806 TSIMSHIAN' MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 



(7/) The Woodpecker, Bear, Grizzly Bear, Raccoon, Panther 

 (8 versions: BC 82; K 11.13; Co 5.68; Sts 5.39; Quin 113; Chin 33; Kath 11C; Wish 87) 

 The incidents grouped together here helong to the southern Test 

 stories. The father-in-law sends the youth to capture wild animals, 

 and is attacked by them. 



Qa'mxulal asks his son-in-law Q !a'neqe £ lak u to bring two woodpeckers to peck off 

 the insects from the house. Q !a'neqe e lak u obeys, and orders them to continue pecking 

 day and night K 11.13. La'iq orders his sons-in-law to bring the woodpecker. They 

 obey Co 5.68. Both of these incidents are followed by the revenge of the animals 

 (see No. 14, p. 810). The Sun asks his son-in-law to catch a bird. He brings it, and 

 the bird pecks out the Sun's eyes BC 82. The Moon sends the youth to catch the 

 red bear. His grandmothers make two bears out of wood. Their combs become the 

 paws. He takes them home Sts 5.39. The Thunderer orders his son-in-law to catch 

 two wolves, saying that they are his playmates. His son-in-law obeys. They bite 

 the old man, who says that they have forgotten him and orders them to be taken back. 

 The same happens in order with black bears, grizzly bears, and panthers Chin 33. 

 The Thunderer sends the youth to get snow, mountain lions, and bears. The snow 

 is inexhaustible, the animals scratch the old man, who orders snow and animals to 

 be taken back Quin 113. Mink is ordered by an old relative of his brother's wife to 

 bring first two wolves, then two bears, two raccoons, grizzly bears. The form of the 

 story is practically identical with the Chinook story Kath 116. The people are 

 ordered to bring a maiden's little dogs. They take five grizzly bears, make them 

 small by their magic powers, and take them to the house. The grizzly bears fight 

 among themselves, and the people who brought them are ordered to take them back 

 Wish 87. 



(8) Berries in Winter 



(3 versions: K 11.12; Co 5.68; Squ Hill-Tout 3.528) 

 Qa'mxulal asks his son-in-law Q !a'neqe J lak u to pick salmonberries, although it is 

 winter. Q !;Vneqe J kik u briiiL'.s back a small basketful of berries, which always remain 

 the same in quantity, so that the people are unable to eat them K 11.12. La'iq sends 

 his son-in-law to pick cranberries. The young people go to their grandfather, a water 

 spirit, and ask him to whistle. When he does so, bushes sprout, bloom, and bear 

 fruit. They carry the berries home, and La'iq is unable to empty the dish Co 5.68. 

 The youth chews alder-bark and blows the juice on cedar bark, which he transforms 

 into salmonberries. Hummingbird, Bumblebee, and Wren fly about them and ripen 

 them Squ Hill-Tout 3.528 (see also p. 696). 



(9) The Heat Test 



(24 versions: Ts 1.103; N 131; Tl 89; Tl 119; M 350; M 421; M 422; Sk 243; Sk 278; 

 Tsts2fi7; BC 79; K 5.136; K 10.339; Ne 11.242; Nu 5.118; Chil25; Lil 348; Ntl Teit 

 2.39; U209; Quin 104; Chin 58; Wish 83; Till 30; Till 136) 



The jealous uncle takes the youth to bark which is burning. WTien the youth tries 

 to get it, the uncle pushes him into it. The youth covers himself with mud and does 

 not feel the heat. When the uncle leaves, the youth pushes the bark down, throws 

 it about, and carries some home, where he throws it down in the house Sk 278. The 

 same incident occurs in M 422. It is obviously a mixture of incident 4, of the falling 

 tree, and of the fire test. 



In the northern stories the fire test has generally the following 

 form. The youth is put into a kettle, in which he is boiled. When 

 the kettle is uncovered, it is found that he is unharmed. 



