286 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [iun.i.2'.) 



TllK MAN WHO MAKKIEI) A KILLEK-WHALE WOMAN 



[Told by Alii-aluun of Tli(),se-l)orn-at-Q!a'riAsgo, wlio Icariu'il it from an old Niiistiiils niati.] 



A man and his wife were abandoned at the town of Sqa-i' After 

 they bad lived there together for a while, his wife began getting mus- 

 sels at Stas(ia'os* Every day she went there for mussels. 



After a while he became suspicious of her. And one time, when she 

 went after mussels, he followed her stealthily. When she got near 

 the place where she was going to get mussels she went along singing. 

 She beat upon her mat with her digging stick in lieu of a drum. When 

 she got near the place where the mussels were a whale jumped ashore 

 sideways just in front of her. Then she went to it, and she lay with it. 

 And the whale went otf blowing. He saw it. 



Then he knew, and he went away. Then he began to sharpen a 

 nuissel-shell at some place where she could not see him. It became 

 sharp, and one day, when it was low tide, he sent his wife to get spruce 

 roots for him. 



Then he made clothing for himself like his wife's, took the basket, 

 and wore the mat as a blanket. Then he went along the beach of 

 Stasqa'os. And, when he approached the place where his wife was in 

 the habit-of getting mussels, he used his mat as a drum. When he 

 sang the same words, the black whale came ashore on its side in front 

 of him. Then he went to it and cut otf its penis. Then it got up 

 ((uickly and went into the water making a noise. Its cries died awa\^ 

 into the ocean. 



Then he came home and built a fire. And he put stones into the 

 fire. Then he sliced it up, and, when the stones were hot, he 

 steamed it. After it was cooked his wife came home. 



Then she asked her husband: ''What things are you steaming^' 

 "I found some things which had floated ashore. I am steaming them 

 for you. They are cooked. Take the covers ofl." Then they took 

 the covers oft". Before they had even put them into the tray she took 

 the piece off of the top and ate it. 



After she had taken one bite he said to her: ''Is your husband's 

 penis sweet?" She dropped it at once. Immediately^ she turned 

 toward the door. Right where she sat she shook. Even the ground 

 shook. 



And, when his wife started off, he tried to hold her. He could not. 

 Then she went out, and he went out after her. And, after he had fol 

 lowed her closely for a while, she went up in the bed of a creek at the 

 end of Stasqa'os. All that time he kept looking at her. And, when 



