Sacred Texts Native American Northwest Index Previous Next
There are two towns on opposite sides of Nass river. The eldest of four brothers from one of these towns is killed while hunting. The reason for his accident is the faithlessness of his wife, whose lover is the son of the chief of the other village. The surviving brothers find the lover with their sister-in-law. They cut off his head and hang it over the doorway. When the young chief is missing his people send a slave girl across the river to look for him, under the pretext that their fire has gone out. She finds his head, and a battle ensues in which all the people of the first village are killed except the woman whose lover had been slain and her daughter. They hide in a hole under ground while the town is being burned. When all is quiet, the mother shouts, "Who will marry my daughter?" Various animals come, but she refuses them because they are too weak. Finally a supernatural being from heaven comes and is accepted. He tries to carry both women up to heaven, but is compelled to leave the mother behind because, against his orders, she opens her eyes on the way. He puts her into the branch of a tree, where she remains and causes the noise produced by the wind. The daughter has several children, who receive supernatural gifts and are sent back to earth. Among these gifts is a club which, when turned, causes the earth to turn over and bury the owner's enemies. The children come down at the old village site. In a battle with their old enemies the brothers are victorious by using their magical club. Not satisfied with taking revenge, they continue to make war and thus excite the anger of the chief in heaven, who makes them lose their club.