Traditional Tlingit Narrative
Raven makes a stone house. He sees gulls flying about. He flies to Gull, who lives at Yakutat. Gull says he catches herring because it is February. Raven does not believe Gull, and asks him to get a herring. Gull brings a herring and swallows it. He goes to Crane on Nass River, and says that Gull calls him “Long-legged, long-necked fellow;” suggests that he knock down Gull and strike his stomach with his bill. He tells Gull that Crane speaks ill of him. He goes to Heron, and says, “Gull calls you Big Long Legs Always Walking Upon The Beach.” He goes to back to Gull, and says Heron tells about him that he has a big stomach and gets red eyes sitting on the beach looking out upon the ocean for something to eat. He tells Heron that he always hits men of his size in the stomach. He steps on Gulls stomach and the Gull vomits the herring. He makes a canoe of elderberry wood. He rubs the inside of his canoe with herring roe, he rubs his canoe with herring scales. He enters the chief’s house, and is asked to gamble. He replies he is too tired because he has been fishing for herring. The chief replies, “ how can they get here? They will come four months and a half hence”. In order to convince him, Raven shows the inside of his canoe, which is covered with spawn. Then the Chief calls his sub-chiefs, all agree the fish should be liberated. The chief orders the men who stand in the corners of the house to break the corners, then the herring rush out.
Source: Boas, Franz (1970) Tsimshian Mythology, based on texts recorded by Henry W. Tate, Franz Boas (1858-1942). P. 663-665.
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