swAN'TON] HAIDA TEXTS AND MYTHS 241 



lio-htnint;- had shot in it four times he spit medicine before him and 

 went to it. After h(^ had chopped at it a while and it had fallen, he 

 found himself inside of its mouth (lit.). There was no way to get 

 out, Somethino- held him tight. 



Then his father's supernatural powers came to him. Four having 

 their hair tied in bunches with cedar limbs came quickl}^ to him. Two 

 had wedges in their hands. Two had big hammers. Then they 

 worked at the alder, and the}^ split it. The}^ pulled him out. He 

 rubbed medicine upon himself and became as he had been before. 



When he pulled it apart human bones burst out of it. Some of 

 these were like whole human bodies; some were just held together by 

 the ligaments. Then he trod the alder into bits and threw them 

 around. "Those will be useful to the very last people." Then he 

 carried half of it otf on his shoulder, let one end down on the ground 

 in front of the house, and struck the house front hard. Then his 

 father-in-law said: "Alas! he has killed my supernatural helper." 

 Then he went in and la}' b}^ his wife behind the screens. His father- 

 in-law had the tire quenched, the}^ sa}'.^' 



Next da}' he again said to his daughter, "Come, my child, let your 

 husband go for a small devilfish of mine which lives toward the point." 

 Then he again got up quickl}'. Again his wife clung to him. And 

 his wife said: "They let me marry the sons of the supernatural beings 

 who think themselves powerful. By and by he begins to do this 

 way." Then he said to his wife: " Let me go. I will see the thing 

 he uses against me." Then she gave her husband directions. "After 

 it has spit upward and it has lightened four times go to it." 



Then he went to it. He shot it twice with the arrows his father had 

 given to him. After it had shot up water four times he spit medi- 

 cine in front of himself and went to it. After he had struck it with a 

 stick ^^ he was in its mouth. 



When he was almost drowned in its slime he thought of his father's 

 supernatural helpers. Again the four came to him. They had clubs 

 in their hands, and the}' clubbed it in the eyes. They pulled him out. 

 He was covered with slime. Then ho spit medicine upon himself. 

 He became as he had been before. The bones in it were also many. 



He pulled it apart and tore half of it in pieces and threw them 

 around. "These will ])e useful to all future people." And he carried 

 half of it off with a stick. He threw it in on the side toward the 

 door. Then his father-in-law said: "Alas! he has killed my super- 

 natural helper." Then he entered and lay behind the screens with 

 his wife. 



Next day he again said to his daughter: "Come! my child, let your 

 husband go after my little sea lion yonder." At once he got up. 

 Again she clung to her husband while she cried. " He always lets them 

 marry the sons of the supernatural beings who think they are strong 

 17137— No. 29—05 16 



