732 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 



The idea of the support of the world occurs also among the Tlingit 

 and some of the Athapascan tribes. 



The earth is narrow and sharp, like a knife. In the beginning the world stood 

 upright and moved up and down in space. If its motion had not been stopped, all 

 life Would have been destroyed. The animals tried to fasten the world, but in vain. 

 Last of all, the ermine tried to do so. Its tail touched the formless substratum above 

 which the world was moving up and down, and to which it tried to attach it. There- 

 fore the point of the ermine's tail is black. When all the animals had tried in vain, 

 a female spirit made the attempt. She took some duck grease and anointed her 

 stomach with it. Then she crawled under the earth. When it moved down, her 

 stomach touched the substratum and became attached to it. Thus the earth is held 

 in place. She is called "The Old Woman Underneath Us" (Haricanaklo). Some- 

 times Raven visits her and pulls her. Then there is an earthquake Tl 5.319. 



In the Raven tale recorded by Swanton (Tla 20) it is told that Raven killed a 

 beaver near K6ks!e'L!. He had tried to make a post under the earth of various kinds 

 of material, and finally used the foreleg of this beaver, on which the world is now 

 standing. The Old Woman Underneath (Hayica'nak!") attends to this post. When 

 she is hungry, the earth shakes. Then the people put grease into the fire, and it 

 goes to her. 



According to Swanton 4.452, the Tlingit believe that under everything lay The 

 Old Woman Underneath (Hayica'nak! u ), who had charge of a post made from a 

 beaver's foreleg, on which the world rested. When Raven tried to drive her away 

 from-this post, the earth quaked. According to another story, she was attending to 

 a big pot over a fire; and when she was annoyed, the cover of the pot shook and the 

 earth moved; or, again, the earth shook when she was hungry, and stopped when people 

 put grease into the fire, which immediately went to her. She is also mentioned by 

 Krause Tl 4.268. 



The central support on which the earth rests is mentioned also by Petitot (7.256) as 

 an incident in one of the Hare Indian tales. 



10. The Four Great Chiefs of the Winds 



(8 versions: Ta 121; Tl 219; M 396; Sk 258; Ntl Teit2.55; Sh624; Lil310; Lil Hill- 

 Tout 6.204) 



The four Winds live in the corners of the world. North Wind is disliked by the 

 others because he makes the world pale. They make war against him, vanquish 

 him and he promises that the world shall be green for six months. This is accepted, 

 notwithstanding South- Wind's objection. It is agreed that South Wind shall some- 

 times blow in winter, that the three winds shall blow in spring, and West Wind blow 

 in summer, while winter is reserved for North Wind. South Wind has four sons and 

 one daughter; West Wind and East Wind have each two sons; and North Wind has 

 twins. The son of North Wind marries South Wind's daughter. At the marriage 

 festival the daughter comes in with strong winds and heavy rains. She goes with her 

 husband, and feels very cold iu his frozen house. She carves a duck of yellow cedar 

 (see p. 824) aud sends it to her father, who learns that his daughter has been cast out by 

 her husband. South Wind sends his four sons to rescue her. They go in the form of 

 clouds, which are driven away. The youngest finally assumes the form of a cloud 

 sharp at both ends. He succeeds in reaching and rescuing her. North Wind ceases 

 to blow, and his house is full of water. The sister takes along her sister-in-law, a 

 floating piece of ice. After North Wind has been vanquished, the four brothers take 

 away two months from him. Therefore the winter lasts/our months. When they return, 

 the other Winds hold a council, and they agree that each shall have three months Ts . 

 The wooden duck is mentioned again on p. 830. 



Swanton records a short Tlingit analogue (Tl 219). 



