Tsmuk is darkness, and his daughter, whose name is given in another
version of the story, is Iúnika, Twilight.
In this myth there is a fine description of Wus. He could make people
old; he could change them to animals or to anything he chose. He was
the greatest trickster in the world; he delighted in deceiving people.
He made Tsmuk look toward the east; immediately Tsmuk’s body became a
black cloud. A west wind came and carried the cloud away; it was
daylight. Wus said to Tsmuk, “You’ll no longer be a person. You’ll be
darkness, and people will sleep when you are here. But I shall not
sleep. I will sleep in the daytime and travel at night.” The last part
of Wus’ declaration must be an interpolation, for Wus is connected with
light. In the mythology of one of the Pacific coast tribes a personage
with many of the characteristics of Wus is known to be that warm light
which in fine weather we see waving and dancing above the earth. He
leads persons astray, and is full of mischief and deceit.