118 BUREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 39 



While they were engaged in tlie hist dance the opposite company 

 of Ravens danced very hard and showed fight by crossing the hne 

 which is always set between. For this reason Raven would not go to 

 the next feast, to be confronted by these people. They sent after 

 him many times, and when they finally became tired of sending, 

 began the feast without him. Then he told his slave to go over and 

 see if they were already eating, and on his return he said, "They are 

 having a grand time. They are eating a great quantity of food." 

 "Take me there," said Raven to his slaves. So they went along 

 with him, one on each side. When he came there he saw that they 

 were having a grand time distributing boxes of food to all the head 

 chiefs, and he said to a slave, "Ask them where this chief shall sit." 

 He did so, ])ut they went on with their feast without paying the 

 slightest attention to him. Then Raven made his slave ask again, 

 "Where shall this chief sit? Where shall this chief sit?" and again 

 they paid no attention, although he shouted so that all in the house 

 could hear him. When the people left he was still standing around, 

 so his slaves said to him, "Wliy were you so particular? We could 

 have had a great deal to eat." After all were gone Raven ate the 

 leavings. 



So nowadays, wIkmi a person wants more than anyone else and 

 makes people send for him again and again, they go on with the 

 feast, lest those of the opposite party think that the host cares more 

 for this one person than for all the rest of them and leave his house. 

 That is why they paid no attention to Raven when he did come. 

 One reason why Raven stayed away was that he thought he would 

 make them come after him several times because he had promised 

 to give a feast in return. Nowadays a person who is going to give a 

 feast acts in the same way, and people know bv it what he intends. 



The following winter Raven gave his feast. This was at Alsek 

 river, and you can still see his house there with the boxes inside [a 

 rock hollowed out like a cave with other rocks inside of it]. When 

 they came in sight of that the Indians would pray to it. 



As soon as his guests came, Raven went down to meet them with 

 his bow and arrows. That is why people now go down with their 

 guns. He had so much respect for his guests tliat he had all of liis 

 relations act as servants, washing their hands and waiting on them 

 while they ate. Therefore the natives now act just so when they 

 invite people from other towns. Raven taught that all who came 

 after should do just as he had done. He also prepared chewing tobacco 

 for his guests. 



Then he l:)egan building his house, and, when the frame, consisting 

 of four uprights and two cross-pieces, was completed, he and his 

 friends danced the first dance. In this dance people sing funeral 

 songs. Eight songs, or one song with eight verses, are used at this 



