72 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 



(16) txa'msem FINDS A BEAUTIFUL BLANKET. 1 



Now, TxamsEm took one of the chief's dancing-garments and wore 

 it. He threw away his raven blanket which his father had given him, 

 and went on, not knowing where he went. He went along, and tore his 

 dancing-blanket, and was very poor; but he remembered his raven 

 blanket which he had thrown away. He turned back and searched 

 for his raven blanket a long time. At last he found it, took it up, 

 and put it on, then he was glad to have it back. He went on, and 

 saw a very nice dancing-blanket like the one he had worn before. 

 At once he tore his raven blanket which his father had given him, 

 and took the dancing-blanket that hung before him. He went on, 

 dressed like a young prince; but when he was walking, behold! it 

 was no dancing-garment, but he had on only lichens. He sat there 

 weeping, turned back, and searched for his raven blanket, tied it 

 together, and walked on, hungry and weeping. As he went along, 

 behold! there were a marten blanket and a dancing-blanket hanging 

 there. So he went toward them, took off his raven blanket, and 

 wore the marten blanket below, and the dancing-blanket over it. He 

 went on, dressed like a young chief. Then he saw a village before 

 him, and his heart rose in pride; but, behold! his garments were 

 only common moss and lichens. He stood there again weeping, and 

 turned back to search for his raven blanket which his father had 

 given him. He found it, put it on, and flew toward the town. 



(17) txa'msem and his slave 2 



Before TxamsEm reached the village he transformed a piece of rot- 

 ten spruce wood into a slave, whom he called Lgum. Then TxamsEm 

 took a pair of clamshells and made of them ear-ornaments, which 

 he wore as princes wear abalone ear-ornaments. Then TxamsEm 

 said to his slave whom he had made out of spruce wood, " When you 

 see me walking on the beach of that town, say, ' Do you know that 

 a great chief is walking along the beach of your village, great tribe V " 

 The slave passed several times, and repeated what his master told him. 

 Sometimes he made a mistake. Then TxamsEm scolded him for 

 his mistakes until he remembered what TxamsEm taught him to say. 

 They went on, and soon came to the end of the village. TxamsEm 

 walked along the beach in front of the town. Then his slave shouted, 

 and said, " Do you know that a great chief is walking in front of your 

 town, great tribe? He is wearing his abalone ear-ornaments." 

 Then the whole tribe went to see the great chief who had come into 

 their town. The head chief of the town invited TxarnsEm into his 

 house, and set before him rich food of all kinds. While TxarnsEm 

 was eating, he saw that the chief's house was full of dried codfish. 



