RELIGION 83

The most spectacular of Raven’s exploits was the theft of
the sun in order to provide light for the world (I, p. 298). In
this case, a valuable object was acquired for mankind, but
often Raven interfered with the kindly aims of Aguntam, a
point illustrated in the following account of the origin of
death:”

In the beginning of time, before people had really become human,
Raven made a boy from his own body, gave him life, and called him
O-miet?mai. His creation was Raven’s chief joy. The youth was beau-
tiful; his feet and hands were especially small and light-coloured, and
Raven gloried in what he had been able to do without the assistance of
his friend Yu/atimut, the Carpenter. All went well until O-miet#mai was
about fifteen years of age when AZguntim wanted to find out about this
being which Raven had created. Accordingly, he sent to earth one of
his Snuisktdls to carry off Ovmietimai. At that time there were four
Snuisdktals in Nusmdt-a, huge, eagle-like, supernatural birds under the
especial care of 4?guntim himself. Down swooped one of these creatures
and carried the youth aloft to Nusmdt-a, where he was treated as a guest
by Atguntim.

Raven, ignorant of the reason for his loss, was heart-broken. He
pulled out his hair and for four days sat and pondered. Then he decided
to wage war on the SnuisWktd/s, not knowing that the latter had been
acting by command of dzguntim. Raven went to Yuldtimut and asked
him to make a huge whale. The carpenter was surprised and enquired
about the purpose, whereupon Raven told him of the loss of Ovmiet?mai,
and how he hoped that the SxuisWkidé/s would be lured into swooping
down to fight the dummy and would be vanquished. Yu/détimut agreed
to help him and worked for four days on a gigantic cedar, chiselling it
out like a canoe, but in the shape of an enormous whale. Then for four
days he gathered gum and covered the wooden monster with a layer
about an inch thick; finally he painted the outer surface to resemble a
whale. It was a very fine piece of work. That night Raven asked
Yulétimut to launch it. The stomach had been weighted so that it could
either sink or float and there was room for a man inside to steer it. The
whale acted according to specification, diving and rising easily, moving
to right or left according to the wishes of the helmsman. Raven was
delighted.

Early next morning Yu/détimut again launched the craft at Raven’s
request, and it wallowed around near the shore like a real whale. 4?guntim

*Related by Jim Pollard.