Kwakiutl story: Mink

Mink imitates his Hosts


The people were invited by Thrush-Woman to go to a feast with their friends. They sat down in the house, and Thrush-Woman arose and broke salmon-berry bushes, and huckle-berry bushes. Then she put down a dish, and put salmon-berry bushes and huckle-berry bushes by its side. Then Thrush-Woman said, "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'! Then the salmon-berry bushes became green. Then she said again, "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'!" and the salmon-berries and the huckle-berries became red. Then she said again, "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'!",  and all the salmon-berries and huckle-berries became ripe.
Then she put them into a dish and placed them before the guests, and the salmon-berries were eaten with spoons. Then they finished and went home.

"Mother," said Born-to-be-the-Sun, "I want very much to give a feast."--"You don't say so! What provisions may you have for a feast," said Mother. "Shall I not do just the same as my, friend did when she just broke the salmon-berries and huckle-berries?"--"You are like her!"

Then Born-to-be-the-Sun invited Thrush-Woman and Sparrow and Water-Ousel and Hawk. "We shall dine at Born-to-be-the-Sun's. "We will go at once," they said. The guests came, and sat down in the house. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun broke off salmon-berries and huckle-berries, and took a dish and put the salmon-berries by its side. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun said "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'!" but there was not one (berry); and again he said "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'!"

Nothing.

Then again he said "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'!" just one little green one was there. Those whom he tried to invite just went out. "I tried to tell you that she would make you ashamed." Thus said Mother to him.


Then Water-Ousel invited Born-to-be-the-Sun and his friends. They came and sat down. Then he took a dish, and stretched out his foot over the rim. Then he struck the side of his foot, and salmon-eggs came out. Then the dish was full. Then he put the dishes before his guests. He finished. They went out, and Born-to-be-the-Sun took the rest of the salmon-eggs home.

"Mother," said Born-to-be-the-Sun, "let me give, a feast also."--"And what may you have to give a feast with?"--"But shall I not do the same as my friend Water-Ousel has done?"

"You are the same as he is! Everything about you is quite different."--"What should be difficult about it?"--"Go on, you ugly one, who makes (me) really ashamed!" Then Born-to-be-the-Sun invited (people) in.

"We will eat with spoons," he said to his friends. His friends came and sat down in the house. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun took a dish, and Born-to-be-the-Sun stretched out his foot over the dish. Then he struck the side of his foot. One little salmon-roe was there. Then those whom he had invited in vain just went out.


Then Hawk invited his friends in. The guests came and sat down in the house. Then he went out and put on his hawk garment. He sat on the end of a pole which stuck out over the water. He said, "MESê' mESê' mESe'ku mESe'ku!"

Then a steel-head salmon swam along; and he took it with his talons, and took it to the house and roasted it, that his friends might eat it whole. Then they finished, and went out and went home. Born-to-be-the-Sun went to his house.

"Mother, let me also invite (the people)."--"Don't say so. Again you want to do that, and what have you got to give a feast with?"--"Can I not just borrow the hawk garment of my friend Hawk?"--"This little thing will really make (me) ashamed. You think you will succeed, because you have no sense or shame," said Mother.

Then Born-to-be-the-Sun invited his friends. They came and sat down. Then he went to borrow (the hawk garment).

"Friend, let me borrow your hawk garment."--"Go and take it." Then Born-to-be-the-Sun put on the bird garment, and sat down on the end of a pole sticking out over the water. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun said, "MESê' mESê' mESe'ku mESe'ku!"

A steel-head salmon came. He tried to grasp it with his talons. He only fell into the water; and he just paddled ashore with his wings. Then he was advised by his friends, "Don't try to jump. Just let yourself drop down."

Then he spread his wings to dry the bird garment. Now they became dry. He said, "MESê' mESê' mESe'ku mESe'ku!" and a spring salmon came. Then he jumped and soared. Then the intestines of Born-to-be-the-Sun just hung down, and Born-to-be-the-Sun just hung from the top of the tree. Then he was taken by his friends. "What are you doing?"--"I don't know," said Born-to-be-the-Sun. Then his friends went out. 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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