818 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ETH. ANN. 31 



Asdi-wa'l becomes a great sen hunter Ts 1.121-125. Six brothers of the G'it-qxfi'la find 

 Asi'wa and take him home. He marries their only sister Ts 5.288. He marries among 

 the Tsimshian N 228. 



(m c) The Sea-Lion Bock 



(9 versions: Ts 1.125; Ts 5.288; N 228; Tl 147; Tl 203 ; Tl 230 ; Sk 282 ; M 385 ; Ri 5.229. 

 See also Tl 50; Nu 5.121) 



The four brothers are jealous of Asdi-wa'l. They shut out in four • -amies for the 

 sea-lion rock. Asdi-wa'l is in the canoe of the eldest brother. He puts on his hunting- 

 clothes, snowshoes, and blanket, takes lance, bow, and two quivers-, and jumps ashore, 

 lie kills the sea lions; and when he returns, he finds that the brothers have left him. 

 The eldest has returned, but three are still floating near by. They ask him to come 

 aboard, but he refuses. One after another leaves, the youngest one last. In the 

 morning Asdi-wa'l pulls his arrows out of the sea lions. A gale arises, and the waves 

 break over the rock. Asdi-wa'l puts up his lance, and fastens the bow and the arrows 

 to the top. His father gives him a bird blanket, and he sits on top of the last arrow 

 until the storm subsides Ts 1.125-129. Asi'wa accompanies the brothers to their sea- 

 lion rock. He puts on his snowshoes, takes club, bow, and arrows, and jumps ashore. 

 He kills all the sea lions. The brothers are jealous, and desert him. Only the young- 

 est one has pity and stays near by. When the flood rises and almost covers the rock, 

 he puts his bow in a fissure, assumes the form of a bird, and sits down on top. When 

 the waters rise still higher, he fastens an arrow to the bow and sits on the arrow. Thus 

 he continues until the water sinks. Then he lies down to sleep Ts 5.2S8. Asi-hwi'l 

 accompanies the brothers to the sea-lion rock. He puts on his snowshoes, takes his 

 staff, jumps ashore, and kills the sea lions. Then the brothers desert him. The tide 

 rises and almost covers the rock. He puts his staff into a fissure and sits down on top. 

 When the water rises still higher, be ties his bow to the end of the staff. He whistles 

 and calls his father to help him. Finally the tide ceases to rise and he lies down to 

 sleep N 228. 



This incident occurs in many other stories. 



HanL lekunas (The Man Who Recovered His Eyesight, see p. 825) leaves his country 

 and meets a girl who has many brothers. He becomes the lover of the girl, and her 

 brothers decide to kill him. They ask him to accompany them when they go sea-lion 

 hunting. The rock is difficult of access because there is much kelp around it, and 

 the brothers swim ashore. While Hannlekunas is ashore, the brothers desert him. 

 The youngest man has pity for him and throws a skin blanket ashore Ri 5.229. A wood- 

 worker has two children. He makes spears for hunting sea lions and goes out with 

 the people to a sea-lion rock. The people are jealous, and abandon him. Only his 

 youngest brother-in-law stays near by. He tries to take away the paddles of the people 

 who are abandoning him, but is unsuccessful. The deserted man cries for his children, 

 and lies down to sleep near a pond into which they used to drive the sea lions Sk 282. 

 In the Tlingit town Q!a'k!an a man named Na'ntcux is a good sea-lion hunter. Hia 

 sister is married to a nephew of Chief Kino'g". Na'ntcux and his brothers go sea- 

 lion hunting in a canoe, jump ashore on the sea-lion rock, and club the sea lions. 

 They cut up the sea lions, load the canoe, and go back. The following day the brothers 

 invite Go'ttca, their brother-in-law, to accompany them. A gale arises, and they 

 save themselves, leaving Go'ttca behind. He drinks rain water that gathers in holes 

 on the rock. He passes nine days there M 385. A man named Black Skin has attained 

 strength without the knowledge of the people. When they go sea-lion hunting, they 

 will not allow him to come along, but he pulls the canoe back and jumps aboard. The 

 people say jokingly, "Black Skin came along to tear the sea lions in two." When they 

 reach the rock. Black Skin's uncle jumps ashore when the canoe is on the crest of a 



