46. Mink
(Lower Uta'mqt.)
(cont.)Mink and Marten went downstream in their canoe until they came to the monster, which had its mouth open. The salmon were very thick round about, and were passing in and out. They paddled their canoe into its mouth, which closed at once. They were thus imprisoned, and could not jet out either way. Marten became afraid, and wished to cut his way out; but Mink said, 'There is no hurry. Salmon are plentiful here. We will catch them and eat them.' So they staid in the monster's belly for several days, catching salmon. They broke up their canoe and made tire-wood of it to cook their salmon. All the hair fell out of ~ their heads except eight hairs. After they had burned up their canoe, Mink said, "I will cut off the xaxa's heart:' but Marten was afraid, and told him not to do so. Mink, however, persisted. It was hanging right above their heads, and was as large as a big basket.1 Mink cut off the heart, and at once the xa'xa went into his death-struggles. He took a long time to die, and flopped and rolled up the river until he came to the place where Harrison River leaves the lake. Here he expired at last, and lay still. Mink called on the birds to help them, and they began to pick at the corpse, but could not make a hole large enough or of sufficient depth for them to pass out.
The inhabitants of the place heard the noise of people talking, and hurried to the spot. They said, "It is `link. Let us kill him!" Armed with spears they surrounded the hole. Mink cut through from below until he could see just a little daylight. Then he tied his eight hairs together, and, tightening his belt, told his brother to take a firm hold of it. He made himself and his brother invisible, and passed out through the hole with his brother clinging to his belt. When a safe distance away, he changed himself and brother back to their natural forms, and began to laugh at the people, who were still surrounding the hole. The people were angry when they saw him, and said, "It is Mink. He has escaped."
47. Skaiya'm.2
(Lower Uta'mqt)An old woman named Skaiya'm lived all alone. There were no other inhabitants in the country where she lived. She desired to have a husband and children, but she did not know where to find any man: so she created two girls out of fish-roe, and called them her grand-daughters. They grew up to be young women, and desired to have husbands; but of course their grandmother could not Help them to gratify their wish.
1 SLuk, a large, round or oblong basket with a lid, made by the Thompson Indians.
2 See Boas, Sagen, P. 35.
