Tlingit myths and texts / recorded by John R. Swanton.

  • John R. Swanton
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Tlingit myths and texts / recorded by John R. Swanton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    gone't-lu\vu' (bill-of-something-unkno^vn). Then Raven went from house to house inquiring for his bill until he came to the house of the chief. Upon asking for it there, they handed it to him wrapped in eagle down. Then he put it back into its place and flew off through the smoke hole. Raven left that town and came to another. There he saw a king salmon jumping about far out at sea. He got it ashore and killed it. Because he was able to do everything, the natives did all that he told them. He was the one who taught all things to the natives, and some of them still follow his teachings. After that he got all kinds of birds for his servants. It was through these that people found out he was the Raven. Once he went to a certain place and told the people to go and fight others. He said, “You go there and kill them all, and you will have all the things in that town.” This was the beginning of war. After having been dovm among the fish teaching them. Raven went among the birds and land animals. He said to the grouse (nukt), “You are to live in a place where it is wintry, and you will always look out for a place high up so that you can get plenty of breeze.” Then he handed the grouse four white pebbles, telling him to swallow them so that they might become his strength. “You will never starve,” he said, “so long as you have these four pebbles.” He also said, “You know that Sealion is your grandchild. You must be generous, get four more pebbles and give them to him.” That is how the sealion came to have four large pebbles. It throws these at hunters, and, if one strikes a person, it kills him. From this story it is known that the grouse and the sealion can understand each other. Raven said to the ptarmigan: “You will be the maker of snow- shoes. You will know how to travel in snow.” It was from these birds that the Athapascans learned how to make snowshoes, and it was from them that they learned how to put their lacings on. Next Raven came to the “wild canary” (s!as!), which is found in the Tlingit country all the year round, and said: “You will be head among the very small birds. You are not to live on what human beings eat. Keep away from them.” Then he went to the robin and said: “You will make the people happy by letting them hear your whistle. You will be a good whistler.” Then he said to the flicker (kun): “You will be the head one among the birds next in size. You will not be found in all places. You will be very seldom seen.” He said to the lugx'n, a bird that lives far out on the ocean: “You will live far out on the ocean on lonely rocks. You will be very seldom seen near shore.”
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