468 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 



Origin Tales. — A number of tales refer to the origin of the world as 

 we see it at the present time; and in others incidents occur which 

 serve as explanation of the phenomena of nature. 



In the beginning the whole world was dark, the daylight being 

 kept in a box in the sky. It was liberated by Raven, who obtained 

 possession of it by having himself born by the daughter of the Heav- 

 enly Chief. In this form he carried away the daylight and liberated 

 it on Nass River (60-61). When he opened the box in which the 

 daylight was contained, the north wind began to blow (62). 



A second tale, quite contradictory in character to the preceding 

 one, tells of the origin of sun, moon, and fog. A chief had two sons 

 and one daughter. The elder son had a mask made of pitch wood, 

 which he had lighted. He walked along the sky wearing the mask, 

 and became the sun. Since he walked too fast, his sister was sent 

 after hiru to detain him at midday, and for this reason the sun is said 

 to stop for some time in the sky at noon. "When asleep in the house 

 at night, the sparks from his mask flew out of the smoke hole and 

 became the stars. His brother walked along the sky in the evening 

 and became the moon, while the sister went westward to the con- 

 fines of the world, where she soaked her blanket in the ocean, and 

 then came back bringing the refreshing fog (Boas 10.797). 



The Raven tale goes on, telling of the origin of fire, which was 

 originally in the house of Raven's father on Queen Charlotte Islands, 

 whence he took it away, assuming the form of a deer. The deer tied 

 pitch wood in his long tail, and while dancing put the tail into the 

 fire and then ran away. In this way the tail of the deer became short. 

 By striking fir trees with the tail he put fire into them (63). 



Raven also made the tides, which were controlled by an old woman, 

 who held the water up by means of the "tide-line." Raven pushed 

 her over and threw dust into her eyes and into her mouth, so that 

 she let go of the tide-line. He cured her in return for her promise 

 to slacken the tide-line twice a day (64) . 



Not quite clear is the tale of Raven obtaining fresh water, which 

 hi early times was found only at the loots of alder trees (65). 



The olachen were kept in the house of a supernatural being and 

 were liberated by Raven, who caused them to go up Nass River (65). 



The salmon were distributed by Raven in the rivers, because when 

 he first visited the mainland he scattered salmon-trout roe in all of 

 the rivers and creeks. He also scattered fruits all over the land, 

 thus creating berries and fruits everywhere. 



The colors of the stars are due to the red, blue, and white paint 

 thrown back by a number of people who ran away from the Stars. 

 The Stars stopped to take up the paint, and painted then faces (N 92). 



In another story it is said that the Tsimshian, in the beginning of 

 the world, lived in Prairie Town, on the upper Skeena River, until 



