Creation Myths Of The Coos People of Oregon
From The Coos Texts by Leo J. Frachtenberg
I. ARROW YOUNG MEN
THE CREATION OF THE WORLD
The Crow (and the Thunder-Bird)
The Ascent to Heaven
The Stealing Of Fire And Water
The Origin of Death
The Flood
Origin of the Coos People
The Girls and the
The Fire-Wind
Two young men were travelling. They stopped in the middle of their journey, (and one of them said,) "How would it be if we two should try it? What do you think about it?"--"It would be good if we two should try it," answered the other one. "We ought to try it with that soot here." They had five pieces (disks) of soot. Now they stopped and dropped one piece into the ocean. The world at that time was without land. Everything was covered with water. Again they dropped one piece (disk). The ocean was rolling over the disk. The next day they dropped another disk. Then they stopped at some small place and dropped another disk into the ocean. They looked at it from above, Now land began to appear, and they saw it. They were very glad when they saw the land coming up.
The next day they dropped another disk. Land began to stick out (come up). They looked frequently at the waves, that rolled back and forth continually. "What is your opinion?" said one of the two men. Shall we try it again?"--"With what shall we try it?" asked the other one. The water was still rolling back and forth. "Let us split this mat." They did so, and placed the two pieces over the five disks of soot. Now they went down to examine it. Still the land was not solid enough. So one of them said, "Let us split this basket in two!" They split it, and put it on the sand beach. The waves were held back now, since the water was able to go down through the basket. Now the young men went down and examined the land. "This will do," said one of them. "It's good that way."
Now they began to look around the world which they had created. There were no trees. "Suppose we set up some trees," said one of them. "It would be very good," answered the other one. Then they stuck into the ground the feathers of an eagle. The feathers began to grow, and developed soon into fir-trees. "All kinds of trees shall grow," said the older man. All the different kinds of trees commenced to grow. "Suppose we create animals," said one of the young men. "It won't be good if there shouldn't be any animals. The future generations ought to have animals." (Then they created animals.)
Early in the morning they went to look at the world they had created. Suddenly they saw tracks on the ocean beach. "Whose tracks may these be?" asked one of them. They followed the tracks, and soon came upon a person sitting (on the top of a snag). "You, indeed, must have made these tracks. Who are you?"--"I am a medicine-man," answered the person whose face was painted all over with red paint. "You have no right to travel here. This is our world, we have made it. Are you surely a medicine-man?" They seized the stranger and killed him. Then they spilled his blood in all directions, and said to him, "You will be nothing, the last generation shall see you."
Then they turned back. Suddenly one of them became pregnant. The child could not come out. "What will become of us? We ought to have wives." None of them had done anything; nevertheless he became pregnant. The child was all the time trying to come out, but could not do it. So they sent some one to the north, and told him, "There is a man living there. He is a good man. Bring him here." Some one went to get him. They went out in a canoe. To their surprise, there were no waves. So they wished that waves would come. "Five times shall the north wind come and (bring) five breakers." And so it was. They were waiting for the fifth wave. And when this came, they went ashore. (They found the man, and brought him to the pregnant person.) As soon as he saw the pregnant man, he took out the child. It was a girl. From this girl all the people took their origin. She caused the people to multiply, and to inhabit the world.
Now the young men continued their journey. They once more examined the world which they had created, and found it to be good. Everything began to assume its present appearance.
They both had bows. "How would it be if we should shoot towards the sky?" Indeed, they began to shoot. They looked at their arrows as they were shooting them. "You too ought to shoot one arrow," said one of the young men. "Shoot it so that it shall hit the shaft of mine, and it will look as if it were one arrow; but don't shoot too hard!" He shot and hit it. "Shoot again!" Their arrows became joined, and reached down to the place where they were standing. "Suppose we climb up now!"--"All right!" They shook the, arrows. "Are they firm? Won't they come apart?--Now you try to climb up!" He climbed up. "This is very good indeed." Then the other man climbed up. They looked down, and saw the beautiful appearance of the world which they had created. Nobody knows what became of the two young men. Here the story ends.
2. THE CROW (AND THE THUNDER-BIRD)
The Crow's language used to be very loud. He was talking all the time. There was no low tide, and consequently he could not obtain any food. The Crow always knows the people's thoughts. Whatever one contemplates (doing), he is able to tell it. When a person is doomed to die, the Crow knows it. He is also able to tell whenever a person wants to go anywhere. He is talking all the time.
