WUS KUMUSH AND TSMUK
Tsmuk is darkness, and his daughter, whose name is given in another version of the story, is Iúnika, Twilight.
In this myth there is a fine description of Wus. He could make people old; he could change them to animals or to anything he chose. He was the greatest trickster in the world; he delighted in deceiving people. He made Tsmuk look toward the east; immediately Tsmuk’s body became a black cloud. A west wind came and carried the cloud away; it was daylight. Wus said to Tsmuk, “You’ll no longer be a person. You’ll be darkness, and people will sleep when you are here. But I shall not sleep. I will sleep in the daytime and travel at night.” The last part of Wus’ declaration must be an interpolation, for Wus is connected with light. In the mythology of one of the Pacific coast tribes a personage with many of the characteristics of Wus is known to be that warm light which in fine weather we see waving and dancing above the earth. He leads persons astray, and is full of mischief and deceit.