Once a giant1 came to Union Bar. The people were living in a large wooden house. The giant leaned his back against the side of the house, and shook it violently. Some men ran out to see what was the matter, and saw a man who was exceedingly tall. The people were afraid, but he did not harm them.
There was a man who belonged to the mouth of the Fraser River. He was of great stature and strength, and often killed people. Whenever he went to attack people, his wife accompanied him. Once he came up the Fraser River as far as Hope, and from there he returned. He attacked many houses, demolishing them, and killing the inmates, both male and female. On this journey, as on all others, he returned home carrying the heads of his victims. He and his wife had heavy burdens. He never came back.
VIII. SAHAPTIN TALES, BY LIVINGSTON FARRAND, EDITED
BY THERESA MAYER.COYOTE had a son who was a chief and a good man. He went up a mountain near Snake River. One morning he kicked a log, and fire came. (After that) it would burn to warm people. He used to tell the people to hunt deer. All considered him the greatest chief. He had clothes made of owl-feathers (?). Coyote's son had two wives, -- Beetle (tsalxtsalx), who was black; and Duck (huixkuyex), who was white. Beetle had a son. One day Old-Coyote made a fire of willows. The sparks flew between the legs of the women. He saw their privates, and then he coveted Duck.
He resolved to kill his son. He told the women that there was an eagle with several young ones on the top of a tree. They immediately said that they wanted the feathers. Old-Coyote told his son to get the eaglets at once, since they would fly away in about ten days. The youth agreed, and they decided to go the next morning. They came to a mountain which was covered with trees. Coyote showed his son the eyry, which was on a tree that did not seem very high and was easy to climb. Old-Coyote said that he could not climb the tree, and sent his son, whom he told to strip off his clothes, so that they should not be spoiled. Old-Coyote wanted the clothes for himself. The youth started to climb the tree. He had gone a little way, when the old man winked his eye at him, and the eyry rose. The youth kept on climbing, and Old-Coyote winked again. The eyry rose still higher. The youth turned and scolded his father, who said he was just watching him. The youth kept on climbing until he was out of sight. The tree carried him up beyond the clouds, into the sky country.
He travelled about there, and saw that it was just like our earth. He gave up hopes of ever getting back; for when he had left the tree, it had shrunk back to its original size. After a while he saw a large tent with five doors. He approached it and opened one. As he did so, the people within shouted that it was cold. He tried the next door, and they seized their spears to attack him. He went to the last door, and again they tried to hit him with their spears. Then he shouted, "Stop, grandfather!" They answered, "Our only grandchild is Coyote's son." -- "I am he," he said. Then they welcomed him and gave him food. He told them his story. They promised to send him down. They had long ropes which were piled up in coils. They told him that they were making some more, and that it would take five days before they could make enough to reach down to the earth. Then they would send him home. It would only take him a few hours to get down. They asked him to fill the spoon with deer-tallow, which they would need to rub on their hands, which would be sore from letting him down.
1 Called saskets of sLaleqam.
2 See p. 120, note 2.
