Sacred Texts  Native American  Northwest  Index  Previous  Next 

Ô'?mâl gambles with Gull.

Then Ô'?mâl said that he would gamble with Gull. He gambled with Gull, and Ô'?mâl staked his bear-skin blanket, and Gull also staked his blanket against Ô'?mâl. Then he gambled with Gull, and Ô'?mâl lost to Gull. "Hungry, hungry, hungry!" said Ô'?mâl to Gull. "Hë!" Gull. "I am hungry." Thus said Gull. "Oh, you said are hungry!" said Ô'?mâl. "Yes, I am hungry."--"Let me point at the pit of your stomach," (said Ô'?mâl). Then he pointed at the pit of Gull's stomach. Ô'?mâl arose and pointed at the pit of the stomach of Gull. Then Gull screamed, and vomited the food in his belly. Herring was the food in his belly. Then Ô'?mâl took the food that had been in the belly of Gull and started for his canoe, and rubbed it inside with the herring. Then he also rubbed the outside, and his hat and his

p. 237

bailer. He rubbed everything in the canoe. Then he paddled, and arrived at the house of Wealthy. He went up from the beach, and sat down on the floor of the house of Wealthy. "Hë!" said Ô'?mâl, "I am tired of my work." Thus said Ô'?mâl. "What have you been working?" said Wealthy to Ô'?mâl. "These great many herrings that came up," said Ô'?mâl. "Ha, ha!" said Wealthy, and laughed. "Where should they come from?" Thus said Wealthy to Ô'?mâl. "Go and look at my canoe," said Ô'?mâl. Then Mouse went and came back. "It is true," said Mouse. "Then let us pull down the (room) faced with boards." Thus said Wealthy to Mouse. Then the (room) faced with boards were pulled down, and great masses of herrings rushed out. Then Ô'?mâl was down on his stomach among the herrings. He went out of the house of Wealthy.


Next: Ô'?mâl imitates his Hosts