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Chee-che-ka, before he
became a mink, wished to know how to make fire. Indeed, he knew many
wonderful things and could do marvels, but the art of fire-making was
unknown to him. He was quite unhappy about it. This fire was a wonderful
thing; they could use it to cook with, and so he became so keen to find
out that he and his brother went in search of the “chiltsop.” They left
their grandmother at home to take care of the house, and took their bows
and arrows with them in the canoe. As they came to the different
villages they asked if they had the chiltsop. Some of the people never
heard of it, so they promised the people that if they were successful in
their search they would show them this new chiltsop.
After many months of wanderings they were almost in despair; and by
chance they asked the raven if he could tell them where he could find
this precious fire.
“Oh, yes,” said he. “My friends that came from the South this year told
me that this fire was in a village far to the South. How, you must go
straight this way” (pointing to the South).
So, thanking the raven, they went off; and after many moons they got to
the village where the fire was. It was held sacred, and guarded in the
chief ’s house. Being strangers, they were shown all manner of civility,
and slept during the night in the chief’s house. Then they asked to see
how this wonderful fire was made. This was refused, so they thought they
would have to steal some fire. The big stones round the fire were too
hot and too large to carry away.
“I have a plan,” said Chee-che-ka. “To-night, when they are all asleep,
I’ll steal the chiefs child, and we’ll run away. Then they will come
after us, but I shall not give up the child till they tell us huw they
make fire.”
Now, the cradle was hung on a stick, which was placed in a slanting
position, and when the child was tied in the cradle, it rocked to sleep
by swaying the stick from side to side gently. These cradles are very
quaint, and are sometimes beautifully worked with colored porcupine
quills, grass and feathers. The babies are tied in securely, so that
they can be safely carried on their mothers’ backs, or hung on a branch
while she gathers roots and herbs.
Now, when all was quiet and the chief and his wife fast asleep,
Chee-che-ka rose up and unhooked the cradle, and with his brother stole
out of the lodge. The dogs knew them and did not bark, so off they
started to the beach and jumped in their canoe and went off. As they
passed the villages they would pirch the child so as to make it cry, and
so on till they reached home. Now, the next morning when the poor mother
awoke to feed her baby, she could not find it. She hunted everywhere for
it, and at last awoke her husband. Then he knew that the strangers must
have stolen his child. What misery and sorrow reigned in the village!
They tracked Chee-che-ka to the beach and found that his canoe was gone,
so they got ready to follow him. The chief took many things to exchange
for the child, such as copper and furs, and he took two precious
fire-sticks with him, and he and his friends started. They asked all the
people whose villages they passed if they had seen the child.
"No, we have seen no child, but we heard one crying as a canoe passed,”
and so on till they reached Chee-che-ka’s house. They asked if she had
seen the child, and she said yes, she had.
“Please let me have the child. I will give you all this canoe-load.”
So she went back to the house to tell Chee-che-ka, but he refused the
bribes. “Tell them I want the fire-sticks and then they can have the
child.”
So out she came and rubbed her hands together and made a strange little
noise, like this : Close your teeth and strike them rapidly with your
tongue, and you will hear the call she made. “Te-te-te!”—you must also
sing one note, so as to make the quaint sound. Well, they understood
what was wanted, and the chief came ashore and showed her how to make
the chilsop and how to keep the fire alight. The babe was restored to
its happy father, and all were pleased. |
