12 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 67 



lore of the tribes of California, of the North Pacific coast, and of the 

 Northwestern Plateau. 



Speaking in a; general way, Alsea mythology may be said to be 

 characteristic of that area of the Northwest which embraces northern 

 California, Oregon, and Washington. It is typical of the Northwest 

 in so far as it shows a total lack of migration myths such as are found 

 among the tribes of the Southwest and among certain tribes of the 

 East. The absence of a real creation myth makes Alsea mythology 

 distinct from the mythologies of the tribes of southern California, 

 while the lack of ancestor legends would seem to distinguish it from 

 the folklore of the tribes that inhabit the Arctic coast. On the other 

 hand, Alsea mythology is intimately connected with the mythology 

 of the tribes of northern California (especially the Maidu) regardless 

 of the fact that such typical stories as the Loon-Woman, Tar-Baby, 

 Rolling-Skull, and Stump-Man are entirely missing. In like manner 

 it shows special points of contact with the folklore of its neighbors 

 to the north (especially the Salish), although it has no Bmigling- 

 Host story. In the Alsea accomit of the origin of things the creation 

 of the world, of the sea, and the various rivers, and of the faunal 

 and floral kingdoms, are an accomplished fact. The Culture Hero 

 (S^'u'ku), the Black Bear, and the Beaver are among the first people 

 that are mentioned. In due time the Culture Hero commences his 

 long journey, during which he names the several rivers, provides them 

 with various kinds of fish, and teaches mankind certain forms of 

 art. Unlike the mythologies of the Maidu, Shasta, and Coos tribes, 

 Alsea mythology is satisfied with a world already created. In this 

 connection it may be mentioned that the Coos seem to be the most 

 northerly Indians according to whose ideas the world was created 

 out of a watery waste, and the original portion of land was enlarged 

 and steadied by means of five additional cakes of mud. But, as is 

 the case in Maidu mythology, we find in Alsea mythology a disso- 

 ciation of the Culture Hero (S^u'ku) from the Trickster (Coyote). 

 However, this dualism of the two most important mythological 

 characters is not so complete as in Maidu, nor do we meet any traces 

 of the intense struggle for supremacy that is waged in Maidu my- 

 thology between Earth-Maker and Coyote. To the absence of this 

 strife between the good and bad principles (among the Maidu) may, 

 perhaps, be attributed the lack, in Alsea folklore, of the Origin-of- 

 Death story.^ 



The Alsea Culture Hero is by no means dignified and free from 

 treacherous tricks. He plays on various occasions tricks that are 

 performed just as miscrupuloiisly by Coyote. Furthermore, Coyote 

 plays, in spite of his trickery, just as important and benevolent 



1 The text bearing this title (No. 8) is a Coos tradition which was dictated by me in English to Smith, 

 who retranslated it in Alsea. 



