Kotharian Lightning

From the folklore of the Alsea

Five brothers and their sister were living in one house. Then one morning the sister went to the bank of the river to bathe. The tide was low at that time, and one log on dry ground. So after she took off her clothes she piled them up there on top of the log. Then she began to bathe. And after she came ashore again she sat down on top of that log. Then soon her eyes began to smart, so she closed them for a little while. Then for a long time she did not open her eyes. But when she opened them again, behold! The log as already far in the sea. It was really a canoe on which she had sat down, but she mistook it for a log. Then when she was far out she began to cry.

Those five brothers (her captors) were going back with her to the other side. And after they returned with her across she did not go ashore. She simply stayed there in the canoe, since it was not known yet who was going to marry her. So the Fur-Seal was sent, being told that he should take her so that he might marry her. And as he was about to enter the canoe he dressed a little. He put on his neck his dentalia shells and also his abalone shells, and then went down to the water dancing. Hax lut, hax lut. But when he came to her she just covered her head and cried, “Pray tell him I refuse that Male’tst!” So he went back on the shore and informed his cousin that the woman refused to marry him. So the Sea-Otter sent again another of his younger brothers, but the same thing happened again; she just covered her head. Then again he sent another one, but likewise the same thing was done. So after all his younger brothers had gone he finally went to her himself. And now, to his surprise, she went back with him, and he took her as his wife.

Then they were living in one house, and their cousin, the Fur-Seal, lived at the other end of the house. Every day he habitually went out to the sea and usually came back with all kinds of things; all sorts of things that Fur-Seal was constantly eating. And that woman’s husband he also went out habitually every day, but he usually came back every day with only crabs and clams. Then she was sorry in her mind about it whenever she looked at the other end of the house, because he was eating all kinds of things, while they were eating only crabs.

Now when the brothers of that woman found out that she was carried off they began to get ready. They took along all their fighting implements and went across. Then they came to where there was a snag, and they floated around there for a long time, so that they could see which way it would stay up the longest. Now the eldest brother told them that it was staying up for a longer time when the waves pressed it downward, but the youngest brother told them that it remained on the surface for a longer time when the waves bore it upward. Whenever it rose to the surface the abalone shells, that we on top of the log, flashed rather prettily. For that reason the younger brother tried repeatedly to win his point because he desired those abalone shells. Finally, he won his point. So when it rose again to the surface from inside the water they paddled toward it with the canoe. And when they came under it in the canoe the steersman suddenly began to shout, “Hey! That paddle of mine is caught; do you stop a little while!” In reality he made them stop while he was just pulling off those abalone shells. Then after they had passed under the log they went on in the canoe.

Then the next time they came to a place that was just full of snipes. Whenever they flew up, they darkened the horizon so that the sun would simply disappear. Then in vain they kept on shooting at them, but they did not hit even one. So the youngest brother gathered many rocks and threw these at them; whereupon many snipes fell down and some of them got crippled. So he gathered them up, saying, “Your name will be nothing; it will be only Snipes. The children of the Earth-people will enjoy you whenever they will hunt you.” Then they went on.

Not long afterwards they saw something floating far away in front of them. Then the youngest brother said, “For what reason are those things just looked at; why are they not shot at?” So then they began to shoot at them. Then not long afterwards it became foggy, then a calm set in all over, then the ocean became foamy, and they could not get through anywhere. So the youngest brother blew at the foam, saying: “Thy name will be nothing; it will only be Foam. The wind will always do this to thee.” Then they went on.

Then after they came at last to the other side; their sister met them at the bank and went with them into the house. Then they sat down, and it was not long when the younger brother said: “It seems to me that this looks like my arrow which is sticking up there. Who knows, it may have been really our brother-in-law for whom we have been hunting?” But he was told by his other brothers, “For heaven’s sake, keep quiet!” – “I just said this for fun.”

Then their brother-in-law went to look for food. And when he came back he brought with him some crabs. Then not long afterwards a little crab began to crawl upon him, and the younger brother caught it, saying, “I am going to eat this even if it will be my future niece.” So he put it on top of the fire and began to roast it.

