686 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 



bullhead, he makes a movement as though taking hold of it, and by 

 doing so squeezes its tail so that it becomes long. 



In the Tlingit version he calls Sculpin his uncle's son, and says 

 that the two at one time, when going alone in a canoe, fell into the 

 water. He seizes it several times, and each time the tail becomes 

 smaller Tla. 



A somewhat similar incident occurs in the Q!a'neqe £ lak u tale Ne 9, 

 Ne 1 1 . He takes a shaman out of his canoe, draws out his hind end, 

 and transforms him into a perch (see No. 5, p. 589). 



(26) TXA'MSEM AND THE CHILDREN (p. 75) 



(a) Children Play with Blubber 

 1 7 versions: Ts75; No 42; Tla5;T16 92; M6 298; Ska 129; Hai 5.309. See also Co 5.79) 



Two different forms of this story have been recorded. In one of 

 them Raven steals the food of children, who play ball with it; and in 

 the other one he induces the animals to pelt him with sea eggs. 



Children throw about pieces of whale blubber [seal blubber N6J; Raven catches 

 and eats it; the children do not know what becomes of it Ts. 



Boys throw about fat; Raven catches and swallows it, and pelts the boys with dog's 

 manure Tla. 



Children cut off pieces of fat from sea lions, seals, and porpoise, and throw them 

 about; Raven assumes the shape of a child, catches and eats the fat Tlo. 



Children are playing [ball with seal meat Hai 5], and Raven asks to be allowed to 

 play with them; when they refuse, he tells them that his father and grandfather 

 [parents Hai 5] are out hunting, and that they will win a great deal by playing with 

 him; then he joins them, and catches and cats their hair-seal Ska 129 [he catche- the 

 seal meat and puts it into a bag Hai 5]. 



Crows are throwing about hair-seal; Raven asks to be allowed to play with them, is 

 refused, and eats it while they are not looking M6. 



The Tsirnshian and Nass River versions continue differently. 



Raven asks where they get the fat. The children reply that they obtain it by 

 climbing trees and throwing themselves down, and that, when striking the ground, 

 they say, "Piles of blubber." Raven tries to imitate them and hurts himself Ts, N6. 



The Comox have a similar story: Raven induces a man to pelt him with tallow' 

 that Raven eats Co 5.79. 



(b) Raven is Pelted with Sea Eggs 

 (2 versions: Ska 127; Ma 321) 

 The second form of the incident, telling how Raven induces the 

 animals to throw sea eggs at him, has been recorded only from the 

 Haida. 



Raven calls animals, who arrive in canoes; he comes out of his house dressed shab- 

 bily; when he speaks, they do not understand him, but Porpoise Woman can hear 

 what he says; she interprets his words, saying that he wants them to fight him with 

 abalones and sea eggs; they throw these at him, and he eats them Ska. 



The Duck people are gathering sea eggs in canoes; Raven puts mud on his clothing 

 and scolds them, telling them to throw sea eggs at him; they do so, the points stick 

 in his blanket, and he eats the sea eggs; then they beat him Ma. 



