28 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VoL. V. 



out the origin of our Indians ; let us return to our legends. I have said 

 that our Denes seem to be of mixed blood ; the following myth will per- 

 haps strengthen us in that opinion. 



III. — MADE CELESTIAL.l 



Told by Zacharie Niisthel ( Wolverine)^ of Stella. 



A tsneza'- had a daughter, and she was a virgin 2. He made her pass 

 every night quite close to his pillow, for he was rearing her with the 

 greatest care. Many a young man asked for her*, but in vain : her 

 father would not part with her. 



Now it happened that on several nights the maiden awoke suddenly 

 and then was aware that somebody was getting away from her. She 

 wanted to know who it was; she guessed indeed that she was being 

 abused during her sleep. Therefore she filled a little satchel with ver- 

 milion and placed it near her pillow. The following night she threw the 

 vermilion at her violator before he had time to get out of the lodge. On 

 the morrow, she inspected all by herself a crowd of young men who were 

 playing at the end of the village^ but all to no purpose. As she was re- 

 turning to her father's habitation, she noticed an old snotty dog spotted 

 on the shoulders with her vermilion. Her heart was exceedingly sorry 

 at seeing this. At the same time she became conscious of having con- 

 ceived, and after a while people knew that she was pregnant. 



Therefore her father, being a nobleman, prepared a lot of tanned skins. 

 Laid one over another, they formed a pile as high as the width of one's 

 hand. These were to serve as a bed for his daughter's delivery*' and 

 afterwards to be distributed to his fellow-villagers to celebrate" the birth 

 of his grandchild. 



After a short period of pregnancy, as short as that of dogs, the girl was 

 delivered of four little ones, all dogs, three males and one female. Their 



^This is a rather free translation of its Indian title: ya-ki-ntntil, " they arrived on the 

 sky." 



*0r hereditary nobleman. See "The Western Denes," Proceedings Can. Inst., Vol. VII. 



^ Sak-ssta, lit., "she is sitting alone." The virginity of such persons had nothing very 

 meritorious in itself, as it was all but voluntary. It consisted simply in constant seclusion enforced 

 nolens volens on the girl by the jiarents. 



^ jane Miia-dtin, i.e., wanted to marry her. 



* Carrier villages consisted very generally of a single row of lodges terminated by the funeral 

 posts, the ground of which served at the same time as campus or play-ground. 



8 Illegitimate births were not looked upon by Carriers with the same degree of shame as they 

 now inspire. 



^ Or atone for. See "The Western Denes," Proc. Can. Inst., Vol. VII., p. 164. 



