fkachtenbeeg] 



ALSEA TEXTS AND MYTHS 235 



one was in sight. This happened several times, until he caught Wolf 

 in the act of tickling him with a feather. He got angry and changed 

 him into a wolf. 



Then he went on until he came to a big bay. He walked around it 

 several times and said: "This shall be the biggest river. People will 

 call it MaLo's (Columbia River) . I will not do anything on this place, 

 but leave it as it is. This shall be the best place." Then he crossed 

 the liver and came to another big bay, which he did not change into 

 a river, because it was too near another big river. He just left it as 

 a bay (Shoalwater Bay). Then he came to another river. He was 

 very hungry and decided to make a salmon trap to catch the salmon 

 as they were coming down the river. So he told the river, "Make 

 thyself small so that I can .get my trap in !" Then he said, "I must 

 have salmon." So he shouted, "Salmon, come upstream and get 

 into my trap!" And the salmon came m shoals and entered the 

 trap. Then he took out one salmon and opened the trap. Then he 

 cooked the fish, but just as he was about to eat it he heard someone 

 shout, "Hey, thy trap is getting full of salmon again." So he ran 

 down to the river and upon seemg the full trap he said, "Verily, these 

 two rivers shall be the best fishing places." 



Then he went back southward until he came to his starting point. 

 And whenever he came to a river he commanded, "There shall live 

 here a man and a woman." And this is why there are so many 

 different tribes, because he created different people at each river. 



26. The Killing of Elk ^ 



Once upon a time five Wolves were living together; they were 

 brothers. One day the eldest brother said, "Let us invite the people 

 of the different tribes to come here to a dance, and after they arrive 

 here we will kill the chiefs and will devour them." The other brothers 

 liked this plan; whereupon the youngest Wolf was sent out with invi- 

 tations to the chiefs of the different tribes. He visited the Elks, 

 Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, Deer, and other animals, and all prom- 

 ised to appear on the appointed day. He especially asked the chiefs 

 to bring their feathers and dancing-clothes along. 



On the appointed day the various tribes, led by their chiefs, arrived 

 at the house of the Wolves, who welcomed them warmly. They 

 filed into the house, where everythmg was ready for the dance. The 

 chief of the Grizzly-Bear tribe was leading in the singing. He sang, 

 ee'awel'yu, ee'dwee'yu.- Soon old man Coon came into the house, 

 dressed in clothes of coon skin and carrymg a quiver of the same 

 material, and began to dance. He kicked around like an old man. 

 As soon as he entered the house Mo'luptsini'sla ^ began to make fun 



1 This narrative is undoubtedly a continuation of Creation myth No. 2. Stories not dissimilar were 

 obtained among the Molala and Kalapuya tribes. See also Boas, Chinook Texts, p. 119. 



2 The usual name for Coyote, but apparently applied in this story to the youngest brother of the Wolves. 



