The Myths of the North American IndiansSpence, Lewis
History
The Myths of the North American Indians
Spence, Lewis
Indian mythology -- North America; Indians of North America -- Folklore
After a while a messenger from the Divine People approached and asked
to be told whether the Indians would accept a challenge to a diving
contest, the {331} defeated to lose their lives. This was agreed to,
and Blue Jay was selected to dive for the Chinooks. He had taken the
precaution of placing some bushes in his canoe, which he threw into the
water before diving with his opponent, a woman. When his breath gave
out he came to the surface, concealing his head under the floating
bushes. Then he sank into the water again, and cried to his opponent:
"Where are you?" "Here I am," she replied. Four times did Blue Jay
cunningly come up for breath, hidden beneath the bushes, and on diving
for the last time he found the woman against whom he was pitted lying
at the bottom of the sea, almost unconscious. He took his club, which
he had concealed beneath his blanket, and struck her on the nape of the
neck. Then he rose and claimed the victory.
The Supernatural People, much chagrined, suggested a climbing contest,
to which Blue Jay readily agreed, but he was warned that if he was
beaten he would be dashed to pieces. He placed upright a piece of ice
which was so high that it reached the clouds. The Supernaturals
matched a chipmunk against him. When the competitors had reached a
certain height Blue Jay grew tired, so he used his wings and flew
upward. The chipmunk kept her eyes closed and did not notice the
deception. Blue Jay hit her on the neck with his club, so that she
fell, and Blue Jay was adjudged the winner.
A shooting match was next proposed by the exasperated Supernaturals, in
which the persons engaged were to shoot at one another. This the
Chinooks won by taking a beaver as their champion and tying a millstone
in front of him. A sweating match was also won by the Chinooks taking
ice with them into the superheated caves where the contest took place.
As a last effort to shame the Chinooks the Divine {332} People
suggested that the two chiefs should engage in a whale-catching
contest. This was agreed to, and the Supernatural chief's wife, after
warning them, placed Blue Jay and Robin under her armpits to keep them
quiet. As they descended to the beach, she said to her brother: "Four
whales will pass you, but do not harpoon any until the fifth appears."
Robin did as he was bid, but the woman had a hard time in keeping the
curious Blue Jay hidden. The four whales passed, but the young chief
took no heed. Then the fifth slid by. He thrust his harpoon deep into
its blubber, and cast it ashore. The Supernatural chief was
unsuccessful in his attempts, and so the Chinooks won again. On the
result being known Blue Jay could no longer be restrained, and, falling
from under the woman's arm, he was drowned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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