Page:IJAL vol 1.djvu/250

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242

��INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AMERICAN LINGUISTICS

��VOL. I

��are trying to deceive me, but you cannot hide yourself here. Soon you will be found out." Then at last, when her belly was very large, her father saw her, and said, "You are a very bad woman. I have a notion, if I do not restrain myself, to strike you dead at once here. You will have to live here alone, what- ever may come to you. I am disgusted with you; and we are going to leave you here, whether you die of starvation or not."

Then the whole village moved away and left the young girl. She was very unhappy after she was left alone, and thought, "What will ultimately Become of me? It seems prob- able that I shall die of starvation here." Then in consequence she burst out crying. While she was crying, Kingfisher came flying to her suddenly. He said, "Don't grieve! It is impossible to die of starvation here. I will help you, and my grandmother, P'ske'gadamu's, and I will take care of you." Krv, the girl was glad, and said, "an'r", now I shall live." She told the Kingfisher, "Thank you very much. You have pleased me exceedingly." Then in the evening came an old woman. Ground-moss was the material of her clothing, and cedar- bark her belt. She said, "Grand- daughter, don't let anything worry you. Be contented, for I shall take care of you." When it was time for her to bear a child, the girl said, "Grandmother, I am very glad, and thank you for what you are going to do for me."

Big-Screech-Owl, great chief, and his peo- ple, moved away, and were a long while getting far over the divide of mountains. There they came to a village, and there they settled. The inhabitants of. the village did not like it very well; they were not pleased. Then they began to antagonize the strange people. When Big-Screech-Owl knew that they were after the lives of his people, he said, "We must fight if we want to stay." At last a man came to Big-Screech-Owl, and said, "If you are going to stay here, you must fight, because we do not love you strange people,

��and because our chief White-Bear is proud. You must conquer us, or, if you do not con- quer us, you must live as our slaves." Said Big-Screech-Owl, "Go ahead! We are ready to fight whenever you are, and we shall never leave here." Then the man left, and went to his chief and said, "They will not leave, and they are ready to fight." Said the chief, "So then! To-morrow we will attack them." Next morning they attacked, and began battle. Then suddenly White-Bear came rushing up. Big-Screech-Owl 's men looked and saw him, and then began to run, they were so frightened. Then Big Screech-Owl became discouraged when he saw the beast coming up. The beast was so big, that he was half way up the trees in height. Big-Screech- Owl was discouraged, and cried out to White- Bear, "You have conquered -us. Stop! Hold off your men! I give up now! We will be your slaves." Said White-Bear, "So! That's good." Then he called off his men, and said, "Let them alone, they have become our slaves."

The girl, Big-Screech-Owl's daughter, had delivered her baby, which was a boy. Mas- ki-'k' w si- said, "The little man is now seen here. What will you name him?" She said, "Bubble-Froth, because he was conceived there in water." Said P'ske'godomu's, "So! A good name; and after he becomes a man, he will become the greatest magician on this side of the land-divide, and soon after also across the top of the range." The girl rejoiced. P'ske'gadamu's thereupon took good care of both mother and son. Ki~vl That Kingfisher brought them all kinds of fish, which fed very well those whom he cared for. The boy grew very fast and was healthy. Then, when he had grown enough, then Maski-'k' w si- taught him to hunt. She made him a bow and took him in the woods. Rabbits they hunted. When she had taught him how, then he hunted alone, and brought in an abundance of wild meat. He provided well for his mother and grandmother, Maskr'k' w si-. When he be-

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