OO TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. an v. ::i 



of dried fish — halibut and other kinds — and of dried meat of mountain 

 goat, and there were fat and all kinds of dried berries. They spread 

 a mat out, and let TxamsEm sit on it. They gave him some of the 

 good food they had; and while TxamsEm was eating his meal, he 

 said to his new friend, "Sir, may I join you tomorrow, when you go 

 out to catch halibut?" Chief Grizzly Bear said that he had no bait; 

 but TxamsEm replied, "We shall have bait from our own bodies." 

 So Chief Bear consented, and they went to bed. 



When TxamsEm knew that they were all asleep, he went out 

 secretly to the creek, caught a cohoes salmon, and cut off its tail. 

 Early the following morning TxamsEm went down first, launched 

 Chief Grizzly Bear's canoe, and then the chief also went down. They 

 started for the fishing-bank. When they reached the fishing-ground, 

 TxamsEm pretended to cut off part of his belly, and to tie it on to 

 his hook for bait. Grizzly Bear saw it, but he was afraid to do the 

 same. Grizzly Bear was surprised when he saw what TxamsEm was 

 doing. Then TxamsEm urged him, saying, "Go on! do the same," 

 but Grizzly was afraid to do so. Then TxamsEm forced him to do 

 so. He threw his knife to Grizzly Bear, and Grizzly Bear took the 

 knife and cut off part of his own body. Soon he fainted. When he 

 felt that he was dying, he rushed at TxamsEm, trying to kill him; but 

 TxamsEm jumped out and clung to the bottom of the canoe. When 

 he heard that Grizzly Bear was dead, he went back into the canoe. 

 Then he went ashore and hurried toward the house. 



He said to the two female Grizzly Bears, "Your husband has 

 fainted, and he mil die. If you want to bring him back to life, bring 

 me two stones." Then the two women went, and brought each a 

 small stone. TxamsEm put these stones into the fire, and, when they 

 were red-hot, he told the women each to swallow one. The female 

 Grizzly Bears trusted him. When the stones were red-hot, TxamsEm 

 took two wooden tongs, took up the stones, and said to each of the 

 women, "Now, dear chief tainess, open your mouth and close your 

 eyes!" They did so, and TxamsEm put the hot stones into their 

 mouths. Then they tumbled about, and TxamsEm struck them until 

 they were dead. Thus TxamsEm killed three Grizzly Bears in one 

 day. He went down to the beach at once and took out of the canoe 

 the Grizzly Bear that he had killed. He cut it up first, and then his 

 two wives. TxamsEm staid there many days. He had a good time, 

 and ate all he wanted every day. 



(29) txa'msem kills deer 1 



When TxamsEm had eaten the provisions of the Grizzly Bear, he 

 went on, not knowing where to go. Soon he came to the mouth of the 

 creek where there were humpback salmon. He saw a little hut on 