Then their brother-in-law made a fire, and they were thinking that their future food was about to be boiled. In reality, however, it was they who were going to be cooked, because the youngest brother had roasted his little niece. Finally, when the rocks were hot, the five visitors were bound. Then the eldest brother was first placed in the kettle, and then his younger brothers were put in one at a time. And the youngest brother was constantly wishing to himself, “I wish he would just put me into the curve of the pot when he puts me into the pot.” Then after all were put in they began to put in the rocks. And when the water began to boil they burst. First their eldest brother began to burst, “boom!” And their brother-in-law was just watching them. Then after all the elder brothers of that younger man burst then he pretended to burst, although he just said with his mouth “boom!” All the time he was whispering to himself, “Don’t get cooked, oh, my eyes!” Now after all became done they were spilled out. Then again the younger brother began to wish, “May we be spilled at some hidden place!” And, verily, thus it was done. When they were spilled, they were carried far away and dumped into a small river, so that they should not make a bad smell close by. For that reason they were spilled at an out-of-the-way place.

Then, when they were left alone again, the younger brother got up and now he tried to fix first the eyes of the eldest brother. Thereupon it began to rain very hard, and the south wind also began to blow. Then their brother-in-law’s house kept on coming down. No matter how often the Fur Seal would come down again, it would nevertheless fall there once more. Then he would climb back again, but once more the same thing would happen there. Then finally after he came down (for the last time) he started to defecate all over himself Then the sea became rough, but the younger brother was still doing various things by himself. First he told his eldest brother to open his eyes, and then again he commanded those other three brothers that they should open their eyes. Then he said repeatedly to the oldest of his elder brothers, “Keep on opening thy rotten eye!” And whenever he opened it it would just lighten all over. Then he told those three other elder brothers of his that they should keep on opening their eyes slightly. Then when they all opened their eyes again he told them that they should all blink their eyes. And whenever they would blink their eyes it would just lighten all over. And after they finished then the first brother emitted a sound, “Aaah!” Then after he stopped then he commanded that older of his elder brothers to bring forth a sound. Then after he stopped then he told them all now: “Do you go then! We will all bring forth the sound ‘aaaah, aaaaah, aaaah.’ ”

Then night came, and it began to thunder very hard and it rained in torrents. Even those logs that were held fast came down. And then the youngest of the Sea Otters said, “It seems as if Coyote were doing so much mischief all by himself.” So the people went to see those Thunderers, but they were gone, indeed. And when daylight appeared all over everything was just pile up on the shore, and a man was heard somewhere as his shouts sounded from the beach. Then they went to see him but saw that it was only Fur Seal lying near the edge of the water beyond a log. And this is why, whenever it storms very hard, the Fur Seal goes ashore and keeps on shouting at people, because he did that at that time.

Then the five Thunderers said, “Where shall we do now?” Then they said: “We will first travel all over the world in a canoe. Then after we are through we will go up to the sky.” So the younger brother began to make a canoe. He split a tule reed and put another piece across it. Then they were going to travel in that. And not long afterwards they came to a village. Then the younger brother said, “Please, let us stop here a little while; I will go out and see.” However, he was told, “There now! Just keep quiet! – “No! I am going out to see just the same.” At last we won his point and went ashore. And when he was seen he was told, “Do not go any farther! A monster is killing all the people.” So he began to inquire about it. “Now, where is it? I want to see it.” Then it was pointed out to him, and he saw it, but it was only a bunch of burst sticking out from the ground. Then he scraped his feet on the ground, ran around, and said, “The children of the Earth People will do that to thee habitually.” Then he sat down and began to pull out those that were sticking in the soles of his feet, saying: “Thou wilt not kill off the people entirely. Thy name will be only Bur.” Then he looked around and sat that the people’s bones were just white. Then he went down to the water and, after he came back, they went on.

