Kwakiutl story of MINK

Mink is deserted by his Wife



Then he went to his house with his wife. Then his wife was pregnant, and gave birth to a child. Her child was a boy. Then Sawbill-Duck-Woman said, "Let us go and see the ancestors of this baby."

Then he went to Woodpecker. He said, "Please have pity on me (and give me) a little drop for this baby."

Then Born-to-be-the-Sun was given red ochre. Born-to-be-the-Sun tried to put a little in the mouth of the child. "Don't (put in) too much," said his wife. He just finished trying to put a little into the mouth (of the child). "It does not taste bad, it tastes sweet."--"Verily, that rascal has no sense. Let us just go." Then they went home. The two were in the canoe, he and his wife. They paddled along the rocks, and Born-to-be-the-Sun looked into the water. Then he saw sea-eggs. He backed-water and dived headlong. Then he carried the sea-eggs in the fold of his blanket.


"Go on!" said, on her part, his wife, "and stay longer." His wife thought that she would leave him. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun dived. He came again carrying sea-eggs in the fold of his blanket. "Indeed, you were not long under water. Try to walk about on the ground below. Go again and try to get plenty," said his wife, on her part. Then he dived; and as soon as he dived, his wife paddled away. She left him, and looked back often. When she had gone a long way, Born-to-be-the-Sun emerged.

"What are you doing, my dear? Come, I got a great many. Oh, come!" he said, on his part. "Do come, try to be a chieftainess,--a big chieftainess,--else I will call you an ugly one with matted hair on the pubes."

Then Born-to-the-Sun went ashore and walked along the rocks. He sat down on the rocks and ate the sea-eggs. He did not care that he was left by his wife. He started again. He did not forget the sea he was anxious to eat them. He desired them much. He was careful when he sat down on the rock and ate the sea-eggs. Then his wife returned home, and Born-to-be-the-Sun finished having wives. He was just left by his wife. That is the end.

Kwakiutl Tales, by Franz Boas; (Columbia University Contributions to Anthropology, Volume II) New York: Columbia University Press; [1910] and is now in the public domain.


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