41. Men and Women.
(Nkamtci'nEmux.)The men agreed, and after that it was ordained that the women henceforth should menstruate, and not the men. Thus it remains to the present day.1
42. Women and Deer giving Birth.
(Nkamtci’nEmux.)Formerly women gave birth with the same ease that deer do now, while deer had as much pain in giving birth as women have at present. When the deer complained of their hardship, the women laughed, and said, “Let us change.” They changed, and it was ordained that henceforth the women should have childbirth pains, and the deer be exempt.
43. The White-Fish.
(Nkamtci'nEmux.)The White-Fish (ma'mit) was a shaman. He was twisting thread for a fishing-line, and whistling to himself, when a transformer came along and transformed him into the present white-fish. His mouth retained the same shape it had when whistling, and this is the reason of the small puckered mouth of the white-fish at the present day.
The sucker was also a shaman and a fisherman and was engaged making a net when the same transformer came along and transformed him into the sucker of the present day. According to some, the Qwo'qtqwal were the transformers who did this.
44. Origin of the Elk.
The first elk came out of the ground in the east, where the sun rises from the earth. Therefore he is said to have come out from under the sun. Travelling west he met the Grasshopper brothers who were out hunting. When Mountain Grasshopper (skikala'te) saw him, he said, “What strange Deer is this?” and hid in the grass. When Elk got near, he jumped on his hind leg, and then into his anus. He crowled along until he reached Elk's heart, and cut it off. Then Elk commenced to stagger, and at last fell over dead.2 The common Grasshopper searched for his brother. He found Elk's tracks and said, “Oh, what large tracks! This monster must have trod on my big-bellied brother, and crushed him to death.” At that moment he heard his brother call, went in the direction of the voice, and found the dead elk.3
1. See Shuswap, p. 626.
2. Compare p. 283, Shuswap; p. 646.
3. Some say the mountain grasshopper was still inside the elk, and was cut out by his brother.
