Qō′łkꜝē
[Told by Jimmy Sterling of the Stᴀstas.]
He used to say that he would not let himself become a gā′gix̣īt as others had done. One time he went to get firewood. He went alone. Only a dog that he owned was with him. After cutting firewood for a while he filled his canoe and went away. While he was on the way a strong wind came upon him. He then upset.
Then he and his dog got safely ashore. He had cut the firewood with a stone ax. As he swam he held it in his mouth. As soon as he reached safety he began to cut firewood. He was handling heavy things and warmed himself by doing so. He also cut hemlock limbs and made a house.
After he had been busy at this for a while, and had finished it, he started to make fire with a drill. When it burned he built a large fire in front of himself. At the time when he reached safety he found a flat stone, and, whenever he would sit down, he sat upon it. When evening came he sat on it near the fire.
When he first saved himself he saw a large fire at some distance, and near it a crowd of people talking. He longed to go to it, but he steadfastly set his mind against it. He had heard that when one goes to it the fire goes before him, and he goes on forever. That was why he did not go to it.
In the evening, when his fire and his house were ready, he killed his dog, and he skinned it. He cut it open along the breast. He then left its skull there. And he rubbed its blood upon his face, head, and body. He pulled out an ulna and ground it on a stone. After it had become sharp he constantly kept it in his hand. Evening now came upon him.
After he had sat near the fire for a while something came and rapped on the place where he was sitting. The creature that makes people gā′gix̣īts[1] came and rapped in order to go into his anus. When it could not get in it kept saying to him: “Ho Qō′łkꜝē’s anus is closed tight.” He did not see it; he only heard its voice.
At the time when he upset it turned dry and cold. It was north weather. During the whole time he remained awake all night long. He was afraid to sleep. When day came he stopped up the chinks in his house. He then cut a block of wood and hollowed it. He wanted to urinate in that only, and in that he did urinate. Again he stopped up all the crannies in the house very tight. Again night came upon him.
During all that time wherever he sat down he had the stone with [[359]]him. He always sat upon it. During all that time something tried to get into his anus. Something kept saying to him: “Ho Qō′łkꜝē’s anus is closed tight.” He only heard the voice.
When night came upon him he sat near the fire. During all that time he let it burn every night. After he had sat there for a while, a woman came in to him holding in her hand a basket containing something. “Brother Qō′łkꜝē, I bring food for you.” She gave him chitons.
He then was glad. He set them in front of himself, and he had her sit on the opposite side of the fire. He then took out one and put it into the fire. Then, however, wood ticks ran away from the fire. He then threw all into the fire. There was nothing but wood ticks running away. He then gave her her bucket. She now said to him: “Hu, brother Qō′łkꜝē,” and she went away from him.
He wore on his head the skin of the dog, showing its teeth. The rest of the skin hung down his back. He was covered with blood. He was not agreeable to look at. During all that time the north wind blew strongly. In the place from whence he had gone after wood they were troubled about him, but the wind was too strong. There was no way to search for him.
On the next evening something again came to him with food. That time it brought mussels to him. He put those, too, into the fire. Minks ran away from it. For a second time he returned to her her empty basket. A mink which had changed itself into a woman brought him food. They gave it to him in order that when he ate it he would become a gā′gix̣īt. But he was too cunning. Although he knew that something had changed its form [to harm him], he did not touch it (the woman).
During all that time something kept tapping upon his buttocks. During all that time it could not get into him, and it said: “Ho Qō′łkꜝē’s anus is stopped up tight.” But he only heard the voice. He always held the dog’s ulna. And he did not let the stone ax go. The woman came in every evening. He had her then sit directly opposite to himself.
At one time, when she came in to him, she brought him the following news: “To-morrow your friends are going to come for you.” During all that time he urinated nowhere but in his box. On the next day many people, as many as ten, came to him by canoe. In it his sister sang a crying song: “Ha, brother Qō′łkꜝē.” He looked out of the hemlock house.
During all that time he wore the dog’s head. Again he did not sleep. While they were still out at sea he went down to meet them. When they got in front of him, in truth, his younger brothers were there. His sister was also there. He recognized them all. They feared for some time to go in to him. [[360]]
And, after they had remained there for a while, they came in to him. Then, as he pulled it up, he thrust the dog’s bone into the end of the canoe. It went in easily. And, when he passed down to the middle, the same thing took place there. The whole canoe was like that.