Then not long afterwards they came again to a village. Then the younger brother said, similarly, “Let us stop in the canoe a little while; I am going to see the place.” But now he was told as before, “Do keep quiet!” However, he just insisted and said, “Just the same I am going to see.” Then he won his point at last and went ashore. Then after he arrived at the shore he was told: “No one has ever come her unpunished.” So he asked, “What is the reason?” – “Oh! There are two women who live here and just kill all the people.” Then he began to inquire about them two. “Where do they two stay, so that I may go and see them two?” – “No! No one has ever gone there safely. They two simply keep on killing off all the people.” However, he insisted on going, saying: “What are they two doing that there is no safe approach to them for a person?” So when he came to them two, they two asked him, “What dost thou want?” – “I just came to see you two.” – “Yes, in order to do us two some harm?” – “Really just for the purpose of seeing you two. What are you two doing now?”

Then not long afterwards they came again to a village, and now the same thing happened as before. The younger brother said, “Please, let us stop a little while; I am going to see the place.” And then he was told, “No! If thou wouldst only keep quiet.” But he just began to insist, “I will go just the same, so that I may see who lives here.” And he finally won his point and went ashore. Then when he was seen he was met at the beach and told: “Do not go! A monster lives here. That monster is simply killing us off entirely.” So then he asked: “What is it that is wiping out so many people? I want to see it.” So he was invited to come and look. Their feet were partly gone, and also their buttocks were partly eaten off. Then when he arrived there it just seemed as if fleas were buzzing. Soon they began to climb upon him. Then he danced up and down. “Oh! They are climbing upon me.” So he rubbed his leg and went to the fire, whereupon he rubbed those fleas into the fire. Then they began to burst – tuk tuk tuk tuk. Then he went likewise with some to the edge of the water and rubbed them into the water, saying: “You will just turn into small deerlike beings. When the low tide will come, you will just hop around on dry places.” Then when he finished he went back to the shore. And after he arrived again at the edge of the water the fleas began to climb upon him once more. So he picked them up and put them between his teeth. Then when he closed his teeth they burst – tuk tuk tuk tuk. “Thou wilt not wipe out the people, the Earth People will only call thee Flea. They will enjoy thee whenever they will put thee between their teeth.” But he did not catch all the fleas. For that reason there are fleas in the world. If he had caught all the fleas, there would be none today. And now after he finished with them he went back into the canoe, whereupon they started out.

Then not long afterwards they arrived once more at a village. Then the younger brother said as before, “Please, let us stop a while: I will go and see a while.” So then he went ashore. And when he was seen he was met at the beach and told: “Do not go! A monster lives here; nobody comes out of this house alive.” So now he began to ask, “What is the reason?” – “Oh! The outside part of the house is just full of them. For that reason the people simply die from starvation.” And then he asked again: “What is it, then? Let me see it.” So then they went with him. And after they came with him to the house he saw that only some birds were in great numbers outside the house. So then he said: “Why are you, on your part, afraid of them? Really, it is nothing; they are only hungry. For that reason they are scratching with their feet. Why do you not give them food?” So then he began to make a trap of wood. And when he finished it he set it up and tied a string to its supporting stick. And then he went back into the house after he finished making a bait for it. And now he kept on watching his wooden trap. And not long afterwards those small birds began to go into it. And when they went in he pulled quickly at it, whereupon his wooden trap fell down. So then he went to it. And when he arrived there his wooden trap just seemed to move up and down. So he raised it up and went back with a bird into the house. And then just all sorts of things he did to it. He pulled out a feather from its tail and put it back into his nose. Then he tied a string to it and made it dance, saying: “Nothing will be thy name; it will be only Mek’u’dust. The children of the Earth People will habitually do this to thee. They will enjoy thee whenever they will trap thee.” And then when he finished with it he let it fly again and told the people, “Do you come down no!” He said this since these people were living above because their several houses were just resting on posts. Then after they came down again he left them once more. Then he went again into the canoe and they started out.

