^'^BOAn BLUE-JAY AND I(/l MYTH — TRANSLATION. 159 



After a while bis sister said to him: "You ought to get married. 

 Take a wife. She shall help ine dig roots. But take a dead one." 

 " I will do so," said Blue Jay. Now the daughter of the chief of a 

 town had died. Blue Jay went to the grave at night and took her 

 out. Early the next morning he landed aud said to his elder sister. 

 " Here, 1 briug the dead one ashore, as you told me." " Anah, 

 Squint-eye, I told you to bring an old one. Quick ! Take her to the 

 supernatural beings |and ask them to cure your wife]." Now Blue- 

 Jay went. He cut off' all his hair and began to cry. He went to the 

 place where the supernatural beings lived. They heard somebody 

 crying and went outside. They spoke: "Oh, see; that is poor Blue- 

 Jay who is crying there; perhaps his sister died." But he cried 

 all the time: "O, my wile; O, my wife." "Perhaps his sister died, 

 but he said his wife." He landed and tbey tried to cure her. They 

 asked him : " How long has she been dead ? " He replied : " She died 

 yesterday." [Then the supernatural beings said:] "Then you must 

 go to another town where they can cure those who have been dead one 

 day." Blue-Jay said : " She died on the same day when I bought her." 

 He traveled on, and when he had gone some distance he lay down 

 to sleep. On the next morning he went on and came to the town of 

 the supernatural beings. They heard some one crying and went out- 

 side. They spoke : " Oh, see ; that is poor Blue- Jay who is crying there ; 

 perhaps his sister died." But he always said his wife died. Blue-Jay 

 landed and the supernatural people went down to meet him. He told 

 them: " She died on the same day when I bought her. I bring her to 

 you to cure her." They looked at her and asked him : "When did she 

 die?" He replied : " She died two days ago." " Then you must carry 

 her to another town where they know how to cure people who have 

 been dead two days." Then Blue-Jay traveled on, and after he had 

 gone a distance he lay down to sleep. Early the next morning he awoke 

 and traveled on. After some time he reached a town, and the people 

 heard him crying. They ran outside and said: "Oh, see; that is poor 

 Blue-Jay; perhaps his sister died." He cried. He landed, and the 

 supernatural peox)le came down to meet him. Now the body of that 

 "woman was stinking. They asked him: "When did she die?" "0,"he 

 replied, " three days ago." They took water and washed her face. Then 

 they said: "You must carry her to another town where they know how 

 to cure those who have been dead three days." Blue-Jay went on, and 

 after some time he lay down to sleep. Early the next morning he started 

 again, and reached the town of the supernatural people. They heard him 

 crying and said : " Oh, that is poor Blue- Jay who is crying there; ])er 

 haps his sister died." But he always said his wife had died. He landed. 

 "O, my wife has died." They said to him: "When did she die?'? 

 " O," he replied, " four days ago." Now they washed the whole body 

 and bathed her. The bad smell disappeared. [They said:] "Carry 

 her to another town." Blue-Jay went. When he had gone some dis 

 tance and had almost reached the town he lay down to sleep. Early 



