boas] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 191 



Then the maimed people fell on the princess, broke her backbone, 

 and made her lame. They turned her head to one side, and broke one 

 of her arms; and those on the other side plucked out one of the eyes 

 of her maid, tore up one side of her mouth, and scratched the two 

 women all over their bodies, and then threw them outside. There 

 they lay wounded, and nobody came to help them. The princess was 

 more severely injured than her maid. 



When the maid felt a little better, she saw her mistress lying there 

 with wounds all over her body. She went to her, and saw how she 

 was bruised. They were both in great distress, and the princess was 

 groaning. So her maid helped her up and led her home. They 

 spent many days coming down, and finally arrived at their home. 

 Then she lay in bed, and finally died. 



Therefore the people in those days made it a law that no young 

 woman should have any say about her marriage. If a young man 

 wanted to marry a young woman whom he chose, then the parents 

 of the young man went to the parents of the young woman and talked 

 with them; and when they agreed, the uncles of the man went and 

 talked to the uncles of the woman; and when they agreed also, the 

 relatives of the young man met among themselves, and the relatives 

 of the young woman also met among themselves. Then the female 

 relatives of the young man went to give presents to the young woman. 

 Even though the young woman does not want to marry the man, 

 she has to consent when the agreement has been made on both sides 

 to marry them. 



When the prince and princess have married, the tribe of the young 

 man's uncle set out. Then the tribe of the young woman's uncle 

 also set out, alid they have a fight. The two parties cast stones at 

 each other, and the heads of many of those on each side are hit. 

 The scars made by the stones on the heads of each chief's people are 

 signs of the marriage pledge. 



At the end of this fight the people of the young man take an 

 expensive garment, and, with the blood running down their faces, thej^ 

 go to the house of the woman's uncle, and they put her on this expen- 

 sive garment. Eight princes put her on this garment. 



Sometimes the uncle's tribe take the girl to her husband in two 

 large canoes filled with people. They put a wide plank over the 

 canoes to let the girl sit on it. They sing while they are on the water. 

 In the canoes they have a large amount of property and all kinds of 

 food as well. The bride is placed on the left-hand side of the bride- 

 groom in the man's uncle's house. For three days they sit there 

 without eating anything and without drinking; and neither bride 

 nor bridegroom is allowed to laugh or talk or look around. While 

 the young people play in the house where the bride and groom are 

 sitting, trying to make them laugh or talk or look around, the couple 



