After ten days had passed, a black wind came toward him along the surface of the sea, as he sat near the shore. North had heard his voice. The wind blew hard from the north. At midnight Beaver felt of the sea. After he had sat awhile longer, he felt of it again. After he had done so for a while, he felt that it was frozen over. He sat still. Then he perceived it was strong enough.
Then Beaver stepped upon it. And he went ashore upon it. He escaped to land. Then he went to his home. He stopped up that trench. After he finished stopping it up, he went into his house. This is the end.
EAGLE’S FEAST[9]
Kwakiutl
Eagle gave a feast. He invited all of the myth people. Eagle told his servants to get the four cooking boxes and to put stones into the fire and to get the tongs. When this was done, Eagle put on his eagle mask and seated himself on the seashore.
As soon as Eagle was seated, he saw a porpoise coming up. Eagle flew down and grasped it and brought it to the beach. When he had been sitting there a long time, he saw another porpoise come up. Eagle grasped it at once and carried it up to the beach. Thus he did four times. Then as soon as he had caught four porpoises, he took off his eagle mask and hung it up. Then he cut up the porpoises. When they were cut up, water was poured into the cooking boxes. Then Eagle put the porpoises in, and put red hot stones into the boxes also. Soon they were cooked. Then they were taken out. Eagle had invited all his friends for a feast, so they ate all the porpoises. Then they went out.
WHEN CHICKADEE CLIMBED A TREE
Shuswap
Once Grizzly Bear told her grandson that if ever any of his arrows should catch in a tree, and beyond his reach, not to climb the tree. At first the boy did just as Grandmother said; but he lost many arrows. Now one day he shot his best arrow at a bird that was sitting in a tree. The bird flew away and the arrow stuck in a branch just beyond his reach. It was his very best arrow.
Then the boy forgot and climbed that tree to get the arrow. Just as he came near it, the tree suddenly grew and the arrow was far out of his reach. The boy climbed again, but just as he reached out his hand to take it, the tree shot up and again it was far out of his reach. This happened many times. So the boy kept on climbing.