484 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

“I suppose you have been misbehaving with the lad,” be continued. “That is the meaning of your anger.”

“Yes,” replied his wife. ““What are you going to do about it?”

Twalditit said no more, nor did he show any resentment; instead he hospitably prepared a comfortable bed for the youth.

“Don’t go to sleep,” Afmunmundm whispered to him. “If he gets a chance, Twaléitit always kills my lovers, and unless you keep awake he will murder you. When he yawns, you do the same.”

As darkness settled down Twaldi#it yawned noisily, saying:

“When I have been out on the mountains all day it makes me yawn, but I cannot go to sleep.”

“Tt affects me the same way,”’ answered the young man, as he too yawned noisily.

This continued for hours; whenever Twaléifit yawned the youth imi- tated him, and neither went to sleep.

It was dawn before Twalditit fell asleep and began to snore. Afmmnme- nam had warned the lad what to do if this happened, so he rose silently, took Twalditit’s stick, which was planted upright beside the sleeper, and pointed it at him. Twaldi#it died instantly, as this was the weapon with which he was wont to kill mountain goats by merely pointing.

Up to this time Twaléitit had always slain his wife’s lovers by causing the planks beneath the bed to turn over so that the occupant was preci- pitated down a chasm, at the bottom of which there was a pile of bones of those he had murdered in this way. It was because Admnmundm loved the lad that she not only saved him but showed him how to kill her husband.

The young man did not return to his home, but continued to live with Atmnmndm, who made him immortal. He assumed the name and occu- pation of Twalditit and it is he who has been seen by fortunate hunters even within recent years. Ifthe evil old Twa/ai#it had not been destroyed there would still be many casualties, but his successor, himself once a hunter, is of a kindly disposition and often gives aid to mortals in their pursuit of game. The old people used to say that unless TwalaHit helped a hunter he would be unable to kill mountain goats at all.

THE MURDER OF Twalgitit (Second Version)

Long ago hunters venturing into the mountains in pursuit of goats

A straight stick about seven feet long such as is carried by all hunters when

they go into the mountains to assist them in climbing. Twaldifit always carries one.