[Told by Job Moody of the Witch people]
A man began to set deadfalls. His son was always with him. Whenever he
went out to see them he found that in some way or another they had got
away from the deadfalls. And he now became angry. He became angry with
himself because he could not get the black bears. Now he began fasting.
After eight nights had passed he became weak. In the ninth night his
son lay by him, and some time before daylight he pushed against his
father with his feet. Then his father did not move, and he looked at
his father. He was already dead. He saw foam piled up in front of his
mouth.
Now, although his father was dead, he went to see his father’s
deadfalls. There was one in the first deadfall he looked into. Then he
pulled the bear out of the deadfall. He laid it face up to skin it.
Now, when he took his knife the bear’s body began to sing through him:
Chief, [144] chief [that I am], be careful how you pull your
grandfather around.
Be careful how you pull around your grandfather as you sit beside
him.
I am too much of a boy for you (i.e., too old). Chief, chief [that
I am].
After he had skinned it he looked at one (a deadfall) farther inland.
One also lay in that. He pulled it out to skin it. Now he took his
knife. [It then sang through him]:
Chief, chief [that I am], I am already far away.
At the cliff, coming from my passage through the mountains, [145] I
hold up my head grandly.
Chief, chief [that I am], I am already far away from it.
From my blue mountain I am now far away.
On the island I travel, led about proudly. From it I am far away.
Chief, chief [that I am].
He started for one still farther inland. One was also in that. He
pulled it out. When he laid his hand on his knife to skin it, that one
also sang through him:
Chief, chief [that I am], they say [that I have] green mountains.
They say that I went into the creek I own which stretches its
length afar. [146] Chief, chief [that I am].
His younger brother having disappeared, Marten traveled around this
island rapidly. [147] He then heard people singing [these songs]. And
he sent word back quickly. He said: “The human beings have already
finished singing.” He immediately turned his marten-skin upside down
and held his beating stick to dance for his younger brother. And they
now made the words of the songs we are singing. Then he acted as if he
were choked. They then said: “Go and get the chief.” And they held him
up. Marten was Black-bear’s elder brother.
One fall both had been gathering salmon, and he said to Black-bear:
“Younger brother, stand in the creek downstream. I will stand above in
the creek. I will float down to you the bodies of those I kill.”
They did it at once, and his younger brother, Black-bear, went into the
creek below and stood there. Now, as soon as Marten got into the creek
above he floated one down, and his younger brother below threw it out.
He was at some distance from where they lived. After he had been gone
for some time he came in to his wife and children, and as he caressed
his children he said: “Fresh salmon, my daughter, fresh salmon.” Now,
she went out to get them and saw nothing. Then she came in and said to
her father: “Father, I saw nothing there.” And he said to his daughter:
“They lie just outside, my daughter.” Now, she again went out. Again
she could not find them. “Father, only gills [with entrails attached]
lie outside.” “Those are the things, my daughter.” She then brought
them in and roasted them. And he went opposite to where they were being
cooked and said: “[Give me] the milt of a salmon.” [148].
He (the hunter) then went up to one farther inland. When he came in
sight of it one also lay in that. He pulled it out. Now, when he took
his knife they also sang through him:
Chief, chief [that I am],
When the sun rises I start traveling about.
[Now] I am lying under the deadfall. Chief, chief [that I am].
When he had gone farther back he came to still another in a deadfall.
He also pulled that out. When he took out his knife that also sang
through him:
Chief, chief [that I am], my power is all taken away,
My power is all taken away.
Chief, chief [that I am], my power is all taken away,
My power is all taken away. Chief, chief [that I am].
After he had sung this song through he went still farther up. One lay
in that also. He pulled it out. When he began to skin it it began to
sing as before:
Chief, chief, whither did my great brother [149] wander proudly?
My mind shakes as I go about. Chief, chief.
When he went up from that place he came to where another was caught. He
pulled it out. This was the seventh. When he again took his knife it
began singing as before:
Chief, chief, tell me where he fell. [150] I do not know the place.
Chief, chief, chief.
That day he took out ten black bears. But his father died of thirst.
Ten black bears were taken in the deadfalls, and each of these sang a
song through the mouth of the human being. My informant, however, knew
only seven of these.