5. Raven and Gull

p. 90

There was the gull. Every day he went on the beach to search for food, and filled his bag with poggies and codfish and flounders. One day he went to search on the beach and saw tracks of a person which had come towards him and turned back again. He went all over the beach, but he did not find anything. He went home and thought: "To-morrow I will start earlier." The next morning he went again. He went a long distance. He found tracks of a person who had already returned home [before he came to the beach]. He grew angry. He went some distance, but did not find anything. Then he went home. He scolded. Early the next morning he arose and went. He went a short distance and found tracks of a person who had already returned. He was very angry. He went a short way, but did not find anything. He went home. Then he scolded. He had inherited the beach. On the following morning he went out the fourth time. He went a short distance and found tracks of a person. He became very angry and scolded. He returned home, sharpened his knife, and said: "To-morrow I will discover who is always earlier than I." He did not eat, and when

it was still quite dark he started. He had gone quite a distance when the morning star rose. Now he saw a person, and after some time they met. He recognized the raven. He carried a large mat on his back. "What is in your mat, Kanauwulewulewulewule?" "I carry crabs' claws to my children." The gull went around him and said to the man: "What is in your mat, Kanauwulewulewulewule?" "I carry crabs' claws to my children." Five times he went around him and then he stabbed [the raven with his knife]. He fell down and died. Then he took the raven's mat and poured it out. Then poggies mixed with codfish and founders fell out. He put them into his own mat and went home. [While he was walking he sang:] "Now I have killed the one who always went out first." He got home.

After a little while some people found the raven dead on the beach. [They said to a young man:] "Quick, go and tell his sister." He ran to the house of the crow and entered. He found the crow at work making a large mat. "Your brother has been killed, crow," he shouted. She remained silent. He repeated, "The gull has killed your brother." She remained silent. Again he said: "Your brother has been killed, crow." Five times he repeated it. Then the crow arose, took some cedar bark, and tied it around her head as a head ring, and tied some around her waist. Then she took a rattle and began to sing and to shake her rattle. She called together all her people, the land birds. She called the eagles, the owls, the cranes, the chicken-hawks, the large hawks, the duck-hawks. All her people were strong. The gull called together his people, the ducks, the tail ducks [?], sprit-tail ducks [?], pelicans, albatross, loons, shags, and coatches. All his people were flat footed. Now the crow made war against the gull. [They sang their war song:] "I shall frighten him away from the beach, Tasmô'tl Tasmô'tl hê hê hê hê [Tasmô'tl is the mythical name of the gull]. The duck-hawk jumped at the tail duck and tore off its head and they killed part of the gull's people. They became afraid. The crow said: "Let it be low water early in the morning." They said: "The crow asks for low water in the morning. Then the flood tide shall begin. Many things will drift ashore." The gull wanted to give her high water early in the morning, but the crow did not accept it. The gull's people were afraid and said: "Give her what she wants, give her what she wants, or she will kill us." Then he wanted to give her half-tide early in the morning. But the crow did not accept it. One-half of the gull's people were killed by that time. Then he offered her ebb tide late in the morning, but she did not accept it. Then the gall's people said: "Give her what she wants, else she will kill us. She call not rise early, you will always be the first to wake up and she will awake after you. You will first go to the beach and she will go after you." Then the gull said: "Tell her that I will give her what she wants." They went to the crow and said: "Now he gives you what you have asked for." Then the crow was glad, and she and her people went home.