740 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth.ann. 31 



15. The Winter Hunters and the Mosquito 



(3 versions: Ts 141; BC 5.252; Kai 265) 



Ten brothers go hunting, and from the top of a mountain see a deep valley in which 

 a village is located. They slide down on their snowshoes, and are each called into 

 one house. The chief invites the youngest one, who is accompanied by his wife and 

 child. A middle-aged woman takes charge of the child while father and mother are 

 eating, and sucks the blood of the child out through the ear. The woman tells her 

 husband, who warns his brothers. During the night they do not dare to sleep, and 

 notice that the people try to approach them; but every time this happens they cough, 

 in order to indicate that they are awake. Early in the morning, when all the people 

 are sound asleep, they escape. Before they reach the top of the mountains, the people 

 begin to pursue them. They throw an avalanche of snow down upon the pursuers. 

 More people pursue them, and the same happens as before. Finally the chief pursues 

 them alone. He is a short, stout man. He overtakes the brothers, and kills one after 

 another with his crystal proboscis. The young mother runs ahead, and reaches a 

 tree which slants over the water of a lake. She climbs to the top. The chief follows 

 the scent of her tracks. He sees her image in the water, jumps in, and tries to kill 

 her. When he does not find her in the water, he waits until the mud settles, and 

 dives again. The woman laughs at him. After sunset the water is clear again, and 

 he sees the young woman laughing at him. He ties his hair on the top of his head 

 and jumps in again. When he comes out, the moon is shining, the north wind blow- 

 ing, and he is frozen to death. His wings freeze to the ground. The woman throws 

 him with a stick to make sure that he is dead, cuts him open with her fish-knife, 

 takes out the heart, which has two eyes and a mouth and is still palpitating. She 

 swings it four times over her companions, and they all revive. The village is the 

 village of the Mosquitoes. On the following day they burn the chief's body, throw 

 out the ashes, which are transformed into small mosquitoes Ts 141. 



Five brothers go seal hunting every day. The youngest one stays at home. One 

 morning he hears a woman shouting on the other side of the river. He takes her over 

 in his canoe. When the people are asleep, her mouth grows to an enormous length, 

 and she sucks out the brains of the sleepers through their ears. She kills the people 

 in all the houses. In the morning the boy notices that the people do not get up, and 

 finds that they are dead. The following day the four hunters return. During the night 

 the eldest pretends to be asleep. He sees the old woman extending her mouth, and 

 calls his brothers. They cut her up with a hatchet, burn up the house, and escape. 

 The old woman revives, and pursues them. They kill her again, cut up the body, 

 and throw the pieces into the fire. They meet a Duck, and ask her for the trail to 

 the house of Alklunda'm. They reach a river, and climb a tree that grows near the 

 bank. The old woman overtakes them, sees their reflection in the water, and jumps 

 in. When she gets out again, one of the young men laughs and moves. She jumps 

 back into the water. AVhen this happens a third time, the eldest one swings his 

 blanket, and the water freezes at once. Only the face of the old woman is free. He 

 reaches the house of Alklunda'm, the door of which is formed by an eagle. Following 

 Alklunda'm's advice, they jump through the door when the eagle opens its mouth. 

 After they have told their story to Alklunda'm, he tells them that the old woman is 

 his mother, who arrives. He kills her, throws her into the lire, and transforms the 

 ashes into mosquitoes. (Here the story continues, telling how the brothers gamble 

 with Alkhindii'm, obtain the salmon from him, and how they are enabled to revive 

 their friends who were killed by the old woman.) BC 5.252. 



An unknown man comes to the house of five brothers. The child of the eldest 

 brother cries, and is given to the visitor to quiet it. He sucks out the child's brains 

 from one side of the head. The brothers try to strike him, but are killed, except the 



