394 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

RAVEN AND Qtaiset?
(Second Version)

In the mountains there lives Qsaise#?, an animal in human form and
with human strength, though no larger than a small child. At the present
time, Qaiset? has only one leg, terminating in a pretty foot; formerly he
had two. How one was lost is the theme of this story.

Raven was jealous of Qaiset?’s beautiful feet, so one day he said to
the little creature:

“I know a place near the town where there are plenty of crabapples.
Get your carrying-box.”’

Qtaisett did s0 and the two set out. Qtaiset? wished to begin picking
at once from trees that grew near the back of the village where some boys
were playing, but Raven persuaded him to go on, telling tales of finer
apples at a distance. At last they reached a lonely place, which Raven
said was the best spot and told his companion to climb a tree. As soon
as he had done so, Raven shouted:

“Throw some down for me. I can catch them in my beak.”

Qtaiset? obeyed and Raven swallowed the apples quickly, then, as
Qtaisett began to put a few into his own basket, he cried out for more.
Raven was not satisfied, but kept on asking for more whenever Staiset}
picked any for himself. At length the latter said:

“I am getting none at all. I won’t throw any more down to you.”

“All right,” Raven replied. “I will cut off one of your legs.”

With this he drew his stone knife and severed one of Qtaiset?’s legs
which fell to the ground. Raven picked it up and took it to the village
in his carrying-box. Near the place where some boys were playing he
began to sing:

“What is this that I am carrying? Is it a little boy? Is it a little
girl? Is it a little boy’s head?” and so on.

When he was among the children he threw down on the ground
Qtaiset?’s leg. Since that time Qraiset? has had only one leg.

RAVEN AND CORMORANT

Once upon a time Raven suggested to Cormorant that they go halibut
fishing; the latter agreed and they set out in a single canoe. When they
started fishing, Cormorant took his place in the bow while Raven sta-
tioned himself in the stern. Cormorant, who was an expert fisherman,
soon got a fish, then another, then a third, while Raven did not have so