Once a man came to Crow, and said, "You are talking too much. Let us trade our languages. I'll give you my speech." At the same time the river was full of water, and there was no low tide. So Crow answered, "Good, let us trade!" They traded; and the other man received Thunder's language, while Crow obtained his present-day language. Now, Crow said to him, "Speak with this language." He did so, and the ground almost shook as he spoke. Again Crow said to him, "Whenever you get angry, you shall use this language." Then the man said to Crow, "Now try my language!" Crow tried it, and liked it very much. Whenever he twinkled his eyes, it began to lighten. So they exchanged languages.
Then the man said to Crow, "Close your eyes, and the water will run down. One-half of the ocean will become dry, and likewise all kinds of food. Whatever you pick up shall be your food; but you may look only when I tell you to do so." Crow closed his eyes, and the water commenced to run down. He soon got tired waiting, and opened his eyes. To his surprise, the river was almost dry. (He again closed his eyes.)
All kinds of food (fishes) began to flop around. He heard the noise, and decided to open his eyes; but as soon as he opened them, the other man yelled to him, "You are looking too soon! I haven't told you yet to open your eyes!" After a while, Crow was permitted to open his eyes. He saw the different kinds of food lying along the beach.
Then Crow said, "I'll exchange my lightning for the evening low tide." They did so; and the other man came into the possession of the lightning, while Crow obtained the evening low tide. Crow said to the man, "Whenever you speak, there will be lightning." The man tried it, and it was so. Then he spoke with the Thunder language.
Crow said to him, "Now you are all right." Then the man said to Crow, "Suppose you try to speak with the language which I gave you." Crow spoke with it, and the man said, "Whenever some one is ready to come from anywhere, you will make this event known. You shall always talk at the sight of a person. You will watch, if anything bad gets ready to come (here)." Thus the man spoke.
And, indeed, it is so nowadays; for such is at the present Crow's custom. He is always talking whenever he sees a person. Here the story ends. Thus people know (the story of) the Thunder (and) the Crow.
3. THE ASCENT TO HEAVEN
The world was already inhabited. Hä'tcît!* lived in it. Hä'tcît! had a child. It was the old man's boy. They two lived together. His child had two wives and two children.
*This word means "story." The narrator substituted this name for the proper name, which he had forgotten.
One evening the old man went out. He stood outside, that old man. That old man went out to defecate. A small spruce-tree was standing there. There he was defecating. Suddenly (he saw) blood on his excrement, as he stood up. He looked at it, and began to think. He put it on the small spruce-tree that was standing there. He saw a woodpecker peck at it. Thus he spoke: "Peck at my excrement." Indeed, he began to peck at it. His feathers were kind of reddish. It was a very pretty woodpecker (that) pecked at it.
His grandchildren arrived there. His boy was in the sweat-house. Thus he spoke to his grandchildren: "You two go and get your father. He shall hit the one who pecks at this lucky money." Surely, they went to get him. The woodpecker was pecking at the lucky money. The spruce-tree began to grow. Soon it grew (to be) high.
(His boy) arrived with a bow and arrows. "Hit this woodpecker (who) is pecking (at it)." He shot and almost hit it. "You almost hit it" (said his father to him). You grow, O my spruce-tree!--Shoot at it again." The young man nearly hit it. "Climb up, from a near distance you shall shoot at it." He climbed up. "You grow, O my spruce-tree!--Shoot at it again, you almost hit it." The two little boys were standing near their grandfather. Thus the old man was talking: "You grow, O my spruce-tree!" They two told this to their father. The father of the two little boys was caused to (go) high up. He was following the woodpecker. "You grow, O my spruce-tree!" The spruce-tree grew halfway up to the sky, and struck against the sky. The spruce-tree disappeared as soon as it reached the sky. Still he did not hit the woodpecker. The young man went through upwards.
The old man made himself young, and took possession of his (son's) wives. He did not know what became of his boy. The (two women) were very sorry when their husband was lost. They did not know what had become of him.
