22 THE BIG CANOE

her cubs in the berry patch and stayed there until
she had been killed by others. You did not hide be-
hind the tree, did you, Quahl?”

“T did leap behind the tree,” Quahl admitted, “but
it was not because I was afraid, Kinna. The others
did not understand, and perhaps you will not either,
but the truth is, that I could not bear to kill the brave
creature. She was so magnificent, standing there pro-
tecting her young, that I wanted to be able to remem-
ber exactly how she looked, so that I could carve a
bear like her for the memorial pole which I promised
to make for our father.”

“T knew it!” cried Kinna. “I have often seen you
watch other animals and birds in the same way, and
I knew that you were not afraid.”

“What did my father say?’ Quahl demanded
soberly.

“Our father was silent for a long time,” Kinna
answered, his words falling over one another in his
excitement. “Then he said . . . he said he would
send you away to stay until you had seen and carved
an animal that was unknown to all the Haidas. These
are his words, as well as I can remember them:

“* “If you consider that my son Quahl is selfish and
lazy and has shirked his duty, then I shall send him
away from these islands upon a quest which, if it is
successful, will surely prove that he lacks none of the
qualities which a great chief should have. He shall
seek out and carve some animal which the Haidas