678 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 



One Tlingit version accounts for the blackness of Raven in a different way. He 

 marries the daughter of Woodpecker, who owns a large supply of gum or pitch. 

 He puts his finger in, intending to steal it, and can not get it off. Then he is 

 smoked, thrown into a box, his eyes are closed with pitch, and he is thrown into the 

 sea. The gulls void on him and throw fat over him until he is able to get off. In 

 this manner he becomes black Tl 5. 



A Wishrarn story has the following account of Crow's black color. 



Crow catches a salmon, which is stolen by Bald Eagle. Crow asks for a gill. Eagle 

 strikes Crow with it, and thus blackens him. His own head becomes white, Wish 99. 

 In a Quinault tale Crow's dress is burnt when his house catches fire Quin 92. 



(21) txa'msem AND CORMORANT (p. 92) 



(15 versions: Ts 92; Ts 5.277; N6 43; Tla 7; Tl 4.266; Tl 5.317; Mb 300; Ska 117; 

 Sk/134; BC 5.244; Ne 5.176; Ne 9.215; K 10.291; Nu ap 902; Nu Sproat 1 181) 



The story how Cormorant lost his voice appears in two different 

 types. One of these is connected with the story of Raven going 

 fishing with Cormorant and Grizzly Bear. The other one is isolated. 

 In the former case, Cormorant's tongue is pulled out by Raven in 

 order to prevent him from telling how Raven had killed Grizzly Bear. 

 In the other form, he is made dumb in order to enable Raven to steal 

 his halibut without his telling on him. The tale appears in connec- 

 tion with the Grizzly Bear story among the Tlingit and Newettee, 

 while it appears as an isolated story in the versions collected among 

 the other tribes. 



In one Tlingit version Raven goes out with Bear and Cormorant. After he has 

 killed the Bear, he says to Cormorant that a louse is coming down the side of his head . 

 He puts it on Cormorant's tongue, which he then pulls out. Then Cormorant finds 

 himself unable to tell about the murder of the Bear. Raven tells him to speak, but 

 he only gabbles. He says, " That is how Cormorant shall speak." Then he puts the 

 Bear's body behind a point and goes ashore Tla. 



In another Tlingit version the Cormorant incident appears in the same connection. 

 Cormorant wants to tell the Bear's wives that the Bear has been killed, and asks 

 Raven ashore. After they have landed, Raven tells him about the louse. Cormo- 

 rant asks to have it put in his hand; but Raven says, "No, it bit you, bite it also!" 

 Then he tears out Cormorant's tongue and asks him to speak. He says then, "That 

 is the wa y y< mr ancestors spoke." The story continues here, telling how Raven gave 

 the halibut bladders to the Bear's wives, and how he killed them Tl 4. 



In one of the Xewettee versions the story appears in the same connection. First 

 Raven kills the spring salmon, then he gives the animals the colors that they have 

 at the present time, and next he goes halibut fishing with Cormorant and Bear. 

 Raven catches many, Cormorant two, the Bear none. He causes Cormorant to kill 

 the Bear; but the incident of tearing out Cormorant's tongue is not mentioned, evi- 

 dently because the story is not fully told Ne 5. That it is known in this region is 

 shown by the fact that it reappears in another Newjttee version. 



After killing the spring salmon, he puts it on as a belt and goes halibut fishing with 

 Bear, Cormorant, and Gum. Then he kills Bear. He puts the louse on Cormorant's 

 tongue, pulls it out, and Cormorant can only say "ci'IeIeIe!" Ne 9. 



Cormorant appears in his own canoe while Raven is killing Bear. Cormorant asks 

 for some of the gum that Raven is chewing. He pretends to want to put it into 

 Cormorant's mouth, and tears out his tongue Nu ap. 



i Scenes and Studies of Savage Life, London, I sr,s. 



