Omaha daily bee., 1917-03-18
MYTH OF TSIMSHIAN
WITH WOODEN WIFE
Bureau of Ethnology Publishes
Interesting Story About Ex-
pert Indian Carver.
HOW ROMANCE DEVELOPED

Bureau OF American Ethnology mas
Just issued as part of its thirty-hrst
annual report comprehensive article,
on the mythology Of the Tsimshian
Indians. Considerable information is
recorded concerning these Indians
themselves, their life, social organiza-
tons, alphabet, music, religious ideas
and practices and their folklore.
which is part of the mythology OF
America. In this connection the au-
thor, DR.. Frans Boas, honorary phi
lologist of the Bureau of American
Ethnology, shows the bearing of the
Tsimshian mythology on general
mythical concepts and in relation to
the manner of dissemination in north
western America.
Among a number of these interest,"
ing myths recorded in the volume is
a peculiar tale concerning young
Indian hunter, who had a wooden
wife.
Carves Image of Red Cedar.
1t seems that once upon time a
certain Indian hunter, who was also
an expert wood worker, had a very
capable young wife, whom he loved
dearly. She was especially adept at
weaving the native dancing garments
and blankets, then much in vogue,
from yarn spun from the wool OF
mountain sheep killed by her husband.
Shortly after their marriage, while
they were on hunting trip, the wife
was taken i'll in the midst of her
weaving, and soon died. Before she
passed away, however, she called her
husband to her and said, my dear
husband, keep your love for me after
am dead. Don't go home too soonI'
The husband, deeply grieved. fol-
lowed her dying wish. He even kept
the dead body until he was forced to
bury it, and then he carved an image
of his wife out of red cedar, which he
set before the partly finished dancing
raiment, otill hanging where it was
left by his late wife. So cunning was
this woodman-artisan that he ar
ranged the wooden fingers OF his lay
figure wife in the threads of the un-
finished garment, so that she appeared
to be busily engaged in its construc-
ton. Not only that, he even con-
trived clever system of manipulating
the figure; when the door was opened
its head turned toward him, and he
pretended that his wife-image could
speak.
Maidens Discover Image,
Although this fact had been re-
ported in the village, the story never
occurred to two runaway Indian
maidens, who CHANGED to arrive at the
hunters camp, guarded solely by his
wooden wife. Peering through a
knothole, they beheld woman APP
parently weaving, and, being very
hungry, opened the door to. ask for
food. As the door opened the head
of the figure before the weaving frame
turned to look at them, so they asked
for a little food, but the figure paid
no attention to their inquiry. Only
the fingers, twisted in the yarn,
moved.
THAT is not a living beingr" ex-
claimed the older sister. Il will 60
near and look" So she approached
the silent figure, saying, "Will you
give us little food, elder sister,"
at the same time touching it on the
shoulder, which proved to be wood.
The mystery was revealed to them
and they laughed.-this was the wood
en- figure of which they had heard.
Soon they heard the hunter return
ing to camp, and hid themselves in
a corner behind some dried meat to
await developments. He whistled as
he drew near, although his load was
very heavy and he was tired. Come
out, my DEAR" he called to his wood
en- wife, "and look at this" indicat-
ing his pack. of meat and fat. Then
he replied to himself, initiating his
wife, "Not so, my dear, ] cannot be-
cause my yarn is twisted about my
fingers" After saying this the hunter
ran in to his wife, embraced and
kissed her, telling her that she was
very handsome. Whereupon the two
young women laughed at him in Sc
cret, but he heard them and called
them out from their hiding place.
Romance Develops Quickly. z
Strangely enough, he was not
angry, but spread grizzly-bear skin
for them to sit on and cooked them
many things to eat. The elder sis
ter ate great deal OF everything that
night, but the younger sister, being
afraid, ate very sparingly, fortunately
for her. as the elder sister was dis
gustingly i'll in the morning and did
not get Up. This amused the hunter