218 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 



and she mourned there until evening every day. She would never 

 cat anything. She did so often. 



After the chief had killed her brothers, he called all the young 

 men of his tribe into his house, and they had fun in his house every 

 evening. The young men would shout for joy in the chief's house, 

 while the poor sister was crying every evening over her dear brothers' 

 bodies. Now, the chieftainess was seated close to the chief when he 

 was sitting in front of the large fire, while the young men were playing 

 at the other side of the fire. 



One day the chief said to the young men who were playing, "When 

 you see that woman (meaning this younger wife) come in tonight, 

 take a cedar-bark rope and trip her, so that she may fall. " 



Late in the evening she ceased her wailing, and came in at the 

 door with her child on her back. She came in; and when she came 

 close to the cedar-bark rope, the young men held it tight, so that she 

 almost fell over it. Then all the young men shouted and laughed 

 at her, and the chief and his first wife also laughed at her. The poor 

 mourning woman with the child on her back crept to her bed in 

 the corner of the chief's house. 



Very early the following morning she went out again, and wailed 

 all day as she had done before. She was almost in despair because 

 they had mocked and laughed at her late in the evening. When she 

 came in late at night, the young man tripped her feet again with the 

 cedar-bark rope, and she fell; and they all laughed at her while she 

 crept to her bed, her heart heavy with sorrow. She was weak, for 

 she had not had anything to eat since the time when they had killed 

 her brothers. 



Early the following morning she went out again. She wished only 

 for one thing; namely, to die. Therefore she went there often. In 

 the evening, as soon as the sun went down, after she had been weeping 

 bitterly all day, she opened her eyes, and there was a flash of lightning. 

 She looked, and, behold! a handsome young man stood by her side, 

 who said to her, ' ' What ails you ? " — ' ' O Supernatural One ! the reason 

 why I weep is my grief for these, my four slain brothers, whom they 

 have thrown out here. So I go every day to mourn for them; and 

 besides this, they made fun of me, tripping my feet with their cedar- 

 bark rope; and they all laugh at me, by order of my husband, and his 

 chieftainess. Sometimes I am faint with sorrow." 



Then the Supernatural One said to her, "My father the Sun sent 

 me down to find out what has happened. He was displeased to hear 

 your voice every day. Take my leggings and my snowshoes and 

 also my moccasins. " He made them into one bundle and tied them 

 together. Then he ordered her to throw them down in front of the 

 chief. He continued, "Then say to him, 'See what happens to the 

 and snowshoes of those whom you have murdered!' A 



