400 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

halibut, which he killed. Raven watched him with keen interest and
delight. Worm built a fire, boiled the fish with hot stones, and gave a
good meal to his guest. It was the first time anyone had ever seen a
halibut caught and Raven was overjoyed at learning the method. When
the meal was over he took away with him the food-box containing the
remains of the feast, promising to return it later. Arriving home, he gave
the food to his sisters without explaining either what it was or where he
had obtained it.

Raven was determined to get the better of Worm, so next day he
assumed the form of a merganser and set out to accomplish his purpose.
Taking the food-box, he flew to a point under the ocean across a river from
Worm’s house. The bottom of the fiord was like a river in that land.
Here Raven lit a large fire. Then, still in his merganser form, he flew
across to Worm’s house.

“Good morning, chief,” said Raven. Worm was not a chief but the
caller desired to flatter him. “I have brought you some good news,” he
continued. “I have just met your father and told him where you are.
He had lost sight of you for a long time and is overjoyed at the thought
of seeing his son again. He is waiting for you by that big fire which you
can see across the river.”

“You must have madea mistake,” answered Worm. “I have no father.
I just grow by myself.”

“Not at all,” responded Raven. “It is you who have made a mistake.
You really must come to see your father. If you are ‘unwilling to walk so
far I will carry you across on my back.”

“I have no father,” Worm replied simply, and for a long time he per-
sisted in his refusal to accompany Raven, but yielded at last when the
latter said:

“Please come. Your father is waiting over there and he gave me
explicit instructions to bring you to him. He will be very angry if I do
not obey.”

Worm climbed, somewhat unwillingly, on the sham merganser’s back,
and Raven flew up into the air. Presently, he side-slipped, slightly.

“Oh, don’t do that!” cried Worm. “I am afraid.”

Raven flew straight on until he was over the centre of the fiord running
between Worm’s house and the fire. Then he side-slipped so violently
that his passenger fell off into the ocean. Raven was highly pleased at
the success of his ruse, quite forgetting that Worm would fall through the
water on to the land beneath, where he was at home. Raven had blun-
dered. If he had dropped his passenger on land he would have perished.

Raven flew back to Worm’s house, while the owner walked to it on
the bottom of the ocean, because he could not swim. Arriving at the