isojs] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 105 



Then the giant, told me that Heaven had placed him there in the 

 bottom of the deep valley and had given him food. So he did not 

 need to go around the country. He gave me good food to eat; and 

 when I had finished, he asked me to go outside. I did as he told me. 

 We went out together, and he pointed out the tops of all the mountains 

 round about Iris hut. All these mountains were full of all kinds of 

 animals — mountain sheep, black bear, and so on. Then he asked 

 me again if I wanted to go back to my home, therefore I told him 

 that I did not know my way. Furthermore, I told him that I 

 thought I could not get home again. He smiled, and said, 'It is 

 not very far from here. You will reach home tonight. I wall give 

 you provisions for your way home.' So I consented to what he said. 

 Moreover, he told me that Heaven had given him two dogs. He called 

 the two pups, which came out, shook themselves, and became JiauTiau 

 cubs. I almost fainted with fear, but they went up to where there 

 were innumerable mountain sheep; and as soon as they had gone, 

 behold! a great number of mountain sheep came sliding down the 

 mountain. So TxamsEin cut them up, meat and fat. Then he put 

 the meat and fat on his staff, and this you are eating now; and when 

 he gave me the staff, he pointed out to me a narrow trail which comes 

 down behind our house. He stretched out his hand over the plain 

 four times, and commanded me not to look behind if I should hear 

 a terrible noise. He said, 'If you look back, danger will befall you, 

 and you will not get home; but if you look straight ahead, you will 

 get home tonight.' After he had given his orders, I went, and ran 

 with all my might, the staff in my right hand, and my rifle on my 

 left shoulder. While I was running, I heard behind me a terrible 

 noise like rolling thunder, which made me very much afraid, so I 

 ran on. Then I heard more terrible noises right behind me, and the 

 ground was shaking as though rocks were being rent. I ran on. 

 There was more noise, and the ground was quaking, and the noises 

 were exceedingly terrible. I was almost out of breath; but before 

 the evening I arrived on top of this hill above us, and I laid down my 

 staff and my rifle. As soon as I reached the hill behind this village, 

 I looked back the way I had come, and, behold! I saw many high 

 mountains. I was wondering. I thought I was in a dream. Finally 

 I came down; and when I saw my sister weeping here, I knew that 

 everything was true." 



All his people were glad to see him home again, and his relatives 

 welcomed him, and he kept the staff that TxamsEm had given to 

 him, and therefore the people know that TxamsEin is still alive. 1 



> My cousin, Henry D. Pierce, met this man last summer. My cousin questioned him, and the man 

 said that all the stories which I put down on these pages were known to the people. Many young people 

 have gone Irving to find TxiimsKin, hut !he\ ran not do it. hecause he hide* in the mountains, so that 

 the people can not find him —Henry W. Tate. 



