Traditions of the Thompson River Indians (cont.)
Compare Cathlamet, Fraser Delta, p. 25 ; Comox, p. 93; Nootka, p. 114 ; Kwakiutl, p. 132; Bilxula, p. 263; Krause, Die Tlinkit-Indianer, p. 269; Dog Rib, p. 314; Chilcotin.
209. Some, in telling the Story, say, "The Grizzly Bears had plenty of dried berries, roots, and fish."
210. Some report that the Bear further said to the Hare, "For your insolence, I will throw you into the fire," to which the Hare answered, "If you do, I will bring snow and cold weather." (The Indians believe that to burn the feet, skin, or bones of a Hare will cause cold or snowy weather, therefore no part of a hare is ever thrown into the fire.) The Hare then said, " I will kill you," to which the Grizzly answered, "How can a thing as small as a mouse kill me?"
211. Some say it was always dark inside the Hare's house.
212. Some add, further, that when the fight was over, the old woman said, " Let it be light," and immediately it became daylight inside the Hare's house.
213. Some say that the old woman's face-paint consisted of horizontal red stripes across the upper part of the face, whilst the lower part was painted in perpendicular red stripes.
214. Full version: Curn jam se earn amare diceret, cum ea coibat ex quo coitu statim mortua est. The Hare then buried her and felt very lonely. Next morning he was standing outside the house when the Duck came along (according to another version, the Mallard Duck, and one called tcêxa). He shouted, " Have you any news?" The Duck answered "No," and passed on. This took place on three succeeding mornings, and he always asked her for news. The fourth morning. however, she came along again, and he asked her as before, whereupon the Duck answered, "Yes, I have news. Lepus cum vetula avia sua coiit quo ex coitu eam mortuam esse ignorat nemo." The Hare became ashamed and went into the house. He was so much ashamed that, in his hurried descent into the house, he walked into the fire and burned his feet, which accounts for the curious shape of the Hare's feet. He then left the place and took up his abode in the mountains.
215. A species of eagle. It is of a dark, almost black, color all over, excepting a few inches of the tips of the tail-feathers, which are of a pure white. The tail-feathers were formerly much used and prized by warriors and medicine-men.
216. Name of a species of hawk. I have not been able to ascertain its English name.
217. Some say the Bald-Headed Eagle was also brought to life again, but for his misconduct was thereafter turned into the present bird of that name. Some say that he was scalped, which accounts for his while head at the present day.
Compare Cathlamet: Owl and Panther.
218. Some Indians say "at or near Lytton."
219. It is the custom to leave unoccupied for some time the place where a person died, or where he generally slept when alive.
220. Fall version: The Otter was not only a noted shaman, but also a very successful fisherman, and used to catch immense numbers of small fish, principally trout. Sometimes he used to come home staggering under the weight of his catch. One day a man came to him and said, "What bait do you use? You always catch more fish than any one else." Lutra repondit se pro esca particula ab uxoris pudendis deseta uti. "I put it on the hook, and never need to renew it; and every time I throw it in the water, the fish rumble over one another in their anxiety to catch it." The man having gone away, the Otter's wife said to him, "Why did you lie like that to the man?" He will believe it, and try to do likewise." The man reached home and told his wife what the Otter had said, quae cum crederet, eum petentem particulam desecare passa est. The man went fishing and caught nothing. While he was still there fishing, a messenger came and told him that his wife had bled to death as the result of his operation.
Compare the Raven legend of the Tsimshian and Tlingit ; also Nahwitti, p. 176.