The young man came to a nice prairie. There was no wind. Just one prairie was spread out. Nowhere could he see anything. There were no mountains. "What may happen to me?" (he thought). There was no food at all. He saw two blue-cranes coming towards him singly. The blue-cranes sat down at the edge of the prairie. The young man shot arrows at the blue-cranes. It seemed as if he had hit the blue-cranes; nevertheless they flew up. He followed them wherever they went. He did not find (any) arrows (at the place) where he had shot them. So he stood there (thinking), "I too will go where the blue-cranes have gone." He did not know where the people (were, and thought to himself), "What am I going to do?"
Now he came to the very edge of the prairie, and stood there. Nowhere did he see anything. Only smoke he scented as he stood there. He went (in the direction from) where he scented it. Indeed, he saw a house, and (in it) he saw an old man. That old man was working in the doorway; and also an old woman was working in the doorway. There the young man stood. "Grandson, you almost hit me; look, here are your arrows!" The young man became ashamed. Then they all went inside. These old people had all kinds of food. These old people lived on the edge of the world The sun had almost risen. So surely they informed their grandson. "Something bad is stopping with us. What are we two going to do with you? Whenever the Sun (-Woman) rises, she usually eats here. She (eats for) her lunch people's stomachs; these she is in the habit of eating. It is always hot when she travels. It is a woman who travels."
Surely he heard when she came. (From) afar she made a loud noise as she was coming. Indeed, she arrived with heat. These old people hid their grandson away. She suspected some scent. "You two bring it out, I suspect that you two are hiding some one." She began to eat. Indeed, it was a woman. The young man was hidden in a corner. The old people ran away. She finished eating . and departed. "The woman may kill me," (he thought). "However, it is not so very bad, [even if] she may kill me." The (woman) usually ate here upon her arrival. She ate people's stomachs, and started on her journey again. The young man followed her. He overtook her. "Who are you, (who is) travelling?"--"I am devouring persons." She was travelling blazing red. He spoke to her, and cohabited with her with a penis (made of) ice. "You shall be a woman. You shall not amount to very much. You shall travel good-naturedly."
People came to know this, and they began to shout, "Hä'tcît!'s child is up here, Hä'tcît!'s child is up here!" Suddenly (some one) was hunting sea-otters down the river. No one could hit them. They did not know Hä'tcît!'s child, although they were surprised to see him. In this manner people were hunting. It would seem as if they certainly had hit her, but the sea-otter would still keep on swimming. He was seen, (and they wanted to know) how Hä'tcît!'s child looked. They liked him very much when they saw him.
Two women (especially) liked Hä'tcît!'s boy very much when they saw him. The women were a rich man's children. They liked Hä'tcît!'s child. The older sister was travelling good-naturedly. She usually travelled in the evenings. "We two are coming from another country." Hä'tcît!'s boy did not know the travellers. They always come from another country when a woman gets her monthly courses. "Whenever I get here, (I effect) that women get their monthly courses. I stay here just as long as in the other country. I travel here for the same length of time as I do in the other country. This is the reason why you always see me. When we two are travelling thus, I am always watching, (especially) when women get their monthly courses."
The young man married the two women. Thus (one of them) said to her father, "Don't you do anything to my husband." (One day his father-in-law said to him), "Let us two chop wood!" They went. One fir-tree was standing (at the place where) they arrived. He (the-father-in-law) gave him a digging-stick. (The young man) stood at the foot of the tree. They were going to work. The young man knew what was going to happen to him. Surely, the whole thing slid down. He became afraid of it, as he knew what was going to happen. Indeed, it came off; but the young man blew away to one side, just like a feather. The father-in-law saw it. Thus he thought: "I am going to kill my son-in-law." The son-in-law stood far away. He did not kill him. He was smiling. Then the father-in-law said to him, "Go and get our (dual) canoe. We will put in there this our wood." He went to get it. They filled their canoe. The hammer fell into the water. "Go and, get it." The young man went to get it, and dove into the water. The father-in-law made ice. The boy could not come out. He was just bumping against the ice. He could not come out, it seemed as if he could never come out. From below he struck the ice with the hammer. Indeed, he came out. They went home.
Then he said to his wives, "I shall go home."
"When will you return?"--"I shall return in two days."--"I am going to see my father." These two old people made a rope. Early in the morning they got him ready. That old man gave him all kinds of things,--a belt he gave to his grandson, a whale he gave him, a shield he gave him, and a feather-band he gave him.
