724 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 



feast to the animals of the woods with the meat of the Grizzly Bears. He sings, and 

 puts on the bear skin. The animals are scared and run away, last of all the Wol- 

 verene. When he runs out, the door hits him on the back, which produces the black 

 spot, dial may be seen up to this time Kai 238. 



5. Story of the Porcupine (p. 112, Ts 1.237) 



No other version of this tale has been recorded. 



Grizzly Bear gets wet in his den. Porcupine passes. Bear calls him in, ties him up, 

 and scorches him by the fire. Then he throws out the body. Porcupine calls the 

 cold, and the Bear freezes to death. 



G. Beaver and Porcupine (p. 113) 



(11 versions: Ts 1.227; Ts 5.305; N 73; Tk 43; T16 220; M 446; Sk 44; Tsts 43; Hare 

 Petitot 7.234; Sh 654; Jicarilla Apache Goddard 1 231) 



The story deals with the trick Beaver played on Porcupine, and 

 Porcupine's revenge, or vice versa. In N, Sk, Beaver tricks Porcu- 

 pine first, while in Ts 1 , Ts 5, Porcupine tricks Beaver first. In some of 

 the versions an effort is made to explain why the two animals, who 

 were originally friends, become enemies. The story centers in the 

 idea that the Beaver, who is an excellent swimmer, can not climb 

 trees; while the Porcupine, who is a good climber, can not swim. 

 The idea that the Porcupine controls the weather, particularly the 

 frost, is essential in the solution of the plot. Beaver carries Porcu- 

 pine to an island, from which he makes his escape by calling on the 

 Cold. He then returns over the ice. In the Nass River version the 

 story is practically duplicated. We have first the two friends invit- 

 ing each other. At tliis feast the later contest is suggested by the 

 kind of food that they give to each other. In some of the versions 

 (Hare) the whole central point of the story has been lost sight 

 of. In the Masset version it is even Beaver who is carried out by 

 Bear to an island in the sea, and who can not return because he is 

 accustomed to fresh water. Following are the details of the story: 



Beaver and Porcupine are friends Ts 5, N, Tk, T1J [they travel together; Bear is 

 afraid of Porcupine; he hates Beaver, whose dams h? breaks, and whom he eats; 

 sometimes Porcupine stays in Beaver'shouse; whenever the level of the lake falls, Por- 

 cupine goes out first, and the Beaver repairs the dam while Porcupine stands guard 

 Tk] [Porcupine visits Beaver, who does not like to have him in his den because he 

 leaves his quills there T16]. 



Beaver invites Porcupine Tsl, Ts5, N [asks Porcupine to go with him to the middle 

 of the lake Tin]; Beaver goes ashore and comes up near the place where Porcupine 

 sitsN; Porcupine says he can not swim Ts 5; Beaver then carries him on his back Tsl, 

 Ts 5, N, Tk, T16; he tells him to scratch his back when out of breath, and to put his 

 nose close to the nape of his neck Ts 1, Ts 5, N; when diving, Beaver strikes the 

 water with his tail Ts 1, N, Tk; he dives a long time Ts 5; Porcupine scratches him, 

 but he pays no attention Ts 1; when he dives, Porcupine is afraid and breaks wind N 

 [in N, Beaver takes him out to his house, dives twice, and gives him sticks to eat; 

 later on he takes Porcupine out to play and dives four times; then he strikes the 



1 See footnote, n. 694. 



