STORIES 395 much asa bite. He hated to be thus eclipsed by his partner, so whenever Cormorant was landing a fish, Raven hauled in his line, violently, as if he too had one on his line, and even went through the motion of clubbing ahalibut. Cormorant was so much engrossed that he never even turned round. Thus they continued for some time, Cormorant catching fish after fish, Raven pretending to do the same. At length, disgusted but determined to outdo his partner, Raven drew his line into the boat and stood in the bow behind Cormorant. First he admired the latter’s method of baiting his hook. “T have never seen anyone who could equal you,” said Raven. “That is how you have such phenomenal success at halibut-catching.”’ The cunning fellow went on to compliment Cormorant for his method of line-lowering, admired his sharp eyes, his fine teeth, shapely form, and sweet voice. For some time Cormorant continued to draw in fish with- out wasting moments in reply, but at length he began to listen to Raven’s blandishments. “There is only one part of your body,” said Raven, “‘that I have not been able to admire and that is your tongue. Please stick it out so that I may have the pleasure of gazing upon it.” The flattered Cormorant stuck out his tongue and Raven compli- mented him on that too. He asked him to protrude it a little farther, and when he did so, Raven seized it and cut it off. Cormorant gurgled and croaked but could not speak. When they went back to the village Raven called out: “My partner has had a serious accident to his mouth; he has become dumb.” Everybody came to see what had happened, and Raven continued: “T don’t know what can be the trouble. Cormorant did not catch any fish. He must be very ill.” Cormorant gurgled, hopping to and fro excitedly, in his anger point- ing from the fish to himself, but Raven said: “Yes, what he would like to say is true; I caught them all.” Cormorant grew more and more excited in his frantic efforts to speak. “Yes, yes,” said Raven. “Don’t be in suchahurry. I will give you some.” Raven continued to interpret Cormorant’s frantic signs and inar- ticulate utterances as supporting his own lies. Then at length he gave him one fish and took the rest to his own home. Since that time Cormorant’s tongue has been so short that he cannot speak like other birds, but can only grunt and gurgle.