32. The old Woman and the Boy.
( Upper Uta' mqt.)
(cont.)He answered, "You need not be afraid. I am strong in magic. Watch me!" Then he transformed himself into a wolf, and then again into bird's down the old woman let him go, and he killed the grisly bear. Thus he caught and killed goats and all the other animals and birds; and the old woman told him their names, and what they were formerly used by the people.
One day he said to his grandmother, "I have seen all the birds and an imals, but I am lonely, and should like to see people. Where do they live?" She said, "There are no people in the country1 except you and me; out in another country a long distance away there are people." He said,'We will go and find them.' So he put his grandmother in a hollow log,
dragged her behind him.2 She knew the way; and as they went along she told him the names of all the plants and trees, and what uses the people ade of them. After travelling many days, they came to an impenetrable barrier of forest and fallen timber. He told his grandmother what was ahead of them, and that it was impassable: so she came out of the log and looked at it. As soon as she did this, the forest and fallen timber turned into an open, sandy plain. At last they came within sight of the people's houses where the boy left his grandmother, and, changing himself into a wolf, approached the houses. The people fired arrows at him, but could not hit him. Then he changed himself into a deer; but when they saw him, they shot at him as before. Again he changed himself into bird's down, and fluttered on the breeze towards the houses. The people said there must be some magic
about this. Then he appeared as a good-looking young man, and the people welcomed him.He staid with the people, and married two of their daughters. He had a son by one wife, and a daughter by the other ; then he took his wives, and children, and grandmother, and returned to his own country.
33. Owl and Tsa'au'z.3
(Lower Uta' mqt.) .Some people had a boy who was of an evil temper and very peevish.
He was constantly crying, and annoyed them very much. One night he was very cross, and crying as usual: so they put him outside, and asked Owl4 to come and take him.1. Some say this country was to the south or southeast.
2. Some say he also dragged a hollow log full of dried meat, which they lived on as they travelled along.
3. Most of the people call this the story of Tsa'au'z, but some call it the story of Owl. Tsa'au'z is a sonal name among the Lytton band at the present day, and a couple or more noted medicine-men and war. have borne the name among them.
4. Both Upper and Lower Thompson Indians frighten their children by calling on the owl to come and _ them if they cry. Consequently young children are much afraid of owls. Some people also frighten crying ldren by saying the panther will come for them.
