712 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 



Among the Comox, Nootka, and southern Kwakiutl the incident 

 appears in another connection. Thunderbird and another bird play 

 a game of rolling the hoop, in which Thunderbird loses. He steals 

 the bird's wife, who later on is recovered by the birds. After this the 

 birds send out an artificial whale to take revenge. The first part of 

 this tale has also been recorded in the delta of Fraser River. The 

 incident of the pitch does not occur in these versions. 



Twice (Ne 9.241 and Ri 5.214) the tale No. 43 has been recorded 

 without connection with other incidents. 



(a) Raven Goes to Take Revenge for the Death of Ms Son 

 (5 versions: H ap 884; Ri 5.211; Ri MS; Ne 5.179; K 11.180) 

 All these versions take up the tale at the end of incident 41, and in 

 all except the first two the story of Pitch (No. 23, p. 683) follows. 



(b) Thunderbird Steals the Wife of Another Bird 

 (5 versions: Ne 5.206; K 10.299; Nu 5.103; Co 5.82; Sts 5.34) 



Thunderbird and Gull play rolling hoops. Thunderbird's hoop is Fire; Gull's, 

 Fog. Gull wins four times. Thunderbird is ashamed and retires to the woods. He 

 meets a bird whose eyes become red when Thunderbird looks at him Ne 5. [Heavenly 

 birds live at Thunderbird Place (.Ku'nwaas); quadrupeds and birds, at Crooked 

 Beach (Qa/logwis). The former play against the latter. Their gambling-stones are 

 Fog, Rainbow, Cloud, Carrier Of The World. The earthly birds hit them and roll 

 them back. The heavenly birds miss them. Then all go into the house K 10. 

 Thunderbird plays against Woodpecker, whose companions are Kwo'tiath, Kingfisher, 

 and Heron. When Thunderbird throws the hoop, Kwo'tiath claps his hands. The 

 hoop increases in size, so that the birds hit it. When Woodpecker throws back, 

 Kwo'tiath claps his hands, and the hoop becomes so small that the other party misses 

 it. Thunderbird loses, and all enter Woodpecker's house Nu 5. Thunderbird's hoop 

 is made of fire. It is hit by Woodpecker. His second hoop is made of fog. Wood- 

 pecker hits this also Co 5. The StsEe'Iis version does not contain this introduction.] 



The southern versions introduce here an incident which explains 

 why the Thunderbird desires to abduct the woman. 



After Woodpecker has invited the players, his servants put up a salmonberry bush, 

 and his wife Thrush produces ripe salmonberries by her song. This incident is re- 

 peated in the Bungling Host story (No. 326, p. 696). Then Thunderbird covets her. 

 He sends forth lightning and wind, which blow away all the birds, and he carries 

 away the woman K 10.299. [Woodpecker's wife, the Thrush, is ordered to prepare a 

 meal. She walks along the walls of the house to her boxes, and sings, "Berries, ber- 

 ries! " At once the dishes are full. The chiefs are unable to empty them. There- 

 fore they decide to carry away the woman. The Thunderbird arises. There is 

 lightning and darkness, and he carries away the woman Nu 5.] 



In the Comox version the order of events has been changed. Thun- 

 derbird intends to carry away Thrush Woman. He pays a visit 

 to Woodpecker, and during this visit the game mentioned before is 

 arranged. 



Woodpecker's wife is Thrush. Thunderbird wants to abduct her, and visits Wood- 

 pecker, accompanied by the Crane and another bird. He sits in the house with 



