48. Nqa’ksaaisatwaux.1
The people of earth wished to visit the upper world and to make war on its inhabitants. The chief called all the men together to discover the one could shoot the farthest. They all shot at the sky; but their arrows fell short. At last the Wren,2 who was the smallest man, shot his arrow, and it stuck in the sky. Now the next best shooter shot his arrow, and it stuck in the notch of Wren's arrow. Now, one after another, they shot their arrows, and each stuck in the notch of the preceding one, until at last there was an arrow-chain which hung from sky to earth. Up this they climbed, and attacked the people of the upper world. They were beaten in battle, however, and driven back with great slaughter. Some managed to get down the ladder in time;3 but others were still on it when their enemies broke it at the top, and these were killed by the fall. Many were made prisoners or killed in the upper world, and transformed into stars. Thus the many small stars we see are the transformed bodies of this numerous war-party.
49. Origin of Light.4
A very large dead tree grew on a hill called Yeqatwa'uxus cuxcu'x,5 near Spences Bridge. It was endowed with magic, and in some manner possessed light.6 At that time it is said the world was always dark. The Chipmunk did not like the continual darkness, and, going to the tree, set fire to its roots. He kept the fire going, and, as the tree burned, light commenced to come. At last when it fell, light at once broke over the earth, and since then there has always been daylight.
50. Light and Darkness.7
Formerly the animals were undecided whether they should have constant light or constant darkness. Grisly Bear and many others wanted the latter, while Chipmunk and many more wished the former. They strove, and Grisly Bear's party prevailed in magic; and continued darkness settled over the world. Now, Chipmunk knew, that, if he burned the magic tree near Spences
1. This word means probably, “arrows strike notches of one another.” The first part of the word is hard to translate properly. Compare this story with Shuswap and Uta'mqt, p. 246 of this volume.
2. Some say another bird, not the wren.
3. Some say these are now the animals, that are on earth. If all the people had got back, there would likely be many more kinds of animals and birds on earth than there are now.
4. Compare this with Traditions of the Thompson River Indians, XV.
5. Means "covered with earth one another grisly bear."
6. Or hindered light from coming into the world. None of my informants seemed to know exactly in what way the tree possessed light or hindered light.
7. Compare this with Traditions of the Thompson River Indians, XV; see also p. 318 of this volume.
