Note 99 — Raven Traveling

Then the boy returned to his uncle, and the people returned to their villages. The boy was in love with his uncle’s wife, and his uncle was jealous. Then he called upon the waters to rise, intending to kill his nephew. The waters were coming out of Nenk·îlsʟas’s hat. Then the boy took the skin of a waterfowl (Q’ē′sq’ut),99 which he put on. The house began to fill with water. Then he swam about on the water. He was carrying the raven skin under his arm. When the water rose still higher, he flew up through the smoke hole and reached the sky. He shot an arrow up to the sky, which stuck in it. Then he continued to shoot, hitting the nock of the first arrow; and thus he proceeded, making a chain which reached almost down into the waters. Finally he fastened his bow to the lowest arrow and climbed upward. When he reached the sky, he broke it, went through, and saw five countries above. First he came to an open place in which many berries were growing. There were salmon in the rivers, and the people were singing. He was chewing gum. He tried to find the singers, but he could not discover them. He passed the place whence the noise proceeded, and turned back again. Finally, after a long time, he found them. He saw a number of women who were singing. He asked them, “Where did you obtain this song? I like it very much.” Then they laughed at him, and said, “Did you never hear that there are five countries up here, and that the inhabitants use this song? They are singing about Nenk·îlsʟasʟîñgai′, who is in love with his uncle’s wife.” At that time he received the name Nenk·îlsʟasʟîñgai′. He wandered about in heaven for many years, singing all the time.