SWA.NTON] TLTNGIT MYTHS AND TEXTS 97 



of human skulls and other human bones lying about the base of 

 the tree and said, ''That is what we live on." They also said, 

 "Our father and our mother always come just at daybreak. You 

 can not see them because they come in clouds. Our mother 

 comes over the mountain in a yellow cloud and our father comes 

 in a black cloud." Then he said to the birds, "Do not tell about 

 me or I will kill you," and they believed he wouhl tlo it. 



Suddenly the boy saw the yellow cloud coming. lie distinguished 

 the mother bird bringing a human body for her children to eat. Then 

 he killed her and threw her down to the foot of the tree along with 

 the body she was carrying. After that he saw the black cloud com- 

 ing and presently distinguished the father bird. The father bird 

 said to the young ones, "Where is 3^our mother?" and they answered, 

 "Our mother drop})ed the dead body she was bringing and went 

 down after it." As he was sitting there talking the boy killed him 

 also and threw his body down. Then he said to the little birds, "You 

 must never kill people any more or live on human flesh. I will go and 

 get something for you to eat imtil you are strong enough." So he 

 went out hunting and brought them a lot of ground hogs, saying to 

 them, "This is what you are to live upon." So these l)irds now live 

 only on ground-hog meat. They do not live on human flesh any 

 more. They kill their victims with rocks, and a persim who is about 

 to become rich will see them throw one of these. Then he picks it 

 up and it brings him good luck. 



After that he went back to the old woman and told her what he 

 had done, and sbe was very happy to learn that these dangerous 

 birds were killed. lie said to her, "I am going back to my mother 

 and grandmother. I and my dog have obtained a great deal of 

 food for them." lie also gave a quantity of food to the old woman 

 who had hel})ed him. His mother and grandmother were very glad 

 when they saw him come back with the skins of those birds and a 

 quantity of j)rovisions. 



Now Fire-drill's son collected enougli food and grease in boxes to 

 last his mother and grandmother all their lives and said, ''Mother, 

 I am going to leave you forever. I was not put here to be with you 

 always. I have done wdiat I wanted to do. If what you have 

 hanging overhead falls, you may know that you will never see me 

 again. But do not worry, for it is my duty to leave you." Then he 

 went away. 



As he was traveling along from that place, Fire-drill's son saw 

 some one ahead of him called Dry-cloud (Gus!-xuk). He was able 

 to travel very fast, and he chased it. As he was running along ho 

 came to the mink ])eople. He ran along again and came to the mar- 

 ten people. Both kept saying to him, "We want you to be our 

 49438— Bull. 39—09 7 



