Ô'?mâ<STRIKE>l</STRIKE> kills the Thunder-Birds

Ô'?mâl kills the Thunder-Birds.

Then Ô'?mâl considered what to do [looked at his heart]; and he was going to make war against the Thunder-Bird. He took poles and made a whale of them. Then the work of Ô'?mâl was finished. Then he sent Mink to borrow the whale mask of the Whale. Mink started. "I was told by Ô'?mâl to borrow your whale mask." Thus said Mink. Then Whale gave-him the whale mask. "Don't try to open it," said Whale to Mink. Then Mink started on the trail. He untied the bag. A small piece of root was in it. Then it spouted, and came up to blow on the ground. Mink returned to Whale. Then, "Come, take your whale mask," said Mink to Whale.

p. 243

[paragraph continues] The Whale started. What should there be! Behold! the whale mask of Whale came up blowing on the beach. Then Whale folded up his whale mask and put it into the bag, and it was an old piece of root In the bag, of the whale mask of Whale. Mink started, and arrived at Ô'?mâl's (house). Then Ô'?mâl went into the whale that he had made of poles.

Then the younger brothers of Ô'?mâl got ready, and they all went into the whale. "I shall be in the spout-hole," said Mink. Then the whale went down and came up below (the house of) Thunder-Bird.

The father of Thunder-Bird was sitting on the ground. Then he saw the whale. "Come, One-Whale-Carrier!" he said to his child. Then he put on his thunder-bird mask and went to grasp it. He just lifted the face of the whale. Then Mink was grasped. "Tsâ, tsâ," said Mink when he was grasped. Then Thunder-Bird was struck. His eye was stung by the wasp. He was killed by Grizzly Bear and the Wolf. Then Thunder-Bird was dead.

"Come, Two-Whale-Carrier!" said the father. Then Two-Whale-Carrier arose, put on his thunder-bird mask, and grasped (the whale). Then he lifted it out of the water, and Two-Whale-Carrier was also killed.

"Come, it is wrong with your younger brothers on the water," said the father. Then Three-Whale- Carrier arose, put on his thunder-bird mask, and grasped (the whale). He lifted it higher. Then the Grizzly Bear, the Wolves, and the Black Bear also struck him. His face was covered by the squid, and he fell down.

"Come, arise, Four-Whale-Carrier!" Then he arose and put on his thunder-bird mask and grasped (the whale). There just began to be the sound of dripping water. Then he carried it to the beach of his house. "Unfold,

p. 245

unfold, unfold, unfold!" said Ô'?mâl to his folding canoe. Then it lay across the doorway. Then (the Thunder-Bird) fell down when it came to the beach. Then those were all killed that might have grasped those who go paddling about.