From Alsea Folklore
This happened in the beginning. Long ago after the world had been made, the people were assembled; a large number of the people. And then some people there were who would try to find out for themselves, “Verily, for what reason have we been assembled here?” And then one man would say: “Well, I do not know for what cause. It was announced that the people were going to be assembled from everywhere.” And so they kept on coming together in large bodies. And then again one person would suddenly speak up, “I wonder, indeed, for what reason have we, who live so wifely apart, been gathered here in such large numbers?”
And then they all kept on coming in large numbers. All the people had canoes, and all sorts of things were being done by them. They did much talking, and it was repeatedly said, “After we shall have come together, the people are going to be sent into all directions.” Thus it was said repeatedly. Many were the people who kept on assembling. Then finally one night a general discussion was started and the Creator told them thus: “You shall hear me tell now for what reason I have been assembling the people here. It will not be long before I will send the people across the several rivers. It will not be long before there will be too many people right here. Therefore I shall send you away; I shall send you into different directions.” All of those many people were listening carefully. “You are not to go right away. Only when I shall want it, then shall you cross over to the other side.” The people were thinking inside their minds, “To what manner of country we wonder are we going to come now?” “Of me Creator is my name. I am the one who made you. My name shall be Creator.” Thus the people were told continually. And then when the second assembly of the people took place, and he told them: “It will not be long before I will at last separate you. As I will now send you away, I will always send together two people related as man and wife. I am now going to send you away. The two people related as man and wife will, on their part, go to that place. I will always call out the name of the place wherever I will send two people mutually related as husband and wife. I am now going to call the name of the place. Are you ready to go now? Wherever I will send the people, they will mutually understand their language. Two tribes at a time will I thus create of you, so that you will mutually understand you language.”
And then, verily, he sent two people related as husband and wife. “You two will go to Yakwina in order that you two may beget children there. You two will multiply there; you two will beget children there. Your dual children will likewise beget offspring there. And now these other two will, on their part, go to Alsea, they two will beget offspring there.” And then they two went, indeed. “You will mutually understand your language.” And thus it is that the people of Yakwina and Alsea have one language. “Your dual children will likewise beget offspring, when you two will live there. People will also live across the river. Thus you will live after you shall have multiplied. You will do all sorts of things when there will be many of you.” Then they, indeed, acted accordingly. And then he sent people also to Yahach. “Two people will go there likewise and will also beget offspring there. Your language will be one and the same. On three places will your language be one and the same.” And they, indeed, understood mutually their language.
And then he sent next two people to Siuslaw related as husband and wife, whereupon, verily, they two went there. “You two will beget children there.” And they two did so, indeed. “Those other two, on my part, I will send to Umpqua; they two shall go to Umpqua. They two will settle there; they two will beget offspring there. You and the two Siuslaw people will understand mutually your language. They will understand mutually their language. They will beget children there, and their children will likewise beget offspring there. Thus you will do it, whenever you will multiply at a certain place. You will do all sorts of things. Whatever I have been telling you, you will do it thus, whenever summer and winter will come unto you. Thus you will act. You will spear the salmon. Thus you will live. I have created you to do thus. And then the Siuslaw people and also their children will likewise beget offspring. Thus you will multiply, when you will live in your allotted places. I will give you various things so that you will use them thus. All sorts of things will I grant you. You will habitually do thus whenever you will multiply. One person there will be who will know how to hunt, and he will likewise spear the salmon. I will grant you everything whenever the seasons of the year change. I will grant you all sorts of eatables.” And then, indeed, thus the people did it.
And they now, verily, did all sorts of things. Whenever summer or winter came unto them, they habitually did all sorts of things. They all usually made medicine songs, and they likewise danced war dances habitually. And it was not long before the people in the villages were multiplying. Whenever the winter season came again to a place, they would habitually spear salmon, or they would all spear at night, or they would all catch fish in the bay, or they would all fish at low tide. Thus the people did it whenever a change of season set in. “Thou shalt do it thus whenever a change of seasons will come unto thee.” And then, indeed, all the tribes were doing this. “All sorts of things, all manner of salmon, the salmon that lives inside the ocean, shall you seat habitually. I am the one who will give it to you. You shall do this thus, whenever you will multiply.” Then, they, indeed, did it thus. “The people will travel everywhere. I will cause you to go there. You will always do it thus.” And then, verily it was done so.
Not very long were the people living on their allotted rivers, when the weather was getting rough all over. A terrible rain the earth brought forth, when winter set in all over the world. Then one person there was who knew what to do whenever it rained very hard. At that time usually that one person would dance because of it. That rain was usually held in great awe because the wind simply blew very hard. For that reason that one man was habitually dancing. And then, indeed, thus it happened in the world long ago, when those first people began to live in this world. Thus it happened. One person would usually act thus. And then, indeed, thus it happened when many were the people in the world. All the people acted thus. One man there was habitually dreaming a great deal. He was a very important personage because he knew very well how to dream. Thus he acted. All the people acted thus everywhere. One man there was who always acted thus. He knew very well what such a thing meant when the elements acted thus. Indeed, he knew everything as soon as it began to thunder hard all over. And for that reason all the people were simply afraid. “It will not be long before it will commence to rain. The water will come ashore from the ocean. Thus I was told constantly. For that reason you shall take good care of yourselves, when it will commence to rain hard all over, for at that time the water will come ashore from inside the ocean.”
Thereupon every year was counted, and that man continually spoke to all the people: “Do you take good care of yourselves! It will not be long before the water will begin to overflow from the ocean. At that time the earth will be washed clean.” In fear all had their minds upon themselves when that person was heard to say this. And verily, when the season changed once more, the people were acting thus. All the people had their minds upon themselves in fear because just all the people believed in their minds in what that man had dreamed about, Verily, they believed that it was true when his dreams spoke to him thus. So whenever he was singing all the people would gather around him listening carefully whenever he would announce that not long afterwards the water would overflow. For that reason all the people would assemble around him whenever he was heard tell that it would not be long before the water of the ocean would come ashore. For that reason such were the actions of the people.
Finally one year went by, and then surely not long afterwards the water of the ocean was going to come ashore. And then, verily, thus it happened all over. The water of the ocean came ashore everywhere. No matter how high some mountains were, nevertheless the water would cover all up when it finally began to come ashore.
Source:
Alsea Texts and Myths, Leo J. Frachtenberg, 1920
Kotharian Lightning 