boas] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 181 



was hanging clown her back, and was ornamented with beautiful 

 white shells. 



The head man of the hunters wanted to go and take her for their 

 chief to be his wife. So they went ashore. The head man went 

 toward her and sat down with her on the beach. The man told her 

 that his chief wanted her to marry him. Then the Sawbill-Duck 

 Woman consented. lie took her to the canoe, and they went home, 

 where they arrived a few days before the other hunters came. 



The chief was still waiting until the others came home. He 

 waited for a long whde, and finally those who had taken Princess 

 Robin came home. Then the young chief loved the Robin Woman 

 more, for she was more beautiful than the Sawbill-Duck Woman. 



After the chief had given his great feast, he kept the two women as 

 his wives, but he loved the Princess Robin most. Now, winter-time 

 came, and food began to be scarce. Then the young Robin Woman 

 remembered her father's words which he had spoken to the hunters 

 when they took her away. 



One night she said to her husband, "My dear, I remember my 

 father's words which he said before your messengers took me from 

 his house. He said that he wanted you to send two large canoes to 

 him in midwinter to bring down winter provisions, and I will go 

 with these men if you should send them." 



The chief acceded to her request. On the following day he called 

 the young men of his tribe and sent them to go with his wife. In 

 the morning they started in two large canoes. They went to the 

 Skeena River. The ice was very hard on the river. The young 

 woman guided them on their way. Soon they came to the end of the 

 ice on Skeena River; and the hearts of the young men failed them 

 when they saw the hard ice on the river. Then the princess stood 

 up in the bow of the canoe, and sang her spring song. At once the 

 ice began to melt hi front of the canoe as far as they could see. 



Then the young men took courage and went on. Soon they 

 reached the end of the opening in the ice; and the Robin Woman 

 stood again in the bow of the first canoe and sang with her beautiful 

 voice as the robin sings in the springtime, and the ice melted away 

 in front of the two large canoes. They went on, and the Robin 

 Woman continued to sing. 



Therefore the people say nowadays that as soon as the robin sings 

 the first time in spring, the ice begins to melt. They say that the 

 bird's singing over the ice causes it to melt. 



They went on many days, and finally reached a beautiful town. 

 There were four rows of houses there, and every row was full of houses, 

 and the chief's house was in the middle of the first row. It was a very 

 large house. The village was very beautiful, and all the people in 

 the village looked very fine. 



