798 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 



The idea of the closing door which kills people occurs also inde- 

 pendently of the Test theme in many of the stories of the North 

 Pacific coast. 



The entrance to the house of Alklunda'm is described as an eagle, which bites 

 every one who enters BC 5.253. The entrance to the house of the sea spirit Q 16'moqwa 

 is described as a canoe-swallowing monster H 5.239. The house of the Thunderbird 

 catches the heel of a person who jumps in Ri 5.228. A ehieftainess, one of the ancestors 

 of the Newettee, is said to have built a house with a snapping door Ne 5.186. The 

 same is told of a Kwakiutl family K 5.166. Among the Comox the house of the owner 

 of the fire also has a snapping door Co 5.81. A trail is obstructed by the snapping 

 mouth of a monster Ne 5.204. 



In a Tillamook tale the lightning-door is described. A visitor jumps in; when he 

 jumps out again, the door cuts off half of his back Till 30. 



(2 a) The Closing Cave 



(6 versions: Ts 130; Ts 1.97; Ts 5.274; Tl 314; M 421; Sk 332. See also BC 5.253; 



H 5.239; H 5.228; Ne 5.186; K 5.166; Co 5.81; Till 30) 



Asdi-wa'l is sent to get water from a spring in a cave that closes. The slave who 

 accompanies him is killed. Then Asdi-waT counts. The fourth time he jumps in, 

 draws the water, and escapes Ts 1.97. 



Here belongs also the incident in the story of Nalq, who passes through the cave 

 which closes Ts 130, and of the boy who went to marry Many Ledges and spits 

 medicine on the closing cave M 421. 



Parallel to these are undoubtedly the stories of the opening and 

 closing hole in the sky and of the opening and closing of the horizon. 

 The former belongs to the Tsimshian version of the origin of Raven. 



Sucking Intestines reaches the hole in the sky. He counts four times and then 

 passes through Ts 5.274. The moving horizon occurs in the Salmon story Tl 314. 

 In a Skidegate tale, travelers reach the edge of the sky, which opens and shuts down. 

 Two of them are cut in two, two escape Sk 332 (see No. 3, p. 737). In Tl 103 the 

 motive of the Symplegades appears in varying forms. 



In the interior the closing cave appears in the tale of the transformation of the 

 marmot (No. 9, p. CIS). 



(2 6) Dangerous Animals Watch The Door 

 (7 versions: Nit 5.118; Sts 5.32, 39; U 209; U 250; Ntl Teit 3.307; Chin 55) 

 In the southern versions we find, in addition to the closing door, 

 the idea that dangerous animals protect the entrance. 



When Anthtine tries to enter the house of the Heavenly Chief, a watchman calls 

 the animals. The visitor rubs himself with slime of snails, and the rats and snakes 

 that protect the house can not attack him. When the door snaps, he jumps back, and 

 jumps through as soon asit opens again. Then he marries the girl Nu 5.118. The 

 entrance of the house of the Sun is watched by two large wolves. The visitor throws 

 bones at them, which stick in their throats. Then he jumps past them into the house 

 Sts 5.39. — In another StsEe'lis story, animals watching a trail are mentioned Sts 5.32. 

 In the interior we do not find stories in which the snapping door is 

 mentioned, but merely the watchful animals that kill all intruders. 



In a Test story of the Lower Thompson Indians, Grizzly Bear and Rattlesnake ap- 

 pear as watchdog* V 209. In another Lower Thompson tale the door is protected 

 by Rattlesnake, Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, and Wolf U 250. In a Nicola Valley 

 tale Wolf, Panther, Grizzly Bear, and Rattlesnake are the protectors of the door of 

 Deer's house Ntl Teit 3.307. In the contest story Chin 55 there are also animals 

 watching the door. 



