134 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 



youth replied, "The Mountain Goats have done it, because they 

 were distressed by your people hunting them every year and catching 

 them; for the hunters did not take them home, but left them among 

 the mountains; and there the bones of the Mountain Goats would 

 decay and be scattered about, instead of being burned — meat, skins, 

 bones, and all. Therefore the Goats took vengeance on your people. 

 You, however, are the one who took pity on me when the children 

 of your people threw me out into the river last spring, and you kindly 

 led me away, back to yonder village, to enjoy my freedom, and there- 

 fore I will help you from this steep mountain. Do not be afraid". 

 You shall get down safely. I shall give you my blanket." 



Really Black felt encouraged by what his friend said to him, but 

 still he was full of fear. The young Goat put on his skin, and said, 

 "I shall show you what to do." Before he leaped, he said, "On the 

 thumb!" and then turned his head towards a deep chasm in the rock. 

 He leaped again, and said, "On the sand!" and so on, until he came 

 down. Then Really Black lost sight of him. 



He began to cry again and to weep, for he had lost sight of his 

 friend, and he sat down by the little spruce tree; and while he was 

 crying bitterly, a young Goat came down from above him from the 

 top of a high sliding mountain, and he came to the man who was full 

 of fear, and said, "You see there is no danger in it. Try it!" Then 

 the poor man took the Goat's garment with fear and trembling, and 

 put it on himself. The young Goat told him not to be afraid, and 

 that no harm would befall him. He gave Ids friend good advice: 

 "Before you leap, say these words, 'On the thumb;' and when you 

 leap to the other side, then say, 'On the sand;' and repeat these 

 words all along until you get down safely; and when you get down 

 safely, pick out your relatives among the bodies. Put them in good 

 order, as many as you want to hve. When you have done so, jump 

 over the bodies until they come back to life. You shall jump over 

 them four times; and hang my blanket on a branch of the tree below, 

 and then go home with your relatives and your people." Thus 

 spoke the young Goat to his friend Really Black. 



As soon as the speech of Really Black's friend was ended, he st art ed, 

 and said as his friend had commanded him. He said, "On the 

 thumb!" Then he jumped, wearing the skin of the young Goat, and 

 his foot stuck firmly to the rock. Then he turned his head another 

 way; and before he leaped he said, "On the sand!" and his foot stuck. 

 Then he went down without fear, and soon came to the foot of the 

 high steep mountain. There he gathered the bodies of his relatives, 

 (put them in good order as his friend the Goat had commanded him, 

 and he jumped over them four times, and all the bodies came back to 

 life.) Then the young man Really Black Raven Feather hung his 

 friend's blanket on the branch of a tree, and thev all went home. 