Surely, he went down. He returned and saw his children. He was dropped down in a basket. Somewhat far off he was dropped down. As soon as he was dropped down, he went into the house and saw his wives. The old man rested in the sweat-house. His grandchildren went there (and said), "Our (dual) father has come back." He did not believe his grandchildren. "Perhaps you two are lying." After a while the children went there again. "Look, this our (dual) father brought home. This is our lunch." Sure enough, it was so. The old man believed it. He had marked himself with ashes, and cut his hair. He could barely talk, and (began to) look for his cane.
(The father) said to his children, "You two go and get your grandfather." He placed his wives and children in the basket. The rope was stretched up to the sky. The old man entered. "Halloo, my child! We became miserable."--"Put this belt on. You will see how we shall look when we get to the other place." He put on his clothes, and became old again. As he was before, thus he became again. His child made him scared. 'Now you shall eat." The old man began to eat. "Permit me to go out."--"Eat!" The young man ran to the basket. His wives and his children were already there. The old man was eating. They were drawn up quickly in a basket. They were taken up. The old man began to spout. He began to swim. He recollected suddenly that there was a spider. He reached out upwards. He almost tore off one handle. It came off. It was a close call! They went up quickly. They got back again to (their) other grandfather.
The old man was swimming. He could not come ashore. He had a whale as a slave. The old man was left on the ground, and he no longer knew (where) his child (had gone). He was swimming in the ocean, and he saw a whale. He was going back and forth through the mouth of the whale. That old man knew all kinds of languages. "You shall swallow me entirely. I shall be inside of you. You shall carry me home." Surely, he took that old man home. They two returned.
His head became bald. Only his heart was left. Only the bones joined together were left. The old man (and the whale) returned. The whale had as his subjects small hunch-backs. That old man went out. The old man was travelling along the beach. He found the leaves of a willow, and brought them into the house to the small hunch-backs. "Get up! Here, I brought home a herring. Why do you continually sleep? It is summer. You get ready, you small hunch-backs!" The old man got into the biggest whale. Surely, they went. He spoke to the whale as to a person. "You must go along the beach. We shall be seen if we travel." Indeed, they went along the beach. The small hunch-backs had all kinds of fun. The old man was sticking out from a whale-spout. "You must shout loud. We shall be seen." The old man did not see (know) any people, nevertheless he was talking thus. He recognized the region as they came (there). "You must shout loud."
Then they went to the ocean. The whale shouted once as he was going along the beach. "You must shout loud." Still he did not see any herring. Indeed, the whale shouted loud. He shouted once, and there the old man jumped (out). The old man was put ashore. He was very glad when be came ashore. "Now go, we came back to this good land.'
Surely, they were walking singly. Cold (weather) nearly killed that old man. He warmed himself by the sun. Thus he warmed himself. He got hungry. He had nothing to cat. Suddenly he recollected that the world had such a thing (as food). He began to look around, [crawling]. He began to walk around. Indeed, he found manzanita-berries. This became his food while he walked [crawlingly]. Half a day he crawled, eating the manzanita-berries. 'Why don't I get satiated?" He looked backwards and saw the manzanita-berries. just like a rainbow was spread out the thing he was eating. So he plugged some grass into his anus. Grass he plugged there. At the same time he again began to eat the manzanita-berries. Indeed, he felt it there as he ate it.
"What am I going to do?" Thus he spoke. Then he built a small house and warmed himself. "What am I going to eat?" Thus he was thinking. "I remember there must be such a thing as skunk-cabbage." Then he went to get skunk-cabbage. He dried it when the fire was big. It was not cooked. He warmed himself. Now he got tired waiting. He remembered the roast, and looked at it. He examined it. To his surprise, it was raw. The old man became angry when he saw it. He shoved it into the fire with the roasting-stick. He shoved it into the ashes. Thus he became angry. "Why is it not cooked?' So he shoved it into the fire, and warmed himself. He smelled something sweet, something good. He got up and remembered it. He remembered the roast, and pulled it out. (Again) he shoved it into the fire. "I recollect, it must be so." Now the roast was cooked. He set up a basket, the one he brought home. Then he roasted the skunk-cabbage, and at the same time built a fire on top of the roast. Then the old man warmed himself by the fire when he finished his work. He became tired waiting, and examined the roast. He took out one. it was cooked. So he kept taking them out, and put them down in pairs. He was alone, but still he spoke: "Give this to the uncle, give this to the uncle, give this to the elder brother, and give this to the aunt. Give this to the aunt. Give this to your sister-in-law. Give this to the younger brother." He did not see anybody at all; nevertheless he was talking that way.
