57. Blue Jay and Sweat-house.
(cont.)This is the reason why the blue jay is able, at this present day, to imitate the cries of all kinds of birds and animals. Then he transformed Sweat-house, saying, “You, old man, will be the spirit of the sweat-house,1 and, until the world ends, people, by sweat-bathing, and praying to you, will lose their lice, and become healthy, clean, successful, and rich. You will be very powerful, and able to help the people, and grant their prayers.”
58. The Theft of Fire.2
The people of Nicola and Spences Bridge had no fire, and no means of procuring it, for wood did not burn in those days. Of all people, only those at Lytton had fire. Beaver, Weasel, and Eagle agreed that they would try to steal fire from the Lytton people, who were living at a little spring near the mouth of Thompson River.3 Beaver went there first, and commenced to dam up the water, while Eagle and Weasel went training in the mountains. The fourth day when they were sweat-bathing, Weasel's guardian spirit appeared in the form of a weasel, and entered his sweat-house. Here it cut itself open, and Weasel, entering its body, assumed animal form. Eagle's guardian spirit came to his sweat-house, in the form of an eagle. He also let Eagle enter his body, so that he assumed the form of a bird.
Eagle said, “I will fly far up, and watch brother Beaver.” And Weasel said, “I will run along the high mountain-ridges, and see what brother Beaver is doing.” When they came within sight of Lytton, they saw that they had no time to lose, for Beaver was already a prisoner in the hands of the people, who were making ready to cut him up. Eagle swooped down and perched on the ladder-top of the underground house, while Weasel busied himself making a hole at the base of the house that the water might flood it. The people were so anxious to shoot Eagle, that they forgot all about Beaver, and never saw Weasel. They could not hit Eagle, however, and got angry at one another for missing. Meanwhile the water which Beaver had dammed up commenced to pour in through the hole Weasel had made, and, in the confusion, Beaver snatched up a fire brand, put it in a clam-shell, ran off with it, and escaped.
When the three reached home, Beaver made a fire for the people. Eagle showed them how to cook, and how to roast food; and Weasel showed them how to boil food with stones. They threw some of the fire at each of the different kinds of wood, and, since that time, all kinds of wood burn.
1. swalu's, the spirit of the sweat-bath, to which the Indians pray, addressing him by name, or as “Chief,” “Grandfather,” “Greatest One,” or “Chief One.”
2. Compare Traditions of the Thompson River Indians, XII, pp. 56-57; also Shuswap, p. 669; Uta'mqt, p. 229 of this volume; also known to the Lillooet
3. Where the present Indian village of Lytton is.
