466 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [kth.ann.31 



supernatural being also appears to the uninitiated like a rotten log 

 (N 106). The Killer Whale (79) and the Sea Lion (1.133) let people 

 use their canoes. The canoe taken down to the house of a super- 

 natural being at the bottom of the sea reappears overgrown with 

 seaweed. It has been transformed into copper and has become very 

 fast (289). 



A boy who has to take part in a contest is given a black, white, 

 blue, and red sling-stone, with which he is able to hit an object that 

 others can not reach (N 140). Magical sling-stones are also given to 

 a man by his supernatural father (298). 



A round pebble kept in the mouth is a protection against ghosts. 

 It enables a living person to see ghosts, and enables ghosts to see 

 living persons (202). 



Whales can be dug up from the beach by means of a magical dig- 

 ging-stick (210). At the same place we hear about a large, heavy 

 carrying-board, on which a woman who intends to dig up the whales 

 is taken down to the beach. The sparrow blanket obtained from the 

 sparrow, and the hummingbird blanket obtained from the humming- 

 bird, enable people to fly (309), while the blanket of the mountain 

 goat enables a person to climb down a steep mountain. He is re- 

 quested to hang the blanket, after using it, on a tree (134). A 

 crystal comb used by a supernatural woman for combing her hus- 

 band's hair makes it long and beautiful (76, 188). The scabs which a 

 supernatural slave-girl takes from her body prove to be abalone 

 shells (N 190). A piece of crystal (or ice?) is a protection against 

 the heat of an oven (1.105). A crystal carving is given to a man in 

 order to enable him to pass through a door that opens and closes. 

 After counting four times, he passes safely by placing the carving in 

 the doorway (N 129). The plume of the Sun's daughter enables her 

 to discover her husband's faithlessness. As long as he is true to her, 

 the water that he dips out of the well remains clear when she puts 

 the plume into it. When he is faithless, the plume, when taken out 

 of the basket, is full of slime (213, 1.111). A plume descends from 

 the Sky and pulls up people who annoyed the Sky (125, N 94). 

 Later on, the same plume carries people across a river, and enables 

 them to cut a way through a mountain (N 234). 



Gifts that occupy much space can be reduced in size by shaking 

 and squeezing. When a canoe is shaken, its load becomes very small, 

 and more may be put in. Later on, when the canoe is to be unloaded, 

 it is shaken again, and the load resumes its natural size (211). Fat 

 wrapped around a mountain staff is made small by squeezing (1.93), 

 and the contents of a basket are reduced in size in the same manner 

 (180, 1.95). A staff and a basket which are filled with meat and fat 

 are too heavy to be lifted (104, 1.95). When they are taken off from 



