606 ETHNOLOGY OF THE KWAKIUTL (PTH. ANN. 85 
1 Cries of the Raven.—When it is desired that the owner of an after- 
birth should understand | the cries of the raven, the after-birth is 
put down | on the beach where the ravens peck at it. And when it 
is | pecked at by the ravens, || the man, when he is full grown, will 
understand the cries of the raven, for | the people of olden times 
considered it important that the raven came | to report about the ar- 
rival of warriors who came to make war upon the tribes. | Then they 
would come at once and ask one who understands the raven, tum- 
bling about | and crying. It is bad news when they are tumbling 
10 about || and feathers fall out. (Below) are the various cries | of the 
raven, which I learned from an old man of the Kwakiutl, | when 
they discussed about it in a feast, when I was a child | for when the 
ravens are crying, a man | whose after-birth has been eaten by ravens 
is sent out.' || 
or 
1 Cries of the Raven.—Wii, gil'mése ‘néx'sd qa‘s ayosElaéda ma- 
énokwasa maénaxa gweék'lalasasa gwa‘winixs laé fem Axalédzmma 
macné lixa L!ema‘isé, qa LEntitsEéwésésa gwafwina. Wii, gilfmésé 
‘witla Lenkitso‘sa gwa‘winixs laé aydsrléda maénokwaséxs laé 
5 nextaaxid la begwanema lax dgtiqi‘liilasas gwek lalasasa gwa- 
‘wina, yixs iwilagilaéda g'alé brgwankmmaq, qaxs hé‘maéda gwa‘wina 
gax tslek:!alelasa winixs g’axaé gwasx‘iilaxs winéraxa lélqwi- 
lanatyé. Wi, héx-‘ida‘mésé warap!sE‘wa ayodselixa gwa‘winiixs 
lélax'dlaé talawitilaqtila. Wii, lafmé ‘yax‘sa‘mé ts!ek:!alemaséxs 1é- 
10 lax‘dlaé p!ép!elgilxvalaxés ts!elts!eElké. Wii, g'a‘més ogiiqrliila 
gwek lalatsa gwa‘winé g‘a laxen horélaéna‘yax q!tilsq !iilyax"disa 
Kwaguléga, yixs qataplaaxs k!wélaé, yixg'in hémadtek: alileé 
gininemeé, yixs gwagtixilaéda gwa‘wina. Wa, hé‘mis la ‘yala- 
gasxa hi*maakwas maenasa gwa‘wina. 
15 ga ga ga gai----_- Warriors are coming to make an attack. 
gaX gax gax -...-- Ravens will eat the bodies of people drowned 
by the capsizing of canoes. 
q!edzo q!mdzo__..Hunters will beg much meat to feed the 
people. 
gaga hi higaé _...A chief (or someone else) died. 
xagaq xagaq -_-_-- A woman is going to die. 
20. «k !®max k*!pmaq_-It will be calm weather. 
SOx SoOmSOKa-o ee It will be calm and sunshine. 
gis giix gtis ____- There will be heavy rains. 
wax wax wax___-A stranger will arrive on a visit. 
xwo xwo xwo -__-There will be a poor salmon run. 
25, xOktecoke eee When ravens ciy thus while fighting in the air, 
there will be bad news. 
1 For the cries and their meanings see Indian text below. 
orm 
