Haida texts and myths

by Unknown

Then he put the parts into the canoe and brought them to the town. And they bought them of him. When they were gone he took it (the wolf) off again. They kept buying from him.

When his property was fully sufficient his brother-in-law borrowed it. Then he gave him directions. “Cut up the one that rolls down first, but the last one that rolls down only cut open.” Then he gave it to him in the sack in which he kept it.

Then he started with it and put it off beneath the mountain. Soon after it had gone up a grizzly bear rolled down, and he cut it up. Afterward another one rolled down, and he cut that up also. Then the wolf came down. After it had walked about for a while it began to howl. Then it started away, so that he was unable to catch it. It went along on a light fall of snow.

And, when he got home and he (the owner) asked for it, he told him it got away. He handed him only the empty bag. [[334]]

At once he bought hide trousers. He also bought moccasins. Immediately he started off. He put the hides into a sack. Then he landed where he used to put it (the wolf) off and followed its tracks. He followed its footprints upon the snow lying on the ground.

Now, as he went, went, went, he spent many nights. He wore out his moccasins and threw them away. All the while he followed his son’s footprints upon the snow. He went and went, and, when his moccasins and trousers were almost used up, he heard many people talking and came to the end of a town.

Then he hid himself near the creek, and, when one came after water, he smelt him. Then he saw him and shouted to him: “So-and-so’s father has come after him.” At once they ran to get him. His son came in the lead. They were like human beings. Then he called to his father. He led him into the house in the middle. The son of the chief among the wolf people had helped him. The house had a house pole.

Then they gave him food. They steamed fresh salmon for him, and, when they set it before him, his son told him he better eat. Then he ate. And, after they had fed him for a while, they brought the hind quarter of a grizzly bear, already cooked, out of a corner. Then they cut off slices from it and gave them to him to eat.

He kept picking them up, but still they remained there. They set the whole of it before him with the slices on top. He did not consume it. It is called: “That-which-is-not-consumed.”

After he had been there for a while they steamed in the ground deer bones with lichens[1] on them. And next day they began to give them to him to eat. Then he did not pick them up, but he said to his father: “Eat them, father.” He was afraid to eat them because they were bones. Then he picked one up. But, when he touched it to his lips, it was soft.