Traditions of the Thompson River Indians (cont.)
On arriving near Lytton, he sat down, took off his pack, and proceeded to open the bundle. On doing so, the bundle increased suddenly, so that the whole hillside was covered with the finest garments of all descriptions. He then proceeded to Lytton, where he sent out the people to carry in the goods, which filled several underground lodges. After this he became a great man, and the people wanted to give him their daughters in marriage, but he refused them all.
Finally the Loon and the Goose came to him, and made him a present of their respective daughters, telling him that it was not well that he should have no wives. After a while he told his wives that he intended to travel, and wished them to accompany him. He took the same route as before, and arrived at the Sun's house with the two women. Here he was received kindly as before. He gave one of the women to the Sun's son to be his wife, and told him to tell his father when he came home that the other one was for him. The Sun came home in the evening as usual, carrying a dead man on his back. His son went out and talked to him, telling him of the fine presents the man from earth had brought to them. The Sun was well pleased, and, on taking his wife, told the Indian that he would never trouble the people any more by killing them, except on rare occasions.168 That is the reason the Sun does not kill people now, as he formerly did.169
[Nkamtci'nemux.]
Formerly the Sun was a great chief, who lived at Lkamtci'n (Lytton), and who was possessed of much power and riches. He had a young daughter who was noted for her wonderful beauty. None of the young men of the place presumed to ask her in marriage, because they knew that her father considered them to be all unworthy of such a fair prize as his daughter.
At this time there lived a man in a distant country to the east who had become powerful in magic, as well as distinguished for bravery. This man learned through the medium of his protecting spirit that there was a beautiful maiden who lived at Lkamtci'n, -- the daughter of the Sun, -- so he determined that she should become his wife. Accordingly he set out on his journey, and on reaching Lkamtci'n asked the people where the Sun's house170 was, and they pointed it out to him. On arriving at the house, he stated the object of his visit, but was at first received very rudely. Afterwards, however, he found favor with the Sun, and thus, after giving presents, obtained his daughter to be his wife. After staying with his father-in-law for some time, he took his bride away with him, to return to his home in the east. Before they left, the Sun told his daughter soon to come back and visit him, but she did not return for several years; therefore the Sun was very much displeased at his daughter's neglect. After reaching her husband's country, the Sun's daughter lived happily for a time, two children being the fruits of their marriage. Shortly after the second child had been born, her husband deserted her, saying that she was too hot, and that he would die if he lived with her much longer. Therefore she took her children, and returned to her own country. Her father saw her coming, and said to himself: "She disobeyed my commands. Why should I receive her now, when she would not come before? She shall never find me, nor enter my house." Therefore when she was nearing Lkamtci'n, he turned her into the present sun which we now see. This is the reason that the Sun travels each day from east to west, in search of her father. Her children are occasionally seen as sun-dogs.
X. THE HOT AND THE COLD WINDS.171
[Nkamtci'nemux.]
Formerly the country was troubled with successions of hot and cold winds, which annoyed the Indians very much. The cold winds were blowing when the wind-making people of the north were walking about, whilst the hot winds were in like manner caused by the wind-makers of the south. These people used to contend with one another by sending out the cold and hot winds, to see which would get the mastery. The Indians, whose country lay between, suffered much discomfort from these wars of the wind people. Therefore they sent deputations172 to each of them, asking them to discontinue their strife. This they agreed to do. A marriage was arranged to take place between the contending parties, upon the consummation of which both parties were to cease hostilities. Shortly after this, the people of the south sent their daughter to marry the son of the north. After enduring many great hardships on her travel northward, she reached her destination, where she was kindly received by the people, but it took her a long time to get used to her strange surroundings and the constant cold weather. The offspring of the marriage between these people was one child. After staying awhile in the north with her husband's people, the woman took her child on a visit to her friends in the south. After spending some time there, she started back on her return trip, accompanied by her elder brother.
