ON THE ETHXOL0(}ICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 701 



beautiful and tame bear, he was kept as a playmate for the King's 

 youngest son. He now spent three years in intimate relationship with 

 the royal family, and had sutHcient time to make careful and necessary 

 observation prior to his descent to the lower world. It was customary 

 for the children in the Land of Light to disguise and transform themselves 

 into bears, seals, and birds. Now it so happened that the Raven, under 

 his disguise of bear, was strolling on the beach one evening, looking for his 

 supper of clams, when he espied three other bears approaching him. He 

 knew at once they were children of a great chief, and, instantly transform- 

 ing himself into a large eagle, stole the sun, which happened to be setting 

 at the time, also the fire-stick that was used to kindle the fii-es, and flew 

 over the walls of heaven with one under each wing, together with one of 

 the three children. When the people found that the sun had been stolen, 

 they reported the matter at once to the King. He then ordered his land 

 to be searched, and if they found the thief to throw him down to Het-givau- 

 f.ana, the chief or ruler of the lower regions. But a messenger arriving, 

 who stated that he had seen a large bird flying over the walls of their 

 city with the sun under his wing, at once all gave chase, and the Raven 

 was followed. In his flight from his pursuers he dropped the child, who 

 fell down through the clouds into the sea close to the Raven's kingdom. 

 The Raven also descended, bearing with him the sun and the fire-stick in 

 safety to the earth. When the child fell into the sea he cried aloud for 

 assistance, and immediately the little fishes came in a great shoal to his 

 aid and carried him on their backs safely to the shore. These fish are 

 very numerous around Rose-spit at the present day, and their forms, say 

 the Haida, have remained dinted in the blue clay of that district from the 

 day when they bore the heaven -born child ashore until now. The great 

 chief was a lover of peace, and consequently did not allow his followers to 

 pursue the Raven down to the earth, as Chief Het-gwau-lana might then 

 be tempted to enter heaven and give them perpetual trouble. So the 

 Raven was unmolested, and another sun was created in heaven by the 

 Great Ruler, who loved light and hated darkness. 



Now the Raven thought that he had secured a chief's daughter, but 

 the child turned out to be a chief's son. The Raven loved him exceed- 

 ingly, and built a house at Rose-spit especially for the accommodation of 

 the child and the sun. The child grew to be very powerful, and had 

 command over all animals, fish, and birds. Whenever he called to the 

 fish they would at once appear and bear him out to sea. Whenever he 

 wished to fly through the air he would call to the birds. They would at 

 once come to bear him wherever he wished to go on their winss. The 

 bears and other animals attended to his daily wants, and supplied him 

 with salmon and berries. The animals, birds, and fish were created by 

 tJie Raven for the sole benefit of this heaven-born child. The Raven also 

 kept the sun and fire-stick in a very strong and secure room, as he was 

 afraid that his two former slaves would return and steal them. Presently 

 the slave-wife of the Raven returned, and begged to be re-admitted into 

 the Raven's society. The i-equest was granted, and she became once 

 more the mistress of the Raven's household. She took a great interest in 

 the child, and attended to his every wish. In course of time the child 

 grew to 1)6 a handsome young man, and Ijegan to love the woman. She 

 returned his love, and at last resolved to become his wife. The Raven 

 s(»on found that they were living as man and wife, and he became very 

 angry, and threatened to kill the woman. This treatment caused the 



