14 BUR-EIAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bill. 67 



It is a noteworthy fact that no traces have been found in Alsea 

 mythology of two myths that are present in the folklore of practically 

 every tribe of this region. These are the account of the Stealing of 

 Fire and the Star-Husband story. But, on the other hand, all myths 

 and incidents of Alsea mythology have been found also in the folklore 

 of the tribes to the south, north, and east, and this similarity, so far 

 as myths are concerned, is so great that no distinctive Alsea traditions 

 may be said to exist. Attention has been called in footnotes that 

 accompany each text to these similarities, but it will be well to present 

 here a summary of the concordance between the mythologies of the 

 Alsea Indians and of the other tribes of the Pacific coast and North- 

 west. 



Takmg up the similarities between myths, we find the myth 'dealing 

 with the exploits of the Culture Hero (S-u'ku) shared by the Coos and 

 Maidu; the tradition about the Five Transformers has been recorded 

 among numerous Salish tribes of the coast; the story of the Death of 

 Grizzly Bear has been found among the Lower Umpqua, Coos, Tak- 

 elma, Shasta, Yana, Kalapuya, and Molala Indians; the story dealing 

 with the origin of the several Yakonan and Siuslawan tribes shows 

 partial agreement with similar traditions recorded among the Maidu, 

 Thompson River, and LiUooet Indians; the story of the Flood (the 

 little that has been told of it) is practically identical with the Coos, 

 Maidu, and Molala versions; the Dog-Children story, while differing 

 in certain minor details, shows an intimate connection with like 

 stories of the Coos, Kathlamet, Chinook, Quinaielt, Chilcotin, Lillooet, 

 and other Salish tribes of the North; the two traditions of the Lost 

 Hunters were also recorded by Boas in his "Sagen"; the story of 

 Coyote in the Hollow Tree is the same as that found in the folklore 

 of the Takelma, Maidu, Kalapuya, and Molala tribes; the tradition of 

 the Killing of Elk is shared by the Molala, Kalapuya, and Chinook 

 Indians, and the narrative about Vulture shows a partial agreement 

 with the Ca'xaL-myth of the Chinook. 



If we consider incidents instead of whole myths, we find a much 

 closer correlation. Thus, the Alsea share with the Tillamook, 

 Shuswap, Thompson River, Lillooet, and other Salish tribes in the 

 tradition of a magic-endowed girl who travels with her four brothers ; 

 Alsea folklore has the Skin Shifter episode in common with the Coos 

 and Shoshoni; it has a similar Magic Flight incident as Molala folk- 

 lore; the Diving Contest is the same as recorded among the Chinook; 

 the ascent to heaven by means of a growing tree is similar to that 

 found in the folklore of the Coos, Thompson River, Lillooet, Shus- 

 wap, and Chilcotin Indians, as is likewise the descent by means of a 

 •rope. We find, furthermore, the Chinook version of the origin of 

 cammas; the Swallowed-by-a- Whale episode of Coos, Joshua, Tlingit, 

 and Haida mythology, and the Dentata Vagina, so typical to Maidu, 



