BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS Z\)6 



the third chief that the thin man was coming down from the woods. 

 Then the third chief sent out his attendants to invite him in, and the 

 thin man came in. They spread the mats before him. He sat down 

 on the mats, and the chief asked him, " Is your village very far away V 

 The thin man said, "Yes, it is very far away. I left there many days 

 ago." — "And what have you been eating all the way down?" He 

 said, "I ate nothing but snow. " The third chief sent his attendants 

 to bring in some snow. They did so in a large wooden dish, which 

 they placed before him. The thin man did not eat, but arose and 

 went out. 



The people were still dying of starvation. Another day toward 

 evening the thin man came down from the woods. They told the 

 youngest of the four chiefs, and he sent his servant and one of his 

 own nephews to invite him in; and when the man came in, they 

 spread mats by the side of the fire, and the man sat down. As soon 

 as he was seated on the mats, the fourth chief said, "I have heard 

 what my three brothers have done to you, my dear, and I am very 

 much ashamed of what they have done. They have no pity. They 

 did not show a kind heart to a stranger who comes and visits their 

 houses. They are bad people. " Thus said the young chief. 



He said to his wife, "See if a dried salmon remains in your box!" 

 Then his wife arose, went to the empty salmon-box, and there was 

 only one large spring salmon left in the box. She took it to the 

 fire and roasted one half. She put aside the other half. And after 

 she had roasted it, she put it in a dish and gave it to the thin man. 

 After he had eaten the dried salmon, the chief's nephew soaked dried 

 berries in water and mixed them with fresh red berries. They gave 

 these to the thin man, and many kinds of provisions besides. After 

 they had eaten, when it was nearly midnight, the chief said to the 

 thin man, "When do you intend to go back home?" Tho man said, 

 " I will go back home tonight. " Then the chief said to his wife, "My 

 dear, give the other half of the dried salmon to this chief, that he may 

 eat it on his way home ! " So she gave him the other half of the dried 

 salmon, of which he had eaten one part a little while ago. He went 

 back the same night. 



Before he left he said to the chief and his wife and his nephew, 

 " I am much pleased because you have shown me kindness, and you 

 have given to me your last provisions in this hard season of starvation. 

 You have taken pity on me. I have been to the houses of all your 

 elder brothers, but they all made fun of me, and gave me nothing but 

 snow. Therefore I will reward your kindness to me, and by tomorrow 

 I will give you a costly crest. Early tomorrow morning, when you 

 hear a noise yonder, take your canoe and go with your nephew and 

 your wife. Let your three brothers come afterward. Then I will 

 give you my present. " As soon as he had said so he left. 