Then not long afterwards they came again to a village. And then similarly the younger brother spoke, “I wish we would stop for a while; I am going to see the place.” And then he went ashore and went to the house. Then he entered, whereupon he was asked, “Whence art thou coming?” – “Oh! We are traveling over the world.” – “Who else is with you?” – “Well, I am accompanying my elder brothers.” – “And where are they?” – “I left them in the canoe.” – “Then why didst thou one and alone come ashore?” – “I did this just to see the place.” So then he went back to the canoe and was telling his elder brothers that somebody was living there. And then they all came ashore and stayed there fore a long time. And then one day the younger brother spoke, “Why is it that these people, on their part, never drink?” So then he was told: “Please don’t! If thou wouldst only keep quiet!” – “I just said this for fun.” But not long afterwards he spoke again, “I wonder why is it that all the buckets are full of holes at the bottom?” – “Verily keep quiet!” – “I was just saying this for fun.” But after a while he said again, “I am exceedingly thirsty; where do you get water?” – “We never go after water.” – “Why so, on your part?” – “Well, a certain monster lived in that river. Whenever a water-fetcher goes down to the river, and whenever a bucket is dipped into the water, that monster simply jumps at it every time, bites it quickly and chews it up. For that reason dost thou see the buckets all having many holes at the bottom.”

So then he said, “Verily, I will go, so that I may see what is tearing those buckets so often.” And then, indeed, he went, having a bucket in his hand. And then when he came down to the river, he sat down and pretended to dip the bucket into the water. But not long afterwards he saw a salmon coming toward him. So he went back ashore and began to make a pole and also a spear. And then when he finished them, he went down to the water and sat down on the bank of the river. And not long afterwards the salmon appeared again. So then he speared it. And when he brought it ashore he was surprised to see that it was a huge calico salmon. So he hit it on the head, saying: “Thou shalt not spoil of the people their buckets; thy name will not be anything; it will only be Calico Salmon. The children of the Earth People will enjoy thee whenever they will spear thee.” And then when he finished saying this, he went back with it to the shore. And after he arrived with it on the shore, it was said by him that it should be cut open. Then after this was accomplished, it was again said by him, that it ought to be roasted on a stick. Finally when it was cooked it was eaten. This is the reason why thus it is done to the salmon now because he did this at that time. And now when he finished, they went back to their canoe and started out.

And then not long afterwards the younger brother spoke, “Please let us stop for a while.” So they stopped in the canoe and came ashore and piled themselves on the ground. And then not long afterwards the younger brother spoke, “I am exceedingly hungry.” So then he began to wish for all sorts of things. And then not longer afterwards all kinds of eatables made by themselves appeared, whereupon they began to eat. And then when they had enough, they lay down to sleep. And then not long afterwards the younger brother said, “Hey! I wish that the aunt would eat these my remnants!” Suddenly not long afterwards a person was heard on the summit of the mountain shouting, “Now where are you keeping for me those your remnants, my nephews?” Thereupon he spoke: “Who is saying this? Forsooth, I pray of thee say something again!” And then when the sounds were heard again, they were just near. Thereupon the younger brother spoke: “Do you go quickly! We will place ourselves in the canoe.” And then he ran ahead, saying all the time: “Let us place ourselves in the canoe. Let us place ourselves in the canoe. Let us place ourselves in the canoe!” And when they were in the canoe, the voice was heard again, “And where are you keeping for me those your remnants, oh my nephews?” Thereupon the younger brother shouted: “Let us paddle! Let us paddle! Let us paddle!” Then he looked around, shouting repeatedly, “Where shall we go?” And now he saw the tule reeds and once more: “Let us go into the tule reeds. Let us go into the tule reeds. Let us go into the tule reeds. Cover thyself with darkness. Cover thyself with darkness. Cover thyself with darkness, oh tule grass!” And then when they were not able to escape anywhere else they went up to the sky from that place. This is why the Thunderers shout back from above, because they had escaped to that place.

Source:

Alsea Texts and Myths, Leo J. Frachtenberg, 1920