The Salish people of the Interior of the Province tell
another tale about Grizzly Bear which carries with it a very
good moral lesson. Grizzly Bear was very fierce and much
feared by all the other animals. But Coyote was too clever for
him and played him many tricks. One day when they were out to-
gether they came to a creek across which lay a fallen tree.
Coyote said: "I will show you how easy it is:to get across"
and ran lightly along the tree trunk to the other side of the
creek. Grizzly Bear felt doubtful about following him but
Coyote jeered at him for being a coward and at last he started
across. Just as he was half way over Coyote saw his chance to
pay off some old scores. He began to shake the log so violently
that Grizzly Bear lost his balance, fell heavily into the deep
water and was drowned, for Coyote gave no heed to Grizzly Bear's
cries for help. He was hungry and thought here was his chance
for a good meal. So he made a fire, put on a big kettle and
thrust in the huge body of the Grizzly Bear. But as the water
boiled in the kettle it tumbled over, Grizzly Bear and all,
and rolled right into the swift-flowing creek where it rapidly
disappeared. So Coyote lost both his dinner and his big kettle,
a punishment richly deserved for his cruel trick.

The "Bear" Mask is of interest as associated with one of
the principal Secret Society Dances among the Haida, Kwakiutl
and Nootka Tribes. (Plate 6, Figure 3.) The latter claimed
that both the Bear and Wolf Dances had been instituted among
them by the animals themselves, whose skins the performers wore
during these celebrations. The "Great Bear" masks, though no two
were identical, always show enormous canine teeth and the
ferocious actions of the wearer of these masks in the dance
ceremonials had to be restrained from destructive violence by a
rope round his body (to hold which, was counted a nobility
privilege), though even this would not always suffice to con-
trol him.

This specimen of a Kwakiutl ceremonial feast dish (Plate 9
Figure 3), with canoe shaped body but with the head and paws of
a Bear, measures 5 feet 6 inches in length and 1 foot 9 inches
in depth. It must be borne in mind that the Chiefs responsible
for these Feasts desired to impress on the assembled company their
prodigious hospitality. Nothing less than a "canoe full" of food,
broth, grease, etc., could suffice to this end.

3

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