ORIGIN OF CHILCOTIN CAÑON
Shuswap
A very long time ago, when the earth was new, Coyote traveled about a great deal, looking after things and helping the Indians. Now Coyote found that the salmon went to the upper Chilcotin River. He did not like that at all, for he was a friend of the Shuswaps on the lower Chilcotin River, and did not like the tribes on the upper river. Therefore Coyote made a rocky dam across the stream, very high, so that the salmon could not leap over it. Thus the Shuswaps had all the salmon and the Chilcotins had none. But the pounding of the waters wore away Coyote’s dam, and now the salmon go far up the river. This is how the Chilcotin Cañon was formed.
ORIGINS OF ANIMALS
Eastern Eskimo
Wolves.—Once a poor woman lived in an Indian camp with many children. Her husband was dead, and she had so many children she could not find enough for them to eat. Always they were hungry; always they were gaunt and lean. Therefore they were changed into wolves. Even yet they are always hungry and wander over the land, roaming about, lean and gaunt, seeking for food.
Hares.—Once a child in an Indian camp had such long ears that everyone laughed at him. At last he went off into the brush and lived by himself. Therefore he was changed into a hare. When Hare sees anyone near, he lays his ears down flat, for if he hears a person shout he thinks he is laughing at his long ears. He does this even yet. Hare has no tail now because he formerly did not have one.
BIRD BEGINNINGS
Eastern Eskimo
Ravens.—Raven used to be a man. Now in those days, people moved about a great deal, hunting and fishing. One day a whole village was preparing to move. They were collecting their blankets and cooking boxes. Raven kept calling to someone that he had forgotten his kak—forgotten the lower blanket of deerskin used for a bed. Raven kept calling “Kak, kak, kak!” People said, “Get the kak yourself. Go back for it yourself.” So Raven did, but he hurried so that he was changed into a bird.