144 BURTiAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [mix. 29 



which there arc a great main' woodpecker.s." Xfiusgana believed him. 

 He said: "Let us go and see it." One day, Avhen the water was 

 calm, the}^ started, accompanied by Xausgana's wife. The}" paddled 

 toward the island, and Raven said: "Stay here in the canoe while 

 I go ashore to hunt Avoodpeckers in the woods." There were many 

 sLask'Ema (a plant bearing something resembling berries) in the Avoods. 

 Raven took one of these and struck his nose until it bled. Then 

 he transformed the blood into woodpeckers. Then he went back to 

 the canoe and said: " Did 3^ou see the woodpeckers coming out of the 

 woods?" By this time many woodpeckers had come out from under 

 the trees, and Xausgana became eager to hunt them. Fishermen are 

 in the habit of tying the red feathers of the woodpeckers to their 

 hooks in order to secure good luck."** 



As soon as Xausgana had gone a hunting Raven went Imck to the 

 canoe. He lay down in it and thought: "I wish that a wind would start 

 from the island and that the canoe Avould drift away I" He pulled his 

 blanket over his head and pretended to sleep. Now a wind arose, and 

 the canoe drifted away. When Xausgana saw this he shouted: " Wake 

 up! You are drifting out to sea!" but Raven did not stir. Then 

 Xausgana was greatly troubled because he had lost his canoe. As soon 

 as Raven was out of sight he assumed the shape of Xausgana and 

 turned the canoe toward his house. He went up to the house and 

 said to Xausgana's wife:"^ "That man who came visiting us is 

 Raven. He is a liar." Then the woman gave him to eat, and after 

 he had finished the food he asked for more. The woman remarked : 

 "How does it happen that you are so hungry now? Formerly 3'ou 

 never ate as much as you do to-day." 8he was unable to satisfy his 

 hunger. At night he lay down with her. He lived in the house, and 

 people believed that he was Xausgana. 



The latter was staying on the island, unable to leave it. After a 

 while he thought: "1 wish my rattle would come here!" The rattle 

 obeyed his summons. Then he wished his bow to come. Then he 

 walked home over the surface of the water as though it were firm 

 land. He reached his village. After a while he saw his wife coming 

 out of the house. He called her and told her: "The Raven has 

 cheated you. Let us take revenge. Close all the chinks of our house 

 and lock the door. When everything is done shut the smoke hole; 

 then I will appear and take revenge." The woman reentered the 

 house and acted as though nothing had happened. She prepared food 

 for him, and he ate. While he was eating he said all the time: "It is 

 strange how much I have changed. Formerly I was never as hungry 

 as I am now." 



Meanwhile the woman closed all the chinks of the house. Then 

 Xausgana entered. Raven put on his skin and tried to escape, but 

 Xausgana caught him and killed him. He broke his bones to pieces 