Then all got off, and he tied all their paddles together and went up to the house with them. He then brought them into the house and stood them on end near the door. He then had the canoe people sit in a circle. His sister sat with them next to the door.
And he intended to let them wash their hands in urine after they had sat there for a while. He put it first in front of the one nearest to the door. While he washed his hands he turned his head away and snuffled. As each washed his hands he did the same thing. He then knew that these were Land-otter people. He picked up his urinal and put it back into its place behind him.
After that he put the paddles into the fire. Lo! minks ran away. When he clubbed those that had come after him, they did not any longer conceal the fact that they were land otters. He straightway placed himself just inside the door and clubbed the land otters to death. But he did not touch the woman. The Land-otter people changed themselves to make him a gā′gix̣īt. If he had gone with them he would have become a gā′gix̣īt.
During all that time he fasted. Again he did not sleep. He feared to. During all that time the woman brought him food. And every time he put it into the fire different things ran away from it.
At one time, when she came in to him, she again said that they would come for him. By and by ten more persons came after him in a canoe. Again a woman sang a crying song in it. “Brother Qō′łkꜝē” were the words she put into it. He again went down. Those, too, were afraid for some time to come in to him.
By and by they came in. He recognized all. When he pulled up their canoe he also stuck his dog’s bone into it, and it went in easily. He gathered all their paddles together, bound them, and went up with them. He again stood them on end near the door. As before, he told the canoe people to sit on each side of him. He again seated his sister nearest to the door.
Then he again had them wash their hands in urine. He saw them again turn their heads away as they washed. He saw that these were also land otters. He again rose and put their paddles into the fire. They all ran off again as minks. He stood then in the doorway and began to club the land otters. Again he preserved the woman only.
During all that time it was north weather.[2] Soon after he had killed these there was fine weather. The wind had been strong for ten days. When it was a fine day his friends really came in search of him. He went to them. Without waiting, they came up in front of him.
Then he tried to push his bone into the canoe bow. He could not. [[361]]And he knew it was a real canoe. But he still did not believe that they were his friends. He also gathered their paddles together and took them up to the house. He again stood them near the door. He again told the people to sit opposite him.
Then he took up the urine and had them wash their hands in it. The one in front of whom he first put it now washed his hands in it after the usual fashion. His sister was really in the canoe with them. Those who had come before were only like her. When they got through washing he shoved their paddles into the fire. They burned, and one of them rose quickly and pulled them out.
And, after he had sat there for a while, he rose quickly and struck at the one sitting next to him, who caught his club overhead. During all that time he wore the skin. They were afraid to look at him. During all that time he also fasted. He always remained awake. He was nothing but bones.
During all that time they talked to him: “Qō′łkꜝē, it is we. Come with us.” He struck at one who was near him, and they caught his club above him. All at once he started to go with them. He had fought all the ten canoe people. The canoes of those who had come before had turned into large logs.
He now embarked with them. After he had gone along for a while with them he struck at the one next to him with his stone ax. Every time they caught it above themselves. They came to the town with him. When the townspeople came down to meet him he also tried to fight with them. They stopped him quickly every time.
When he came into the house they gave him some salmon to eat. He put one piece into the fire. It burned, and he put it back [into the dish]. After he had sat there for another space of time he struck at the one who sat next to him, and they quickly stopped him. During the whole time they called to him: “Qō′łkꜝē.” He also kept the stone under his anus whenever he sat down. When evening came he was afraid to lie with his wife. He even tried to kill his wife. But the next day he ate in the usual manner. He put a part of all the things he ate into the fire. When it burned, he ate of it. They [the land otters] were unable to get him.
This story, which is apparently Tlingit, gives an excellent idea of Haida and Tlingit notions regarding the gā′gix̣īt, “wild men,” and the relations that land otters were supposed to bear to them. See also the story of [Supernatural-being-who-went-naked], note [19]. [[362]]
[1] Said to be a small mouselike animal always running about on the rocks. Children call them sʟgu, the usual term for “land otter.” [↑]
[2] On this coast the north winds bring clear, cold weather, but often high seas, while the southeast wind brings wet weather. Fine weather to a Haida’s mind depends not so much on clear skies as on smooth water. [↑]