Haida texts and myths

A fight between the Xā′gi-town people and Sand-town people

Reading edition

[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo]

When the tide was well up he (the seducer) went out and played with his wife between the houses. He who had formerly had her as his wife was the bow man. And, when he paddled shoreward, he said: “Shoreward! Future people shall always remember me.” He then took a bow and two arrows and jumped off with them. And he ran up and shot his wife. Afterward he shot the man. At that time he escaped into the canoe. They went away and landed. The man’s mind was happy.

As soon as they came down they began to spear the people of Chief-discovered’s town. At the very beginning Chief-discovered fell. Wada′, however, escaped.

And the women came back. Wada’s wife, with her children, did not come back. Although they hunted for her body they could not find it. And the others carried up their dead. They did not, however, take up the body of Chief-discovered. The canoe was rolled about by the waves with his body in it. He floated about in the bilge-water. They treated his body in that way because they had lost so many friends through him.

These were both Ninstints families of the Raven clan. The former was named from an islet in Skincuttle inlet, which is said to have been the first land to appear above the waters of the flood raised by Raven’s uncle; see the story of “Raven traveling.” From this they claimed to be the oldest Haida family. The Sand-town people have been referred to in “Story of the Food-giving-town people,” note 4.

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Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · There were two families of this name reputed to have come from the same stem. One occupied many towns on the southeastern coast of Moresby i Note 2 · Either on the island of Xā′gi, referred to above, or on the mainland opposite. ↑Note 3 · See “The story of him through whom Łᴀ′gua spoke,” note 5. They were considered a part of Xā′gi lā′nas. ↑Note 4 · On a small inlet east of Huston inlet. G̣a′-idi is the name of a fish said to resemble a smelt somewhat. This town was owned by the Sand-tow Note 5 · Chief of the Xā′gi-town people. The word was one used when detaching certain bivalves from the rocks. If these were taken by surprise this c Note 6 · That is, G̣a′-idi. ↑Note 7 · Near one end of Xā′gi. ↑Note 8 · The word they coined for the occasion, giving to it this application in order to deceive their enemies. ↑Note 9 · Or “Bad town.” It is said to have been owned by the Sa′ki qē′g̣awa-i; see “The story of him through whom Łᴀ′gua spoke,” note 1. ↑Note 10 · At the town of Xā′gi1 a woman of the Slaves2 went outside before she went to bed. She did not return. But instead of saying anything they ke Note 11 · Some time afterward they discovered that she had been taken by a man from the town of G̣a′-idi3 who had been in love with her. It was a man Note 12 · And Wada′4 thought his town was too great to have a woman taken out of it. Then she (his wife) said to her husband: “Make it all right with Note 13 · And the people of Chief-discovered’s town5 said the same things to him that Wada’s wife had said. They could not stop him. He also thought t Note 14 · When the day at last arrived they came around Sqas point.6 One in the town shouted: “It is becoming dry [with the number of canoes].” They l Note 15 · When they came together all the women went into the woods. After the lines had approached each other for a while they got within a spear cas Note 16 · The people of Common-town8 came in front and looked on from their canoes. Only five canoes [of the Sand-town people] escaped. He destroyed t