658 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 



(7) txa'msem MAKKS WAR ON THE SOUTH WIND (p. 79) 



(10 versions: Ts 79; Ska 129; Skgl43;» Ne 5.186; No 9.227; Ne 10.350; K 9.494; 

 K 11.98; Nu 5.100; NuSwan92 2 ) 



In all the versions the story begins with the statement that the 

 wind is blowing very hard, and the animals try to obtain good 

 weather. Most of the tales tell of a contest with the South Wind or 

 the Southeast Wind. Only the version K 11 tells that the animals 

 first try to overcome the Northwest Wind. 



At the request of the sea monsters, Mink goes with the animals to fight Northwest 

 Wind; the Wind discovers them, blows very hard, and their canoe is driven back K 1 1 . 



The Tsimshian version is in form very much like the Kwakiutl 

 version. Evidently Mr. Tate tried to imitate the style of the latter, 

 and for this reason the deliberations in the council of the animals 

 presumably occupy an important position in the tale. 



It is blowing, and the people can not get food and bait for fishing; Raven's eyes are 

 8ore on account of the smoke in the house; therefore the fish hold a meeting and 

 decide to make war on Southeast Wind Ts. 



CK £ meal and his brothers make war against the Southeast Wind; he tells his folding 

 canoe to unfold in order to accommodate all of them, and they start Ne 9, Ne 10. 



The people live at Bull Harbor [at MElaba'na K 9]; it is blowing all the time, and 

 Deer and his brothers ask /£ meal to make war on Southeast Wind Ne 10. 



Mink invites his friends to make war on» Southeast Wind K 11. The animals can 

 not get clams; they hold a council, and resolve to kill the Winds Nu 5. 



The Haida version introduces here an element quite foreign to the 

 tale. 



Raven asks the birds to accompany him; Bluejay, who offers himself, is found too 

 old, but he insists; then Raven pulls his head long, and thus gives it its present form 

 M (=Ska). 



The next incident of the tale is the journey of the animals to the 

 Winds' house. 



They resolve to borrow the canoe of the Killer Whale, and send Red Cod to get it; 

 Devilfish and Halibut are placed in the stern of the canoe Ts, Ne 10. The Cockle 

 brags, saying that he will kick the Wind, and is placed, together with Red Cod, in 

 the bow of the canoe; Raven tells Devilfish, Halibut, and Cockle to go ashore first 

 when they reach the house of the Winds, and he instructs them what to do Ts. 



Halibut and Devilfish go along, and the Merman and Sea Bear are also invited; 

 they land and make a plan; Deer asks them to start before dark, but they can not do 

 so; in the night they reach the house K 11. 



In one of the Haida versions Raven, after calling all the birds to accompany him, 

 goes to th. j Halibut people and asks them to go along; Halibut is placed in the bottom 

 of the canoe, and before daylight the travelers reach the Southeast Wind M (=Ska). 



Quite different is the Haida introduction, in which the incident 

 occurs of the attempt to make a successful canoe of different kinds 

 of wood (see p. 822). 



Raven goes to the rock from which Southeast Wind is blowing; he tries to make 

 canoes of various kinds of wood, but does not succeed ; he asks the birds to carry him 



' A Masset version. 2 James G. Swan, The Indians of Cape Flattery. 



