Page:The International Folk-Lore Congress of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, July, 1893.djvu/326

268 he met him, he asked him where he had been. "Catching fish," he replied, "like yourself," showing the scales on his canoe. Before going he made a false moon and hid it under his wings. "If you have been fishing," said the chief, "how did you see?" "Do not think," Yale replied, "you have all the moons. I have one of my own as good as yours, see," he said, showing a little of the moon under his wings. Believing he had the only moon and stars in the world, he became so disgusted that he would have no more to do with them. Seeing this, Yale took them, first putting the moon in the heavens, then the stars, where they have been ever since.

His next step was to form rivers as soon as he could get it from a chief Kanook, the wolf, who had all the fresh water in the world. This also he stole, and flew over the earth, letting a drop fall in various places, from which large rivers began to flow. His next step was to put fish in these rivers. These he stole from Sing the beaver, and put in the new-made rivers. And so with others through all his works of creation. He also stole fire from a chief and gave it to the world. This is how the Alaskans first got their fire. The people further south tell a different tale. Long ago, they say, all the fire in the world was owned by a little bird, who kept it on its tail. All the people ate their food raw, and kept themselves warm by living in holes in the rocks and ground.

One day the people were sitting round eating deer meat, raw as usual, when this bird came along. After flying around it drew near, and said: "Why do you eat your food raw?" "Because," they replied, "we know of no other way." "I am sorry for you all," replied the little bird. "To-morrow, if all of you meet me here, each one of you bringing a few sticks of Chnmuch (pitch wood) I will give you all something which will be a great benefit to you and your children, forever. This will be Hieuc (fire); it is on my tail; all you have to do is to place your chumnch on it, after you catch me, but remember you can only have it conditionally. You must have got some good and noble action." Next morning all of the people were there, and so was the bird. "When all was ready; "I go," said the little bird. So off it went, all following helter-skelter, onward over hills and dales, through