His house there began to get big. Salmon came into the river. "I shall spear." Indeed, he went spearing. Indeed, he saw the salmon. So he killed salmon. He boiled the salmon. Now he was thinking thus: "How would it be if I should make a fish-trap? I may get very tired if I keep on spearing. It would be good if I should make a fish-trap. It does not look nice when I spear the salmon. It would be good if I should have a fish-trap. While I sleep, (they) will get into the basket themselves; and I shall sleep." Now, indeed, he slept.
He got up early in the morning and went down to the water. He saw the trap. Indeed, five salmon were in his basket. He set it up again, and went ashore into the house. He was storing up the salmon. He was drying everything,--the hearts, the gills, and the tails. Everything he was drying, the heads. Everything he was drying, the milter of salmon. Everything he was drying, the roe. Everything he was drying. Then he went to see the trap. He was very glad when the basket was full of salmon. He threw the salmon out. Indeed, he took them out. "I may get very tired." He filled his house; with dried salmon he filled the house. "It won't be good if I should get tired. You shall always shout. Whenever you get full, you shall shout." Surely, he went ashore to. his house. A little before daylight some one was in-deed shouting, "The fish-basket is full!" He went down to the water, and was very glad when the fish-basket shouted. He filled his house. It got summer. "Suppose I stop now, I doubt whether any one will eat it." Thus he spoke.
People were living down below. "Suppose I go there! No one will eat my food." Indeed, he came to the people who lived there. "Halloo, cousin! What are you doing?"--"We two here are starving." Then that old man went home. The fish-basket was shouting. "You shout too loud. I don't want you to shout so very loud." That old man was standing on the trail. He had all kinds of bundles,--tails, hearts. Everything was ready. The dried (things) ran into the water by themselves. The dried (things) were continually running away from the shore. "You too, O salmon-hearts! are running away from the shore?" The old man seized the hearts and put them down on the ground. There the hearts of the old man got up. The old man threw them to one side. The dried salmon went down into the water, and nothing was left. The old man went into the house, and saw nothing. He had no more food, and this is the reason why fresh salmon will come into the river. This is the reason why salmon come into the river. Every time the season arrives there, salmon keep on coming into the river. Now this is the end.
4. THE STEALING OF FIRE AND WATER
The earth was inhabited. All kinds of people (lived) in a mixed-up fashion. They had no fire, nor water. Whenever they intended to eat something, they would put it under their arms, and dance with it. The old people would sit on it; and as soon as it became warm, they would eat it. Whenever salmon came ashore, they would scoop them up. In this manner they had hardly any food. They were talking about the fire. "How would it be if we should go after it?"--"Let us go there!" Surely, they went there. Surely, they arrived there. Indeed, that fire was burning when they entered. (One) saw the water right away.
The man to whom they came was sitting there. He was sitting sideways. "Halloo, cousin! we two will play." It seemed as if he did not hear it. (The visitor) sat down on the opposite side. After a while he looked up. "In what way are you my cousin?" Thus he spoke. "You must tell a story."--"You are older than me." Then he went out. For a long time he remained outside. Then he entered again. "Halloo, cousin! Look! this is your cradle, and this is my cradle. Your cradle is new, my cradle is old. And this is your shinny-club, while this is my shinny-club. And this is your ball,* while this is my ball. Your ball is new, mine is old. Does it not seem to be so?" There he placed (the things) before him.
*The informant was mistaken in the use of these terms. The chiefs played the game of "guessing," and not "shinny."
Indeed, he saw them. "It is certainly so, cousin. Sit down there, we two will play." Now, indeed they two gambled. "With what shall I point at him when a player puts his hands behind his back?" He was thinking, "How would it be if I should put a piece of abalone-shell into my eye? I will sleep in the inside part (of my eye). You shall support me when I put my hand behind my back." Thus he was talking to the crowd. Indeed, thus it was (done).
