Haida texts and myths

by Unknown

And, after he had stayed with his wife a while, he thought of the words that Farthest-one-out’s sons put into [their songs] about him. Then he slept apart from his wife. After he had done this for some time, he woke up one night. Lo! he heard his wife talking with some one. But he did not disturb himself, and, when day broke, he sharpened a mussel shell knife he owned. And, when they went to bed, he remained awake. The moon rose. When it became light, the end of a rainbow came through the smoke-hole. He looked at it. It extended to his wife’s [room]. Then the rainbow again drew itself out through the smoke-hole.

After some time had elapsed, he heard some one talking to his wife. When the talking ceased, he crept over thither. He seized the man’s hair and cut his head off. Then he went out and fastened his head over the door.

After many nights had passed, a woman came by canoe and stopped in front of him. After she had remained there for a while, she said: “Come, chief, throw down your nephew’s head to me.” He paid no attention to her. It was Djila′qons’ son, who had been in love with his wife, whose head he had cut off.

Again she said landward: “Come, chief, put your nephew’s head into my canoe.” He absolutely refused. Then she became angry and almost struck the town with something that was half red, half blue.[40] And the town of Skedans almost tipped over. Then he went out and pushed it back again as he walked along.

The woman said the same thing again, and again he refused her. When she almost struck the town with her stick, it almost turned over again. And again he straightened it with his feet. Then he took the head and threw it out. And the hair-seal canoe[41] in which she came started off of itself, while he stood still there and looked on.

Then he went along upon Trail-inland[42] and entered the water at [point] Lying-seaward.[43] And he got his arms ready for her in the salt water. Her servants were doing the paddling. When they got above him, he laid hold of [the canoe]. Then they paddled backward. They were unsuccessful.

Then the chief-woman said, “Come in, chief, if it is you. Things shall not be different from the way you want them.” And lo! Upward [[202]]rolled in through the bailing-hole. At once he went to the middle where the chief-woman sat. He stretched his arm across, and they lay there with each other.[44]

When they got home, she put her son’s head in its place, and he was restored. After he had had her as his wife for some time, and it was toward the end of autumn, the chief-woman began digging roots with the servants. One day, after they had come home, they appeared happy. He listened to them. He did not know why they acted that way. He got firewood in readiness for their return from digging roots. They came home together, and every time they were happy.

By and by, when they started off again, he went behind them. As they went along in a line, they beat upon thin boards held in their hands. They sang as they went. It sounded nice and sharp. The chief woman went in advance. He observed them stealthily.

Then they sat down at a certain point down the inlet, and sang there. The chief woman sat near the water. This he saw. By and by something having thick eyebrows came flying from above and sat near her. He was good looking. They lay with each other.