boas] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY. 865 



So far as I am aware, the incident does not occur in this area in 

 any other connection. In the north and the south, however, it is 

 found in many stories telling of the visit to the sky. 



A man wishes to ascend to the sky. He goes to a sandbar near Metlakahtla and 

 shoots arrows up, which form a chain. Finally he completes it by putting his bow 

 at the bottom Ts 5.278. 



The Mucus Boy (see p. 734) resolves to go up to the sky. He takes a strong bow, 

 makes many arrows, and begins to shoot. After shooting for a long time, he sees a 

 fine dark line, which descends toward the earth. He rubs it with medicine, and in 

 this way makes it so strong that he can climb up. Nu 5.117. 



The Mucus Boy asks the people to make arrows. He looks for the "log of heaven." 

 Snail discovers it, and then exchanges its eyes for those of Thunderbird. The Mucus 

 Boy shoots at the log and makes a chain of arrows. He reaches the sky and walks 

 along a trail Nu ap 907. 



Two brothers, Kumsla'aqs and Si'ax £ um, go out in their canoe to hunt birds. The 

 second brother is sent to get water; and when he returns, they notice that the sun is 

 low. They shoot their arrows at the sky, form a chain, and shake it. The elder 

 brother climbs up, and when he reaches the sky shakes the chain. Then the younger 

 brother follows. Up above they meet the Sun, who at first is angry, but then welcomes 

 them, Nitinath. 



Two boys go out in a canoe, and begin to shoot toward the sky, until they make a 

 chain that reaches down to the ground. The elder one shakes it, and finds that it is 

 strong enough. Then he ascends Co 5.68. Two boys who have been scolded shoot 

 arrows up to the sky. They form a chain. The elder one shakes it to see whether it 

 is strong enough. Then they climb up Co 5.65. In Squ Hill-Tout 3.522 Wren 

 shoots the arrows; the Transformer strengthens them with medicine. 



The Sun has killed the Pitch. Pitch's sons resolve to take revenge. They shoot 

 their arrows toward the sky. The elder brother shakes the chain, and they climb 

 up Co 5.64. Woodpecker and Eagle have lost their sons, who had been taken up to 

 the sky. The two birds ask all the animals to devise a plan to reach the sky. 

 They are all unsuccessful. Finally one Bird shoots arrows up to the sky while his 

 grandmother is beating time. While doing so, he paints his face with a long straight 

 red line. After he has finished, he wipes off the red paint and paints his whole body 

 white. Then the arrows are transformed into a wide trail, which the animals ascend 

 Sta 5.31. The Birds try to make war on the sky. They try to reach the sky with 

 their arrows; but all of them are unsuccessful, until finally Tcitu'c succeeds. After 

 they have ascended, the chain breaks before all the animals succeed in getting back 

 Ntl 5.17. The people of the sky steal Swan's wife. The Birds try to shoot their 

 arrows at the sky, and finally Wren succeeds. He makes a chain, and the people 

 ascend. When they return, the chain breaks, and some remain in the sky U 246, 

 Ntl Teit 3.334, Lil 311. 



Black Bear and Wolverene — the former the chief of the Fishes, the latter of the 

 Birds — make war on the sky. The animals are unable to reach the sky with their 

 arrows, until Wren succeeds. Then the other small birds shoot in order, until a chain 

 is made. Wolverene and Black Bear quarrel, and the Bear knocks down the chain 

 of arrows. Only a few animals succeed in getting back Sh 749. 



The animals believe that a woman has been killed by the Sky people. They try- 

 to make a chain of arrows, but they do not succeed until finally two Hawks shoot. 

 They make a chain. In order to complete it, Raven puts his beak in the nock of 

 the last arrow, and stems his feet against the ground. The animals go up. Wolverene 

 tells them to wait. Since they do not do so, he becomes angry and tears down the 

 arrows. Only some of the animals succeed in getting back, Kutenai 165. 



The animals try to get the fire from the upper world. They try to make a chain 

 of arrows, but all fail. The bird Tsiska'kEna succeeds, and then the others continue 

 50633°— 31 eth— 16 55 



