THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 361 



ashamed to speak." "True, true!" said all the men, "who would gaiu- 

 say it. Chief!" Walas NEuio'gwis counted the blankets. When five 

 pairs of blankets were counted, he put them on the shoulder of one of 

 the four men, who carried them into the house of La'lawig'ila. Thus 

 they did until 200 blankets were counted and carried into the house. 

 He said: "With these blankets they are married. Now we will try to 

 lift our wife from the lioor." He took the blankets and said: "With 

 these we lift her from the tloor." He counted again five pairs, put 

 them on the shoulder of one of the young men, who carried them into 

 the house, until 100 were counted. Then Walas NEuio'gwis said: 

 " There are 100, as we told you, chiefs ! Now we will call our wife." 

 He took a blanket and said: " We call her with these," and counted in 

 the same manner as before. When 100 blankets had been counted, he 

 said : " There are 100 blankets here." When the four men had carried 

 all into the house of La'lawig-ila, he came out and said: " That is what 

 1 wished for. All the tribes came to marry my daughter. Let my son- 

 in law hear it. He shall come into my house if his heart is strong 

 enough, wa wa!" As soon as his speech was finished, eight men 

 brought burning torches of cedarwood. Four stood on the right hand 

 side of the door and four on the left-hand side. They i^ut the burning 

 ends of the torches close together, just wide enough apart for a man to 

 pass through. 



Now Ma'Xua arose. He was to x>ass through the fire. He ran up 

 to it, but as soon as he came near it, he became afraid and turned back. 

 Now he called NEuio'kulag-ilists'e : " Hear it ! his heart must be strong 

 if he wants to accomplish what I attempted in vain." NEmokula- 

 g-ilists'e arose and said : " Yes, Ma'Xua, your word is true. Now look 

 out, chiefs ! else we shall not get my wife and I shall be ashamed of it. 

 That is the legend which my father told me, how the daughter of 

 Nu'nemasEqu was married at x^a'Saxsdalis. A fire was at the door of 

 her house. Now arise, La/LiliLa, take two pairs of blankets and give 

 them to him wliose heart is strong, else our friends will try in vain to 

 get my wife." Then La'LiliLa arose, took the blankets and carried 

 them to Wrdas NEmo'gwis, who spoke: "Tribes ! Let him whose heart 

 is strong go up to that honse. These two x>airs of blankets are for him 

 who will go there." Then Ma'Xuag-ila the Koskimo arose and spoke: 

 "I am not frightened. I am LE'lpela. This name comes from the oldest 

 legend. He knew how to jump into the fire. Now I will go, you beat 

 the boards!" As soon as the men began to beat the boards he ran up 

 to the fire, and although the torches were close together, he ran through 

 them into the house. He was not hurt. When he got into the house, 

 NEmo'kulag-ilists'e said : "Ho, ho, ho, ho. He has succeeded ! Thank 

 you, my tribe." As soon as MaXuag-ila had entered the house the fire 

 disappeared. LiVLawig-ila came out and spoke: "Come now and take 

 your wife, son in-law!" They brought out blankets and Lfi'Lawig-ila 

 said : "Now I give you a small gift, son-in-law. Sell it for food. There 



