41. The Boy who disappeared Underground.

Tradition of the Ts!êts!êlwa'lagamê?, a Clan of the Nimkish.

(Told by NEg*ê', a G*î'g*îlgam of the Nimkish)

A boy, one of the nobility of the Famous-Ones, was hungry, and cried. The parents tried to quiet him, but they were unable to do so. Finally they went to sleep. The boy continued to cry until his eyes began to swell. 'Then somebody from the other side of the house cried, "Try to quiet your boy;" but the parents, who where asleep, did not reply. Suddenly the ground opened, and the boy disappeared, His crying was heard from underground, sometimes in one corner, sometimes in another. Then the parents were called, and the people said, "Where is your son? He has disappeared." The parents tried to dig where his voice was heard, but they were unable to get him. His voice moved about from place to place. Finally they gave it up. At the place where the boy had sat before he disappeared, the belly of a salmon was found. A dog had given this to him, and the boy had eaten it. This made him crazy, and was the cause of his disappearance underground.