[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o-creek.]
Master-carpenter at a steep place at one end of the town of Sqa-i began
making a canoe in which to war with Southeast. [35] The first one that
he finished at the edge of the steep place he threw down into the
water. It split. After that he made another. He made the measurement of
thickness of this one greater than for the one he had made before. And
when he finished it he threw it into the water. That, too, split apart.
After that he made another one and had it thick. When he threw that in
it also split apart. After that he made still another and had that also
very thick. When he threw that in it broke also.
Before all this happened he tried to wedge apart two canoes from one
log. Then Greatest Fool came to him. And he told him how to use his
wedges. He told him to use bent ones. When he did so, they came apart.
In that way he made two [at once]. [36]
When he could not accomplish it (i.e., make a canoe that would not
break) he let the limbs stay on one and threw it off from the cliff. It
went down safely. Then he thought it good and set out to find him
(Southeast). He knew where he lived.
Then he came floating above him. And he challenged him. After he had
called to him for a while a current flowed out rapidly. A large amount
of seaweed came floating with it. After it came his matted hair. When
he came to the surface he seized him. When he started off with him
(Southeast) he called for his nephews.
First he called Red-storm-cloud. The neighboring sky became red. This
passed away from it quickly. At once the wind blew strong. [37] While
this wind was blowing very hard he called for
Taker-off-of-the-tree-tops. The wind immediately blew harder. The tree
tops that were blown about fell close to him. All that time he spit
medicine upon himself.
For the next one he called Pebble-rattler. At once the wind was further
increased. The waves came rolling in. The stones made a noise. The sand
blew about. All that time he spit medicine upon the things he had in
his canoe. At that time he called for Maker-of-the-thick-sea-mist.
There were many of them (the nephews). Part have been forgotten. [38]
By and by he called for Tidal-wave. And when he came he
(Master-carpenter) was covered with water. All that time he spit
medicine upon his things. At that time they were too much for him.
Then he got him ashore. Some of the old people said that he (Southeast)
[39] died.
His mother was named “To-morrow” (Dā′g̣ał). [40] For that reason they
were accustomed not to say dā′g̣ał; else they said there would be bad
weather, so they called dā′g̣ał, ałg̣alā′g̣a.
The end.
This little story seems to have been very well known throughout the
Queen Charlotte islands. What seems to have been a longer version was
known to old Chief Edenshaw at Masset. This one was related to my
informant by an old man of the Ninstints people, now dead.