17. Beaver and Eagle; or, The Origin of Fire.
( Upper and Lower Uta'mqt)
(cont.)They trained themselves in the mountains until they became full of "mystery," and through their magic were able to look over all the world, even to its edges. They discovered that there was fire in a lodge at Lytton, so they laid their plans accordingly. They left their home at the mouth of the Fraser,1 and journeyed up that river until they arrived at Lytton.
[The rest of this story is the same2 as in Tale 12, "Traditions of the Thompson River Indians," p. 56 Click here to compare
18. Beaver and the Frogs (A Flood Myth).
(Lower Uta'mqt.)Not very far from Beaver's house were situated, close together, three other underground houses.3 These were inhabited by three women - BushTailed Rat, the common Mouse, and Frog - and their children. Beaver wished to marry Frog's daughter,4 and visited her house one day to make arrangements with her mother-, but the latter rejected him, and called him by many nasty names, such as "short-belly," "broad-posterior," etc. Beaver went home feeling very angry, and prepared to take vengeance on Frog. He said to Rat and Mouse, "Leave your houses and move back into the mountains, for I intend to have revenge on Frog." Some time after they had gone, he went outside and sang and danced. Then it commenced to rain, and the creeks and rivers rose so, that ,all the country was flooded. Frog and her family were washed out of their house, and carried away by the stream. As she drifted past where Beaver was singing, she implored him for help, and asked him to bring a canoe to her; but he answered, "Go inside your own privates, and use them for a canoe." The Frogs were scattered over the whole earth, and when the flood receded, they were left here and there in all the lakes throughout the mountains. This is the reason that we find frogs in all the lakes and streams at the present day, even on high mountains.
1 g. The Bad Boy; or, The Sun and the Lad.
(Lower Uta'mqt.)Once there was a boy who was noted for his bad temper. He was so disobedient and evil-tempered, that the people could do nothing with him; therefore they proposed to desert him.
1 Some say the sea coast near the mouth of the Fraser.
2 The Beaver was killed by being speared with a beaver-spear.
3 On the north side of Spuzzum Creek, but nearer the Fraser River than Beaver's house. There are a number of sites of very old underground houses at this place.
4 Some say he wished to marry the Frog herself, and that the three women were widows.