116 BUEEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 67 



8. The Origin of Death (Coos)^ 



Xe'Lk'aiix ts-mu'tsk'ak'aux.- Ya'tsxaux k'a'axk'e. Hamstl'- 

 taux niEtsa'sidut, hamsti'taux qa'alt ts-la'mxadook* . Is xa'mEt-s- 

 Lqe'tsit tern Lqaltiyai' ats-ma'hatsk' . 'Llya^ tsa^'mE qa^'tsE Lqali'- 

 tEx tern k'im yuxe'.^ Tsa'^'mauk* hi'k'e Lqali'tEx ts-k' a'ltstik" , sas 

 5 yuxe' ats-ma'hatsk' . Tern lik"aisal3^u'Lx. Is xa'mEt-s-pi'tskum 

 tern 'Liya' nu'nsitxa, tern tai'Lx ats-ma'hatsk' , sas yuxe'. Tsu'nk'xa- 

 tsuxtit-s-pi'tskum tem ayai', pli'xanx ats-hl'yak'. "Nl'tsk'-auk'- 

 e'ii xam k'a'ltsu, sin hiya^, sas yuxe' asi'n ma'liats, sis-axa wi'lT 

 suda'astit-s-pi'tskum?" I'mstE Ili'tEsal. ''Liya^ sin hiya^. Xa- 



10 nu'nsitxam hi'k'e qa^'ltE, sxas-axa lEaqa'yusxam." * I'mstE Ildi'- 

 nx. Yasau^'yai'nx 'Liya' la^. Hi'k'auk' tai^ Itla'xsalx ts-hai°k- 

 I'mstE: ''K'in-axa lota'yu I'mstE." 



'Llya' tsa^'mE qa'^'tsE tem k"im Iqaldiyai' ats-ma'hatsk' . 'Liya^ 

 tsa^'mE qa^'tsE LqalI'dEx, tem k"im yuxe'. Tsa^'maiik" hi'k' e Lqall'- 



15 tEx ts-k' a'ltsuk' , sas yuxe' ats-ma'hatsk'. MEytl'sauxa, tqaia'ldEx 

 sis-axa wl'll ats-ma'hatsk' . Tem ayai'xa k'i'mhak's. "Sin hlya', 

 tsa^'niE hi'k'e aqa^^t, sau'xus-axa ^ wi'll a'stin La'mxadu Is siida'- 

 astit-s-pi'tskum." I'mstE yasau^yai'nx ats-itsal'sk' .^ "^Llya- 

 I'mstE, sin hiya^ Xa-hi'k'e tai^ nu'nsitxam, xas-axa tea'qayus- 



20 xam." I'mstE yasau-'yal'nx. "Tsa^'mEn hi'k'e tqaia'ldEx stin 

 la'mxadoo sau'xus-axa wi'li, te'mlta xa-'Liya^ tqaia'ldEx I'mstE. 

 Hi'tslEm yuwi'xal tem Laxaya^^ na'mk" wi'lal, tem Laxlya^' tqaia'- 

 ldEx I'mstE. Tem xa-yasau'yE'mtsx, 'I'mstE aqa^^t.'" I'mstauk* 

 H!a'xsalx ts-hai"k'. Tem hi'k'e tsa^'mE aqa^^t, mis I'mstE mEya'- 



25 saux. Hi'tsLEm tem-axa wi'lal qoma-ts suda'astit-s-pl'tskum, sis 

 I'mstE ili'tEsaltxam. K' -hi'k'e tsa^^'niE aqa^^t, sis ii'k'eai pEyu'- 

 x-axam,^ k'is-axa wll suda^'stit-s-pl'tskum. 



Tai- mu"'hu I'mstE. I'mstE qe'k'Iyu is qami'n. - 



1 This story was dictated by me in English to William Smith, who then translated it into Alsea. This 

 was done in order to show the relationship of type that exists bet^\ een the Coos and Alsea languages. For 

 si.-nilar myths among the neighboring tribes see Dixon, Maidu Texts, pp. 51 et seq.; Shasta Myths, pp. 14 

 et seq.; Sapir, Yana Texts, p. 91; Takelma Texts, pp. 99 et seq.; Frachtenterg, Shasta and Athapascan 

 Myths from Oregon, p. 209. 



2 Should read xe'ik-aux Imu'tsk-EzhlEnu't. 



3 Literally, "he disappeared." 

 * a'qa well. 



5 sis + -aux + -aia. 



5 Literally, "his house." 



" 'Llya- + -aia. 



8 yui- TO DISAPPE.\R, TO DIE. 



