Page:The International Folk-Lore Congress of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, July, 1893.djvu/325

 Rh eons of ages, until his wings beat it down to solid earth. After the earth became solid, the light shed upon it was so dim and hazy that nothing could be seen distinctly, so the god, whose design was to prepare the earth for the abode of sentient beings, was ever ready to take advantage of conditions. Seeing that before the new-made world could be worth anything it wanted light. Knowing that a chief whose name was Sathling-ki-juss had all the light in three boxes, he was determined to obtain them. Knowing that this chief had a daughter, he was determined to get into the family, and by these means obtain the boxes, so turning himself into the leaf of a spruce tree, he floated on the water she drank and he was swallowed by her; so in due season she bore a son, who was none other than Ne-kilst-lass. He soon grew up to be a sturdy boy, and became a favorite with the old man, who doted on his grandchild. One day he asked his grandfather for one of the boxes to play with; this he flatly refused to grant. Again, after a while he asked, with no better results. Being determined to have them, he made an uproar and gave the old man no peace until he finally granted his request. Happening to get hold of the one which held the sun, after playing with it a while, he broke it and let out the sun, which he placed in the heavens, giving light to the whole world as a consequence.

Having gained the sun, he set his plans to get the moon and stars. Knowing well he could not play the old game, he thought of another. Learning that the old chief had gone up the Naas to catch Oolachans (when he went fishing he usually took the moon with him, in order to fish by night) Ne-kilst-lass,—or as I shall call him, Yethel (the raven god), because, wherever he went over the face of the earth, he turned himself into a raven, consequently, he was better known by the name of Yethel or Yale,—in order to visit Sathling-ki-juss, took a canoe. Going along he saw a heron or crane feasting on Oolachans. In order to get the fish, he told the crane that his friend the shag was treacherous to him and he should not trust him. This the shag denied; a quarrel ensued which ended in a fight, during which the crane vomited up the fish. These he took, and after rubbing his canoe with them, went on to meet the old chief. When