4 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [Von V-

repeating, and afterwards in writing down in almost the same terms what
has been told me. This method has also the advantage of preventing the
narrative from being cut up in those short, half-line sentences common to:
the stories transcribed on dictation, and which some may wrongly believe
to be the normal condition of Indian phraseology.

The English translations of the following legends have been made im
as simple a style and as literal as was possibie consistently with in-
telligibility and clearness of expression. Hence the quaintness of some

passages.

I.—PURSUED BY THEIR MOTHER’S HEAD.
Told by Lizette Elmok, of Stella (West End of Lake Fraser).

A man was living with’ a woman. He always slept away from her
whenever he was preparing his traps®, and he observed faithfully all the
ancient prescriptions. Yet he could catch no game. Animals wanted
him not®; they all avoided his traps. Each time that he returned home
from a visit to his traps he found his wife with her face painted and her
hair carefully combed.

One day that he had left as usual, he spied her from afar, and noticed
her painting her face and carefully combing her hair. Then she set out
for a tree, dried up yet standing*. Once she had reached its base, she
seized a stick and therewith struck the tree several blows. Presently

two big serpents crept down from the top of the tree and knew Inet.

Now that he knew why game avoided his traps, her husband returned
home unseen by her, and there arrived, he spoke not a word. But
shortly after, he took a big knife, concealed it in his bosom® and made
for the dried-up tree. Then he did as he had seen his wife do, struck
the tree with a stick and when the two big serpents had come down
creeping on him, he cut their heads off with his dagger. He next set
their mouths and eyes a-yawning by means of splinters and carried them
home.

1 %-79-sta, lit. was sitting near”. Is used to designate the matrimonial union.

2Gee “Notes on the Western Dénés,” Trans. Can. Inst., Vol. IV., p. 108.

3Carrier idiom. The natives always speak of caught game as if a sort of sympathy
existed between it and themselves.

4The Carrier word ¢can-yath means all that.
5In the biblical sense of the word.

6 The dress of the primitive Carriers being devoid of pockets, any object carried about the
person was either suspended from the neck or from the belt, or, if concealment was desired,
stored in the folds of the tunic.