Then he pointed his finger at him, when he put his hand behind his back. Two men were supporting him. (It is a) surprise, how things happened! Maggots ate up his anus, his face, his nose, his ears. Not long afterwards the maggots ate him up. He did not look at them. He kept on sitting there. Two men supported him from the back. He put an abalone-shell into his eye, and slept in the inside part (of it). It seemed as if he surely looked at it. To his surprise, he saw an abalone-shell in his eye. just (his) bones were sitting. The maggots went halfway deep (into his body) as they were eating him up.
He may have been sitting there for a long time. Then he began to think thus: "With what shall I point at him? He does not seem to get scared very much, when I point at him with this." Thus he was thinking. Still he did not look at the maggots. However, (with his) bones joined together (he was sitting). Still he did not look. "Don't you forget to seize upon that fire if we win. You shall also run away with this water." Thus he spoke. One man was speaking thus: "I will run away with the water.--You here shall run away with the fire." Thus he told it to him.
"It is your turn now (to) put your hand behind your back." Thus he said to him. "With what shall I point at him? There is nothing that scares him very much. This must be good, if I should point at him with a snake." The fire was burning without (ever) becoming extinguished. Surely, he pointed at him with a snake. The snake coiled around his thighs. It seemed as if something had happened, but still he did not see it. The snake reached his waist, and threatened (to go) into his mouth. The snake was continually sticking out its tongue. It seemed as if it was about to enter his nose. He became scared when he saw this. He shook it off to one side, and ran away from it. People shouted at him.
The fire was seized. A very poor man ran away with the fire. A very insignificant man kicked the water. They ran homewards. The fire was put into his ear. He ran with it. When he kicked the water, it was laid bare. It started to rain at once from there. The fire he threw into some brush. He threw it into a willow. As soon as he threw it, it began to burn. Then they went back there.
From that time on they had fire. From that time on it rained. This is the reason why it rains. Only in this manner people know (the story). This is the end.
5. THE ORIGIN OF DEATH.
They two were cousins, and lived together. Both of them were married, and both had little boys.
One morning the child (of one of them) became sick. It was sick a long time; then it died. It made (the father) feel sorry when it died. So they buried it.
The next morning he did not eat. He was watching the (dead) child. On the fourth morning he went to his cousin. "Halloo, cousin! You are thinking? What is your opinion? Should my child come back in five days?" Thus he spoke. "Not so, cousin. You just eat, and you will feel happy." Thus he spoke to him. He had nothing to say to (this). He was simply thinking, "I shall surely get even with you."
Indeed, not very long (afterwards) his (the other man's) child became sick. It was not sick long, when it died. He was very sorry when his child died. Indeed, he was thus talking, when he wanted his child to come back. So he went there. "Halloo, cousin! Indeed, our two children ought to come back. Our two children ought to come back in five days." Thus he said to him. "Not so, cousin. You just eat, and you will feel happy." Thus he was talking. "I intended that our two children should come back; however, you did not want it so. Now, indeed, whenever people die, they shall never come back, because you did not want it so. You were right, indeed, in talking to me thus." Thus he was thinking. He was right (when) he said this.
In five days (people) would have surely come back, if he had said so. It would have been good if (those) who died could have come back after five days. So far (the story) goes. In this wise, people relate the story.
6. THE FLOOD
When (one day) the flood-tide (came), there (was) no ebb-tide. (Everything was) full of water. Not long (afterwards) the water (reached) its full (mark). The earth was entirely filled with people. There were too many people, and they looked at the water as it (reached) its full (mark).
Some people had big canoes, and some had small canoes. All kinds of people crowded in when they settled down on the earth. Some people had stored away braided ropes. So they quickly went into the canoes. All people became thus scared.
The earth sank into the water. Wherever a small (piece of land) was sticking out, there they went. A small piece of land was sticking out. There the people assembled. All kinds of animals came there in pairs. All kinds of little birds, all came there in pairs. All kinds of things came there in that manner. They were mixed up there with the people. It seemed as if no one knew (the other), when they were thus mixed up with the people. Wherever the top of a fir-tree was sticking out, there they fastened their canoes to it. Some people had no braided ropes. Some people drifted far away. Many people had braided ropes. They no longer knew each other.
