FRACHTENBERG] ALSEA TEXTS AND MYTHS 137 



He would shake his head just a httle, whereupon it would come off. 

 Then they two put it together again. Once more they two were 

 telling him, "Keep on shaking it agam!" Then he did it, indeed, 

 but it came off agam. Fmally, after the fifth attempt, it became 

 tight. "Now thou art tight, keep on shaking it now !" On the fifth 

 day they finally stopped. Then they two said to their father: "Thy 

 name will be Woodpecker. The next generation will use thy feathers 

 only while dancmg." Then he flew away (and) turned into a Wood- 

 pecker. Thereupon his two children turned into dogs. 

 Only now (it ends) . 



11. The Story of the Dog-Children 



They two were living (together, namely) one man and his wife. 

 That man was in the habit of going out hunting every day; he had 

 two dogs, (and) one (was a) female. ... 



And then that (man) went customarily every day to make a canoe. 

 And after his fifth arrival (at the place where he was working) he 

 heard some person shouting from above, "Thou shalt be chiseling; 

 thou shalt be chiselmg." Then in vain he looked around, but he did 

 not see anything at all. Then he began to work once more. However, 

 he had just commenced to chisel, when once more it was said repeat- 

 edly , ' ' Thou shalt be chiseling ; thou shalt be chiseling." So he began 

 to look around again; nevertheless he did not see anything at all. 

 Finally, after the fifth time he heard something. It was just as if 

 (the wind) were blowing. Then he looked (around) and, verily, it 

 was already near (him). So he (tried to save) himself by dodging, 

 whereupon only his head was hit. And just right away his head (was 

 covered with) blood. And it is for that reason that the head of the 

 Woodpecker is red. And then after the fifth (stroke) his head was 

 cut oft'. And such is the reason why the Hawk knows how to sever 

 the heads of the (other) birds. 



Now for such reason (the Woodpecker) one day did not return home. 

 Thereupon the next day his two children went to look for him because 

 he had never done this (before) . And then when they came to where 

 their (dual) father had been working, they two found him lying there 



5 Abbreviated for tern + kus. 



6 Abbreviated for xu'xicdtxa. 



' In this version Woodpecker's murderer is identified as Hawk. 



