Traditions of the Thompson River Indians (cont.)
XIV. THE SKUNK AND HIS YOUNGER BROTHERS.
[Nlakapamux'o'e and Nkamtci'nemux.]
The Skunk had four brothers, who were all married. He coveted his brothers' wives, and devised a plan whereby to have them for himself. He said to his brothers, "The trees are our enemies. They do us harm, and will yet do us more harm. The Yellow Pine, the Fir, the Balsam Poplar, the Aspen Poplar, and all the other trees, are our enemies. I propose that we go to war against them." The brothers agreed to this. They took the war-path and traveled together. After a few days' journey, they camped one night near a valley through which flowed a river. The valley and the river were similar to the Thompson River valley. The Skunk said, "We will stay here to-night. The enemies are close at hand. I will go out to scout, and endeavor if possible to ascertain their place, and discover their most vulnerable point of attack." He stole away in the dark, and went down to the river. Here he saw many humpback salmon, fished for them, and caught many. He took off their heads, and threw their bodies back into the river. He said to the heads, "Whoop and sing !" And the heads whooped and sang. He went back to his brothers and said to them, "Did you hear the noise of the people? They are aware of us, and are on the alert. They are many, and it would be useless for us to attack them. We will sleep here to-night, and with daylight we will return home." His brothers believed him. He continued, "You may sleep, and I will watch." Then they all went to sleep, except the Skunk, who then took his four little bags of fluid odor, which he had kept tied up, and emptied one over the face of each of his brothers, so that they immediately fell in a dead swoon.
The Skunk left them there, went home and told the people that his brothers had been killed.189 Then he claimed all his brothers' wives, and they went to him. He took them each one, and pointed out with his finger on their bodies where their husbands had been wounded.190 Then they went over to his part of the house and sat down. He went and sat between them, having two of them on each side. Just then the people said, "Some men are coming rapidly along the hillside. They are the Skunk's brothers." They arrived, and entered another house, and called for their wives.
But their wives would not go, because, they said, "The Skunk has shamed us. We must now remain his wives." The brothers then came in and attacked the Skunk. They beat and wounded him and left him for dead; but afterwards he revived and crawled away. After a few days he felt well again, and visited his brothers. He said to them, "You cannot kill me by ordinary means. The only way you can do so is by tying me, putting me in a basket,191 and setting me adrift on the river." The brothers consulted, saying, "The Skunk has insulted us greatly. Let us do with him as he directs." They then took the Skunk, tied him, and put him in a basket, closed the lid on him, and set him adrift on the river. He floated down the river, and was never heard of again.192
THE SKUNK AND HIS YOUNGER BROTHERS.
[Nkamtci'nemux.]
The Skunk had three younger brothers, who were all married, and who lived with several other families, forming thereby a band or community. They lived in the Nkamtci'nemux country.
The Skunk said to his brothers, "Let us go on the war-path against the Northern Shuswaps193 (SLemxo'emux); we shall gain renown, and bring back booty and slaves." They consented, and forthwith prepared for war. Their war-paint consisted of white lines drawn vertically down the body and face. Then the four brothers started together. They soon reached a place on the confines of the Shuswap and Nkamtci'nemux countries, albeit rather within the boundaries of the former. Here, close to Marble Canyon, and not far from Hat Creek, the Skunk said to his brothers, "Let us camp, for we need food and rest. We shall soon have to be on the alert when we reach the heart of the enemy's country."
He then caused yellow pines to appear194 close to where they were encamped, and they took the dry bark off some of the trees, and kindled fires. As soon as his brothers were asleep, the Skunk excreted his obnoxious fluid over their faces, and they fainted. He next took their weapons from them, and caused a lake to appear, and a high cliff near it.195 The waters of this lake were colored with four longitudinal stripes,-red, white, yellow, and blue.196
