FEACHTENBERG] ALSEA TEXTS AND MYTHS 105 



were in great numbers outside the house. So then he said: "Why 

 are you, on your part, afraid of them? Really, it is nothing; they 

 are only hungry. For that reason they are scratching with their 

 feet. Why do you not give them food ?" So then he began to make 

 a trap of wood. And when he finished it he set it up and tied a 

 string to its supporting stick. And then he went back into the 

 house after he finished making a bait for it. And now he kept on 

 watching his wooden trap. And not long (afterward) those small 

 birds began to go into it. And when they went m he pulled quickly 

 at it, whereupon his wooden trap fell down. So then he went (to it). 

 And when he a^'rived (there) his wooden trap just seemed to move 

 up and down. So he raised it up and went back with a bird into the 

 house. And then just all sorts of things he did to it. He pulled 

 out a feather from its tail and put it back into his nose. Then he 

 tied a string to it and made it dance, saying: "Nothmg will be thy 

 name; it will be only MEk'u'dust. The children of the Earth People 

 will habitually do this to thee. They will enjoy thee whenever (they) 

 will trap thee." And then when he finished (with) it he let it fly 

 again and told (the people), "Do you come down now!" (He said 

 this) since these people were living above because their several 

 houses were just resting on posts. Then aft^er they came down again 

 he left them once more. Then he went again into the canoe and they 

 started out. 



Then not long (afterward) they came again to a village. And then 

 similarly the younger (brother) spoke, ' ' (I) wish we would stop for a 

 while; I am going to see (the place)." And then he went ashore and 

 went to the house. Then he entered, whereupon he was asked, 

 ''Whence art thou coming?" — -"Oh! we are traveling over the 

 world." — "Who (else) is with you?" — "Well, I am accompanying 

 my elder brothers." — "And where are they?" — "I left them m the 

 canoe." — "Then why didst thou one (and) alone come ashore?" — "I 

 (did this) just to see (the place)." . So then he went back to the canoe 

 and was telling his elder brothers that somebody was living (there). 

 And then they all came ashore and stayed (there) for a long time. 

 And then one day the younger (brother) spoke, "Why is it that these 

 people, on their part, never drmk?" So then he was tcld: "Please 

 don't! If thou wouldst only keep quiet!" — "I just said this (for 

 fun)." But net long (aftei-ward) he spoke (again), "(I) wonder why 

 is it that all the buckets are full of holes at the bottom?" — "Verily, 

 keep quiet!" — "T was just saying this (for fun)." But after a while 



