IV. - ANIMAL TALES.
21. Swamp-Robin.1
(Lower Uta'mqt)A number of people lived with Thunder in the upper world, or sky land, one of whom was Swamp-Robin (S' xoyi' k). One day she said, "I wish to see the face of my step-mother, Thunder. Why don't I see it? Why does she withhold2 her face from me?" Next day she brought fire-wood for her elder brother.3 It was branches of cedar she brought; and when she put them on the fire and they burned, sparks flew around. One of the sparks alighted on Thunder, who turned her face round towards Swamp-Robin, and immediately lightning flashed. When she saw Thunder's face and her large aquiline nose, she fainted. Then Thunder said, "Drop my step-daughter down!" So the people dropped her down on the earth; and Thunder said to her, "You shall be Swamp-Robin. Whenever you are thirsty, cry loudly,4 and I will send you rain to quench your thirst; and if anyone mocks you, I will thunder and lighten."
Swamp-Robin wandered around, and one day met Raven, who asked her .here she came from. She answered, "I came from above. I am of Thunder's family." Raven laughed at her, and said, "You came from above! How could a thing like you come from above %" and made fun of her. Swamp-Robin was sorrowful and wept because Raven did not believe her, but only mocked her. Then it thundered and lightened, and Raven was afraid and believed what Swamp-Robin said.
22. Skunk.5
(Lower Uta'maqt.)Skunk pretended to be sorrowful, and wept. He said to his wife, "I am sorrowful. Cook much nqa'ux, roots, and fish, that my guests may have plenty to eat." Then he asked all the people to come and see him, and all his younger brothers the animals repaired to his house. Grisly Bear, Fisher, Marten, Wolf, Wolverene, all went.
1 S'xoyi'k k is a bird called by some people the Swamp-Robin.
2 Some say Thunder always hid her face from the people.
3 Some say that perhaps Rainbow was her eider brother.
4 This, they say, is the reason why, if the Swamp-Robin calls loudly in hot weather, it will rain before very long.
5 Compare with the Skunk stories in Traditions of the Thompson River Indians, pp. 53--6o.
