water and said: "Your name will be Pigeon; henceforth you will not be the wife of a chief. Your cry will be heard in summer." Then the salmon jumped into the water. The pigeon drifted away and somewhere she drifted ashore. After awhile two ravens found her. One of them said: "I will take one of her eyes and I will take one of her cheeks; we will divide the intestines." "No," said the other, "I will take both

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her eyes and one of her cheeks; we will divide the intestines." "You are wrong," replied the other, "one eye for you, one eye for me, one check for me, and one check for you; we will divide the intestines." While they were talking she arose, flew away and left them.

Now the salmon swain away. After awhile he came to a country and went ashore. He went a long way and came to a creek. He saw smoke arising on the other side. Then he assumed the form of an old man. His whole body and his head were full of scabs. He shouted. Five sisters were camping there. [When they heard him they said to the eldest one:] "Who is that? Go and fetch him." She went across the creek and when she saw him she said: "Come down to the water, I came to fetch you." "Oh," he replied, "carry me on your back." She returned and said to her sisters, "It is an old man; he told me that I should carry him on my back, but his body is all full of scabs." The next younger sister said: "I will go and fetch him. He shall look after our fire." She went across the creek and said: "I come to fetch you." "Oh, carry me on your back." She went up and took him by his arm and was going to take him, but blood came out at once. Therefore she left him and went home. She said: "He is too old, I touched his arm. and blood came out at once." Then she said to her younger sister: "Go and fetch him." The middle one went across the creek. She arrived on the other side and said: "I come to fetch you, come down to the water." "Oh, carry me on your back." Then she went up and took hold of his arm. She lifted him and blood and matter came out at once. Then she also left him. Then the next sister said: "I will go and fetch him; he shall take care of our fire." She went across, and when she arrived on the other side said: "Come down, old man, I came to fetch you." "Oh, carry me on your back." She went up and took him on her back. She carried him a short distance, and became full of blood and matter. She left him. [When she came back to her sisters she said:] "He is indeed too full of scabs and sores." Then the youngest sister arose and went across the creek without saying a word. They said to her: "You are not proud, you will certainly be willing to carry him." They saw how their younger sister went across. Then the eldest one said: "Look" The old man came and went to the canoe. He shook himself. Then [his scabs fell off and] he had a fine sea-otter blanket on. He went into the canoe and the girl carried him across. He was a beautiful chief. He married the sisters and the youngest one became his head wife. He married them all; but he loved only the youngest one.

Now they lived there for some time and the women went digging roots every day. They left him alone. After several days the eldest sister came home first. She did not find him in the camp, and when she went down to the beach she saw him asleep in their canoe. He lay there. She pushed the canoe slowly from the shore. There was a land-breeze and the wind drifted it seaward. When the man

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awoke he lifted his blanket and saw no land. Then he covered his face again. He slept for two days. Then he awoke; he felt as though the canoe was rocking. He took off his blanket and saw that he was on the beach of an island. He went ashore. He hauled his canoe up, turned it over, and lay down beneath it. In the morning he heard the noise of steps on the beach, and he saw a woman coming. She stepped right up to where he lay and said: "Rise! Let us go home." He arose. They hauled up his canoe and she broke it to pieces. Now they went home. They reached a house which was full of sea-otters. She hid him. After awhile [another woman] her elder sister entered the house. She carried two sea-otters on her back. Early the following morning they went again and the youngest one came home before the other. She carried one sea-otter only. Then the elder one said to her: "Lo! You are home already!" [The younger one replied:] "Yes I came home because I did not find anything." Then the elder sister thought: "What is the matter with her? She says that she does not find anything." On the following morning they went the second time. They always searched on the beach going around the island. The one always went on one side of the island, the other on the other. At the farther end of the island they used to meet. Now the younger one returned long before she reached the place where they always met. The elder one observed her. Again she came home first. Early the next morning they went again. When the elder one got to the place where they always met, she found no tracks of her younger sister. [She went on and saw] she had turned back long ago. Then she observed her more closely. She came home; she had found three sea-otters. She saw their smoke. Now her younger sister's smoke did not arise straight, while her own smoke arose straight. Then she noticed that something had happened. On the fourth morning the two sisters started again. The youngest went a short distance and returned. The eldest went around the island and saw that her sister had turned back far from where they used to meet. Again she saw their smoke, and saw that her sister's did not rise straight. Then she went home. The younger sister was already there. She said: "You are at home already." "Yes," she replied, "I did not find anything and turned back." On the fifth morning they started again. Now the eldest one went first. She hid herself and watched her younger sister who went later. [When she had left] she returned and searched in her sister's bed. She found a man lying down, and said: "Arise! indeed, you two are foolish. Why did she hide you?" Soon her sister returned home and saw that her [sister had found her] husband. Then the elder sister said: "Indeed, you are foolish, you have no sense. Why did you always hide our husband? If I had found him I should not have hid him." Then he married both the sisters.

He stayed there a long time; then he said: "I am homesick." Then his wives made him ready. They each gave him five baskets. Then

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they told him: "To-morrow you will be taken home." The next morning he saw a whale on the beach; it was a red whale. Now they carried sea-otter skins to the canoe [i. e., the whale], and they said to him: "Now lie down [in the whale] and do not look." After five nights he took off his blanket. The whale lay on the beach. He cut five pieces of blubber from the whale and carried his sea-otters and his baskets to the shore. Then the whale returned.

After awhile a person met him on the beach. Near him lay the whale meat and the sea-otters. He asked that person: "Where are my wives?" "They are in their house." "Tell them to come down here." Then that person went up to the house and said: "Oh, your husband has come home; he tells you to come down to the beach." Two of the women had cut their hair. Four of his wives went down to the beach. Only the eldest one did not come. They carried up the whale and the sea-otter skins. He said: "Tell your eldest sister to come down; she shall carry this whale." They went tip to the house and said to their sister: "Come down and fetch that whale." Then she combed herself, greased her hair, and painted her face. She went down to the beach and lifted the whale. When she turned to go home the man said: "Turn toward the sea." She turned seaward. He put the whale meat on her back. The water reached up to her knees. They put another piece of whale meat on her and the water reached to her hips. Five times they did so, then [the water reached up to her neck and] she began to swim. She moved her arms up and down. Now she began to fly [and the man said]: "Coatch shall be your name; when it is calm you will fly about. Henceforth you will not make chiefs miserable." Then he went home to his wives. He gave them everything, the sea-otters and a piece of whale meat each.

Footnotes

81:1 In fact he was expectorating, the juice of the alder bark which he had chewed.