After he had been in the sea a very much longer time something touched him. He grasped for it. He felt nothing. After he had been in the sea for another space of time something again touched him, and he reached quickly ahead of it. Something slender was in his hand. Then his hand began to slip off, and he seized it with both hands. Now something pulled him away. At Łg̣a′-ixa[5] he got a new foothold. After some time the bottom of the island cracked. Then he fastened it around his head and came back up the inlet. He passed close in front of Gū′łg̣a and lay still at the mouth of Xā′nᴀ.[6]
After he had been in the water there for a while something came down from the head of the creek, making a noise as it descended, and he listened as he stood there. Then the sound came near to him. Now he looked in that direction. Fallen trees came down toward him, striking against each other as they came. They came near him. They came straight toward him. Then he ran ashore from them.
Upon this all the vegetation in the forest and all kinds of birds in the woods called him a coward. “Is this the one who is trying to obtain power for himself? His power is weak.” Then he jumped into the water again, and they came upon him, striking together. When they struck him he felt nothing. What had become old rotten trees floated away from him.
And after he had been in the sea a while longer ice came down, striking together on the way. And again he ran away from it, and they said he was a coward. Then he again jumped into the water to meet them. After they had struck on each side of him they floated away, transformed into some soft substance.
After he had been in the water for another space of time rocks came floating down, striking together, and he ran away from them. They again told him he was a coward, and he again went into the water. And they struck upon him. They became brittle rock and floated away from him.
After he had been in the sea still longer he heard some one walking toward him. He looked in that direction. Someone short and broad with red skin was coming toward him. He held a knot in one hand and some g̣ōdañxō′sgî boughs.[7] On the other side he held some kwē′aogia′gadañ twigs[8] and some seaweed. [[212]]
And he said to him: “Come, let me whip you, grandson.” He went to him and faced him. Then he struck him with the knot. He did not feel it. Instead, it broke in pieces. And he struck him also with the g̣ōdañxō′sgî. He did not feel it. And he also struck him on his back with the kwē′aogia′gadañ. He did not feel it. Then he struck him with the seaweed. He almost touched the earth with his head.
Then they seized each other. He pushed Greatest-strong-man down. Then he smiled at him, and went toward the woods upon the ice. Landward stood a dead tree on the sea side of which a dead limb stood out which he tried to pull off. He could not do it. But he (the human being) went over to it and pulled it out. And he said to him: “Now, grandson, go home, for your things are there.” And he went down the inlet.
After he had swum along for a while, he stood up at Gū′łg̣a. And, after he had stood near the door for a while, he entered and dried himself near the fire. He asked of his mother, who was weaving near the wall: “Mother, have you any?” “Yes, chief, my son; when something made you and shut you in the womb I had some made for you. They are here.” Then his mother hunted in a box, brought out two sky blankets,[9] and gave them to him.
Then he sat down on one of the bedsteads belonging to his younger brothers. He broke it by sitting. And he broke another by sitting on it. After he had broken all by sitting on them he made one for himself. And he also broke that by sitting on it. And, after a stronger one with yellow cedar corner posts was finished, that, too, broke down. And he gave it up. Then he fastened the pokers lying near the fire together in the shape of a cross, laid dead salmon-berry bushes across them, laid the planks on top of these, and sat down upon them. That, however, was strong. Then he went to bed.