Sacred Texts Native American Northwest Index Previous Next
The eldest of four brothers goes hunting with his two dogs. He comes to a glacier, which he crosses, and suddenly finds himself in front of the den of a Grizzly Bear, who kills him and his dogs. The second and third brothers meet the same fate. The youngest, on reaching the den, falls into it and strikes with his hand the Bear's vulva. She marries him. After some time be gets homesick and returns, accompanied by his bear wife. They live with his parents and the Bear makes friends with the man's child and with his former wife, whom she allows to return to him. The Bear and this woman go berrying, the Bear keeping the berries in her stomach. On their return they invite the people in. The Bear defecates the berries into a dish, but the people are afraid to eat them. The Bear robs a man's salmon weir, taking out the fish before daylight. She gives the fish to the people. The owner of the weir scolds her and she kills him. She goes back to the mountains, and tells her husband, who tries to follow her, to go home. When he does not obey, she kills him.