820 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [HTH. ANN. 31 



(in d) The Invisible Arrow 



(24 versions: Ts 100; Ts 336; Ts 1.131; Ts 5.289; N 123; N 229; Tl 149; Tl 153; 

 Tl 5.324; Sk 64; Sk 176; M 419; BC 5.254; H 5.237; Xe 5.190; K 5.149; K 5.161; 

 K 9.53; K 11.24: Nu 5.99; Nu ap 916; Co 5.94; Sts 360; Coos 127. See also M 466; 



The incident of the arrow of man, which is invisible to the animals 

 or supernatural beings, which enters as a prominent part into this 

 incident (Ts 1.131, Ts 5.289, N 229, Tl 149), is widely distributed on 

 the Pacific coast. It occurs with particular frequency in a story tell- 

 ing of the visits of a supernatural being to a village. During the 

 night he tries to steal provisions, and is shot by the owner of the 

 house, who follows him, and finds him in his own home, where shamans 

 are in vain trying to cure him. The human visitor sees the arrows or 

 whatever other weapon may have hurt him, extracts it, and thus cures 

 the supernatural being, who in return gives him valuable presents. 



In our series this idea is contained in the story of Txa'msEm's further adventures 

 (pp. 101-723), in which it is told that Txa'msEm visits a house, is shot by the owner, 

 who later on finds him wounded in his own house. The element of the cure is here 

 omitted. This is evidently a new story built up on the old idea. It is also found in 

 the story of Great Shaman (p. 335), in which it is told that a shaman is taken to the 

 supernatural being Bagus, whose son is sick. He sees an arrow in the chest of the 

 patient, pulls it out, and cures him. The idea of the invisible arrow is implied also 

 in N 123, where a boy shoots the daughter of the Wolves. Nobody can cure her 

 except himself. The same story is told more fully in M 419. 



Corresponding to this tale is a Land Otter story of the Tlingit. A shaman is taken 

 to the Land Otters, one of whom is sick. They are unable to discover the cause of 

 the disease. In order to test him, they try to take him to the wrong house, but the 

 shaman's rattle and belt run ahead and show him the right house. He sees a neck- 

 ring (breastplate?) of carved bones, which he wishes to have in payment. The Land 

 Otters understand his wish and give it to him. He pulls out an arrow that is invisible 

 to the Land Otters Tl 153, Tl 5.324, Sk 64. 



A boy who is deserted catches many salmon for his younger brother. They all dis- 

 appear. He discovers that the Ga'ogila, a supernatural being, takes away the salmon. 

 He shoots the Ga'ogila and pursues him. The Ga'ogila lives in the village of Master 

 Carpenter, whose daughter the boy marries. The Ga'ogila is sick, but the shamans 

 can not see what is ailing him. The Land Otter shaman tries to cure him, but does 

 not see the arrows. The boy puts on cedar-bark rings, pulls out the arrows, and sticks 

 them into the ring. He pushes them in and out until he is promised an adequate 

 payment. In return he is given the daughter of the sick Ga'ogila Sk 176. 



A boy and his grandmother are abandoned, and are given food by a Skunk-Cabbage. 

 A supernatural being steals the fish that they have dried, and is shot by the boy. He 

 arrives at the village of the carpenters, and learns that he has wounded the slave of 

 the town chief, who, in the shape of a skunk-cabbage, had helped them. The char- 

 acteristic restoration of the slave is here omitted M 466. 



Two brothers live alone. A supernatural woman steals their salmon. The elder 

 brother shoots her and pursues her. He passes the house of Masmasala'nix, and 

 reaches the house of Alkhinda'm, whose daughter he has wounded. Two daughters 

 of the wounded woman come to draw water, and he is called in to cure her. In return 

 he is promised one of the girls. While he is singing, the scales of a cedar cone beat 

 time on the drum, and he pulls out the arrow, and thus cures her BC 5.254. 



Masmasala'nix steals the salmon of two brothers and their sister. The elder brother 

 shoots him and pursues him. When he reaches Masmasala'nix's house, he finds that 



