138 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 



chief agreed. He sent his messengers and called all kinds of large 

 birds. The Thunderbirds came, the great Mountain Eagles, Hawks, 

 Ravens, and all kinds of birds; and when all the birds were in, 

 Chief Eagle told them that the monster had killed his sons while 

 they were catching a spring salmon at the foot of the precipice. 

 He continued, "My people here like to go and fight him." 



After Chief Eagle had spoken, Thunderbird spoke, and said, " 1 

 will go with you; I hate him!" Mountain-Eagle Chief also said, 

 "I will go with you when you fight against him;" and Chief Hawk 

 and Chief Raven said the same, and all the birds said the same. 



On the following morning they went to the top of the precipice. 

 Chief Eagle said, "One of my warriors shall go first, and all his 

 fellows shall follow him." Therefore the Eagle warrior flew right 

 down; and when the great monster saw him flapping his wings 

 above his den, he came out, his mouth first," with which he intended 

 to swallow all the Eagles. He opened his mouth and devoured all 

 the Eagles. 



Thunderbird came down next, thundering and lightening; and 

 when the giant monster felt the water trembling, he put out two 

 long arms. The lightning struck them, and the two arms were 

 killed. Then all the birds flew down. The Devilfish was very angry. 

 He opened his mouth, intending to swallow all of them. 



When the Raven saw the mouth open, he flew down, went right 

 into the mouth, and plucked out the great monster's heart with his 

 sharp beak, and so the giant monster died there. 



Thus another Raven clan also gained the victory. Therefore the 

 Giant Devilfish is afraid of the Ravens up to this time. 



When the people in olden times saw a devilfish coming up under a 

 canoe, sometimes a man would sing out like a raven, "Caw, caw, 

 caw!" Then the great monster would die before it came to the 

 surface of the water. The devilfish would always die when it 

 heard the sound of the raven's voice; but if a person waited until 

 the monster came to the surface of the water and then sang out, 

 it was in vain, and the great monster would swallow him, canoe and 

 all. Therefore the hunters would watch for devilfish in the water. 

 These two stories of the Devilfish are connected. This is the end. 1 



14. The Hunter's Wife Who Became a Beaver 2 

 A man and his dear wife went out hunting raccoons. He went to 

 his hunting-ground where they had been many times before, and he 



i See p. 100. 



2 In olden times the people were skillful hunters, because the skins and meat of animals were very useful 

 to them; for their clothing was made of the skins and furs of animals. Therefore they hunted grizzly bear, 

 black bear, and mountain goat. All these were very useful animals. They spun the wool of the mountain 

 goat and made yarn of it, and then it was woven into dancing-blankets and cloaks. The wool was used 

 for many objects; and they used the skins of all kinds of animals, great and small. Therefore they were 

 very good hunters. Thus it was with one family.— Henry V,'. Tate.— Notes, p. 739. 



