STORIES 413

her that he knew of a remedy, namely, a small plant growing in the woods
which could be recognized by its pendulum-like movements.

“If you place yourself so that it enters your organs, you will be
cured,” said Raven.

As soon as he had given this advice, he went into the forest and lay
down on his back, covering with leaves all but his eyes and penis. As
the woman drew near, he moved the organ to and fro so that she thought
it was the plant she was seeking; she was about to squat upon it when she
saw his beady black eyes. She swore at him for his deception and Raven
flew away, croaking hoarsely.

He was, however, more than ever determined to seduce the woman, and
next made a medicine of ashes which he swallowed; then he returned,
saying:

“T have just taken a very strong medicine. Ifyou sleep with me, you
will be cured.”

“As you say,” she replied, “but your penis is much too long. I will
let you hold intercourse with me if you insert it only a little way into my
vagina.”

To show the small size of her organs in relation to his penis, the woman
exposed herself; but he strongly urged her, on the pretext of curing her,
that he must insert the organ just a little further, and then he asked that
she help him by twisting her body in unison with his. Having agreed to
this procedure, they held intercourse, the woman giving as much help as
possible.

“T am most grateful to you,” she said when they had finished. “My
burn is entirely cured.”

The woman became pregnant, and with greater rapidity than usual,
a young raven grew up within her. On Raven’s suggestion, she agreed
that he should pull out the young one through her vagina. First he
thrust his arm down her throat and pushed the young raven into her
stomach(?), then he inserted his beak into her vagina until he could reach
the beak of the fledgling bird which he drew forth, croaking, from between
her legs.

Raven soon took his child away to his own house, where presently a
large number of ravens came to visit him, for he was their chief.

“What is that peculiar smell that comes from your child?” they asked.
“Where did you get him?”

“T stole him from a woman,” replied Raven.

He refused to allow the other ravens to live in his house but told them
to stay in the mountains, and there to mark places where dead deer or
mountain goats were to be found, so that he, their chief, might go there
to eat.