The small (piece of) land kept on floating. This was the name of the small river, "QalâL.* This one was sticking out. There the people assembled. There all kinds of things came together. All kinds of animals were among the people. All kinds of birds mixed in there in pairs. Nobody knew (the other one). People were afraid. (The thing that) was sticking out disappeared. They were scattered everywhere, the people who drifted far away. The water carried them far away. As soon as night came on, the people had their canoes fastened. They were watching their canoes. They were watching the canoes when they were made fast. Some people had short ropes. Suddenly (they would let them) loose, and (they) would drift away. The water would carry them away. One-half of the people became thus scattered. They no longer knew one another.
* Across North Bend, called to-day Kentock Stew.
When evening came, the water ran down. Everywhere people had one canoe (that was) fastened. They did not know how to take care of the canoes when the water went (down). Whenever a canoe was caught on a limb, they would let it loose. Some people did not watch the canoes. They did not watch them, and the canoes would consequently tip over whenever they got caught on a limb. This caused their canoes to tip over when night came on. Thus they were working. They could not sleep while they were watching their canoes.
When the earth became dry again, the people dropped down to the ground with their canoes. So again they severally came back there. Everywhere they settled down individually,--one man with one woman. Thus they settled down. The animals, too, came back ashore when the earth became dry. And the little birds (did) likewise. The little birds went everywhere in pairs. They did not know the place where they dropped down, and the people (started) to go far away. They did not know where they dropped down. Thus the people became scattered.
Thus only the story is being told.
7. ORIGIN OF THE COOS PEOPLE
One man was travelling. He was a "bone-man." An old man met him. "Why are you walking all the time? Why do you talk? Why are people angry with you?" He grabbed him. They two fought. Then the man was killed and torn to pieces. His intestines were taken out. He laid down the paunch separately. The hands he laid down separately, and also the head he laid down separately. Everything he laid down separately.
Then he (began) to think, as he was standing, "What am I going to do with it?" Thus he was thinking. "Wouldn't it be good if I should scatter it everywhere?" To the south he scattered the hair. To the south he scattered the blood. To the east he scattered the flesh. To the north he scattered the paunch. To the north he scattered the bones.
Then he spoke thus: "You shall be nothing. The last generation shall see you. Wherever there is a river, there people will live."
The people who speak Hânîs, those (come from) the hair. The blood, that's the Siletz Indians. The paunch, that's the Siuslaw; the flesh, that's the Kalapooya; (and) the bones are the Umpqua Indians. That's the way (in which) it was started.
8. THE GIRLS AND THE STARS
People lived on a small place. Many people lived (there). So thus spoke the oldest sister: "How would it be if we should lie down outside? It's a beautiful night (to) lie down." They all were talking thus: "It will certainly be good if we lie down outside." They were all women. So they went outside. There they went to bed. Now they began to make fun. They were almost asleep. They looked tip and saw many stars. Then the younger sister said, "Suppose these stars should be our two husbands." Then the older sister said, "Which one do you want?"--"I want some very small star." Thus she spoke. "Which one do you want?"--"I want some big star." Then they fell asleep. They no longer knew (anything). They were asleep.
They awoke early in the morning. (To her) surprise, a man was lying by her side when she awoke. Indeed, she looked at him. (To her) surprise, it was an old man (who) lay (there). His head (was covered with) gray hair. Suddenly she was surprised to see a man at the side of (her) older sister, a big star. A very pretty man was at the side of her older sister. The woman was astonished. Thus the man was talking: "I am the one (whom) you wanted (last) night."
Thus they know about the Star-Men. They don't know what became of them.
Thus the story is being told. Here it ends.
9. THE FIRE-WIND
One morning a hot wind blew. It blew from the west. The wind there was getting hotter. One man was talking thus: "Why is it that this wind is getting so very hot?" Dry was the world (river). Indeed, (to their) surprise, the fire-wind was seen as it was coming. Some people had stored away seal-paunches. There they put the small children. (People) could not run away on the earth. The whole world was afire, (and also) the mud. It seemed to boil whenever the fire passed by.
One man was thus talking: "How would it be if we should run away there?" Surely, they ran away there. They rubbed themselves with mud. Every one carried (had) small boards. As soon as the fire was coming, they lay down in the mud on their stomachs. They placed the boards in front of them, and the fire went over (the boards). So far apart the fire-wind kept on coming. Five (gusts), one following another, were coming. "We should easily be able to dodge it, because it is coming far apart." Every time (a gust) came, they would place the boards in front.
Thus the story is being told. They know it that way.