Haida texts and myths

by Unknown

The next time he went out he killed and brought in a song sparrow that went whistling along. And he also skinned that. He went out [[349]]after that and brought in a robin,[3] and he ate its meat. There was nothing [else] to eat.

After he had been bringing them in in this way for a while, one day he killed a black bear. After he had killed all kinds of animals, he killed a grizzly bear. That he also brought in to this mother.

By and by he asked his mother: “Mother, why do you live here all alone?” Then she said to her son: “My son, they destroyed your uncles. Your sister was married. Then your uncles went to her. There they were destroyed. They also came after us. I escaped from them. Therefore I am very careful where I go. I am afraid to look at the town.”

Then he asked his mother: “Where is the town?” And she said to him: “It lies over there.” And he said: “Mother, to-morrow, I am going to see it.” “Don’t, my child, they will kill you also.” “Yet I will see it.”

And next day he went down to see his sister. With his copper bow he went down to help her. He had concealed it outside from his mother, they say, and, when he went out, he threw away that she made for him just outside and took his own.

Now he went to the town. And he sat behind it and thought of his sister. He had something round his neck. It was made of copper. Then his sister came to him and he asked her questions. He asked her how he treated her. And she told him that he treated her badly.

Then he pulled off what he had round his neck and gave it to his sister. “Tell him you found this for him. And, when it begins to burn a little, run out from him with it and come to me again.”

Then the woman went in and said: “Here is something I found for you.” When he took it, fire flashed out from it, and she ran out from him. Then her brother handed her his bow: “Say the same thing to him and run out from him.” Then she went in and she gave him the copper bow. And at once she ran out. And behind her there was a great noise of burning inside of the house. The whole town burned the way (i.e., as rapidly as) a grouse flies away.[4] Not even one was saved out of it. He did it on account of his uncles.

Then he went with his sister to where his uncles had had their town. And he asked his sister: “Where do my uncles’[1] bones lie?” And she said: “They lie behind the burned town.” Then they went there and put their bones together. And, after he had spit medicine upon them four times, they sat up. Then his uncles[1] settled in the empty houses.

Then he went to get his mother. Now his mother was already an old woman. And he spit medicine over her, and she became young. Then he settled his mother down in the town. And he spit medicine upon the old people they had killed, and they also became young.[5]