The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-05-10
The Eagle People
and the Giant Clam


he grew up he to be chief his fathers place
Meantime the uncle studied how he could rid Of the
boy and retain the craftsmanship himself
One day the uncle took board and covered with pitch
Then he threw eagle feathers tile pitch hide it and
placed tie board in the bow of his canoe.
Now, said he to his slaves, take my nephew Gotsona
out to spear fish Make him lie down one side of the
pitch covered board When he attempts throw his spear
push him overheard. He will stick to the board and will
not be able to help HIMSELF
The slaves did as they commanded and then pad
died back to the town amentn3 saying that the boy had
fallen into the water and been drowned
All the people very sorry for they liked the boy
and hated the uncle
The boy had been thrown overheard near the mouth OF
the river and swift tide took him sea- bur he did
not drown for the board to which he stuck fast kept
him ahoat
At point village the waves finally washed him
up on the beach, and scrambng up the shore he sat down
with his back to the
Soon the heat melted the pitch SO that he could pull
the board off
Scarcely had he ridden himself of the troublesome thing
when he heard the sound Of singing and girls
advancing down path which led from the village to the
shore.
He arranged his two fine blankets of manitou skin and
his ornaments of caribou skin which he had put on
when ne went out to hunt in the and advanced
meet the strangers, well dressed fine looking salwart
youth He also had his CULVER strung his shoulder
with two bows and many ARROWS in it, and anybody could
see that he was chiefs son.
One of the girls turned to be the daughter of the
chief of the neighboring village and the other her
slave They greeted the boy kindly and invited him to
the chiefs house
On arriving there, the boy found that he had come tc
the village OF the Eagles They Gotsona food and
adopted him into the family Of the chief right away for
the chief told him he perfectly well aware of all that
had happened wise old aman had forctold the whole
thing fortnight
1t was curious place.ths Eagle town. Every morning
Just before daybreak the people all entered their feather
clothing and sat in line upon pole, which laid
horizontally between two trees IN front of the town. like
great perch, as
Sitting there, stretching their wings and puing their
feathers they discussed the best place to fish for the day
and then flew away AT night they returned with all sorts
Of thingswhales tails, white porpoises, porpoiscs hall
but red cod spring salmon everything one can think Of
The strongest OF them sometimes even brought back
whole whale which ne had caught.
After few days Gotsona begged that ne might have
suit Of feathers and go with the other people fishing
The chief of the Eagles told him to bring box which
stood against the wall The boy brought t. and the chief
opening it took out another box From the second box
out of the fourth box he drew suit Of eagle feathers and
handed it to the boy saying THAT is the eagle skin and
feathers which wore as young man L is too small
any other of the Eagles"
The morning Gotsona put his feather suit and
flew up on theperch with the other Eagles After little
practice he found he could fly very well ndeed-
trouble.
Now, when you 60 fishing" cautioned the chief be-
fore the Eagle people few away catch anything you like
except a clam Do not try to catch clans There is
giant clam living hereabout which is dangerous Its head
looks just like the head Of sea-otter but has great
body embedded in the mud If you try catch will
close its shell talons and hold you fast One of
our best hunters was lost that way not long ago"
Gotsona promised to be careful and flew away,
the sea- delighted with his new experience He circled
round and round looking for something to catch Finally
he saw whale swimming along below him. sending the
water through its blowhoe and ashng the into foam
with its tail
the whale in his alons He found he could rise the
air with easily for the eagle suit of the chief had made
him wonderfully strong.
Back the village he few with his CATCH and all the
people were full OF compliments at his having caught
whale the very first time he went fishing But Gotsona
modesty said It was all due to the suit which the chief
had given to him.
After that the boy took his every morning with the
he became the greatest fisher of them all
But one day when he was crclng about high in the air
he below him the head Of the great clam against
which he had been warned Confident Of his strength he
thought to distinguish himself by capturing il.
Down he swooped and tried to seize the clam But the
clam quickly drawing in its head closed its she'll with
snap 1t missed his taons but caught him by wing
and began to sink down into the water, dragging him with
He match for the giant clam and called for help
The other Eagles to- his assistance, the first
vain effort to raise him up until the clam had whole
string OF Eagles which he dragging under water.
Meantime little Eagle had flown back to the village
and told the chiefs mother Hastily she put her eagle
suit She was very old Eagle and had lost many eath-
ers but she had strong suit and skilful Of fight
She reached the of the conflict just the wing of
the last Eagle about disappear beneath the
Grabbing it. she exeed all her strength 1t hard
struggle But finally She lifted them al out OF the water
and took them home to dry
She Gotsona good scoidng and he promised
% try and catch clam again as long as he lived In
give up fishing and flying and go back be chief Of his
own people at Skidans
So was agreed, and after the wedding all the Eagle
people, with the bride and bridegroom put their feath
srs and flew over to Skidans
The people there asonsied FIRST but when the
isitors put of their Eagle clothing and they Cosona
,nce they hailed him chief and told him his
wicked uncle had been dead for some time
Then the Eagles back to their own village and
otsona settling down with his Wife lived for many years
chief Of Skdans. But he could bear CLANS even
when made into chowder