Haida texts and myths

by Unknown

Although he used to eat, he was so busy working that he stopped doing so. Still he never forgot his younger brother and the dog. He fed them all the time. As soon as the fish trap and all things were finished, and day came, he went to the fish trap. He kept taking them (the salmon) out. As soon as he had done so he strung them together. He finished ten strings and laid them in the water. Then he roasted some for his younger brother for that evening, and that night he remained awake. Again he kept taking them out. He strung up the same number as on the day before and let them lie in the water. All that time they never ceased to run, hu hu hu hu hu. Where had their hunger gone to?

One day, when the house was filled and he had fully enough and had cut them up for more than ten nights, before he went out to remain awake, he roasted some for his younger brother by the fire. He took out more and more salmon. He came back, and the two rows of roasted fish which had been there were gone. Then he went over to his younger brother, cried near him, and went out to cut up the fish.

When it was evening he again roasted some. Again he had more and again he stayed up to watch. He took some out. He did it repeatedly. When he went home what he had roasted had again disappeared. Then he again wept near his younger brother and went out to cut up his fish. He cut up the fish and again remained awake. Now he had three rows of roasted fish.

He took out still more salmon. He came in, and lo! all was gone. Part of those above were also gone. Then he called his younger brother, [[177]]and said: “Say! brother,[8] did you eat all the things I roasted?” “No; shortly after you went out someone came in, gathered them up in his hands, with those above, and put them into his mouth.” “I thought it was you.”

Now, he did not care about the salmon. Nor did he go out to cut up the fish. He felt badly. He sat waiting. He was going to watch. He wanted to see who this person was. In the evening he brought out his bow, spanned it, brought out two arrow-boxes, put one on the left side near the door, and sat over the right-hand one with his bow.

After he had sat there in the dark for a while he saw two pieces of burning pitchwood side of the house. When they came around to the front of the house something wonderful entered and stood there. Something with fire burning in its eyes came in and stood there. After it had stood there for a while it gathered the roasted salmon together and swallowed all. After he had stood looking at those above for a while he gathered them also together and swallowed them. As he turned away from this he (the boy) shot him under the armpit and from the other side as well. That was Ga′ogila.[9]

When he turned about he shot him repeatedly. He shot him repeatedly. When one arrow-box was exhausted, as the animal turned around, he went to the other also, and after he had shot from it for a while midnight came and he went out.

At once he pursued him. He stuck the arrows into his quiver, and kept shooting him through his back and his breast. After some time had passed, lo! he had passed to the other side of a mountain as quickly as if it had been thrown back from him. Then he returned.

He entered and took his younger brother on his knee. He also called the dog to him, and the latter licked his lips. Then he turned over the drum that had belonged to his father and placed it over his younger brother and the dog. And he went away.

As he went he picked up the shafts of his arrows [which had fallen from the heads]. After he had run along for a while he heard a noise. Then he stood still. After he had listened for a while he heard a sound like that of a hammer. Now, he went in that direction. Lo! some one was working out the inside of a canoe. Only the top of his head was visible. He looked at it fixedly.