[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. [↑]
Two Children’s Stories
[Told by my interpreter, Henry Moody, of Those-born-at-Qā′gials]
I. “Habababē⁺, here is younger brother [or sister] crying.” “Give your younger brother the large clam’s head (qꜝoñg̣osqadjā′⁺) that I put away for him.” “Where is younger brother?” “I do not know. I destroyed him (qꜝoñg̣osqa′djîg̣ᴀn) as you told me to do.”[1]
II. Song-sparrow[2] lived with his grandmother. Whenever his grandmother soaked salmon Grizzly-bear[3] stole the soaked salmon. One day Song-sparrow saw Grizzly-bear doing this. He said then to his grandmother: “Grandmother, I will kill him.” And his grandmother said to him: “Do not try, my child; he will swallow you.” “That will be all right, grandmother, for I shall have a fire drill in his belly.”
He then made a bow and arrows. The people did not like him and his grandmother. By and by, when Grizzly-bear came there again, he shot him. He did not know then what happened to him. And, when he was in his belly, he came to himself. He then thought of his fire drill and made a fire in his belly. When it burned it burned through his belly. And he killed Grizzly-bear.
He then brought the news to his grandmother. “Grandmother, I have killed Grizzly-bear.” And his grandmother told him that he lied. Then he went again to it and cut some pieces from it. As soon as he showed it to his grandmother his grandmother put on her belt. He and his grandmother began at once to cut it up.