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 The Story of the Bear and his Indian Wife. 255 
 
 THE, STORY OF THE BEAR AND HIS INDIAN WIFE. 
 
 [ 
 
 
 A LEGEND OF THE HAIDAS OF QUEEN CHARLOTTE S ISLAND, B. C. 
 
 Looking over my papers a few evenings ago I found the following 
 tale, bearing date of May, 1873, the time when it was recorded. My 
 informant was a very intelligent Haida, by the name of Yak Quahu, 
 whose memory was stored with legends like the following, which he 
 used to repeat of an evening, seated by the camp-fire : — 
 
 Not long ago, as our old people tell us, the bears were a race of 
 beings less perfect than our fathers were ; they used to talk, walk 
 upright, and use their paws like hands. When they wanted wives, 
 they were accustomed to steal the daughters of our people. 
 
 You ask me to tell you something of bygone days. I will tell you 
 a tale, as I have heard it told round the evening fires by the old 
 people. 
 
 Quiss-an-kweedass and Kind-a-wuss were a youth and maiden in 
 my native village, she the daughter of one of our chiefs, he the son 
 of one of the common people. Both being about the same age, and 
 having been playmates from youth, their fondness for each other was 
 such that it was frequently said of them, " If you want Kind-a-wuss 
 look for Quiss-an-kweedass ; " and this youthful fondness in later 
 years ripened into a love so strong that they seemed to live for each 
 other. While they thus loved each other, they knew that by the 
 social laws of the Haidas they could never live as husband and wife, 
 both being of one crest, the Raven. A man who is of the Raven 
 crest is at liberty to take himself a wife from any other except the 
 one to which he himself belongs. By the social laws of the Haidas 
 a mother gives her name and crest to her children, whether Raven, 
 Eagle, Frog, Beaver, or Bear, as the case may be. 
 
 While they thus continued to love each other, time passed unno- 
 ticed by. Life to them seemed a pleasing dream, from which they 
 were rudely awakened by their respective parents reminding them 
 that the time had come for each to choose a partner in life, from 
 among the youths and maidens of the Haidas, such as would be in 
 unison with their social laws. Seeing that these admonitions passed 
 unheeded, their parents resolved to separate them. In order to effect 
 their purpose the lovers were confined in the homes of their parents, 
 but with them, as with more civilized people, " Love laughs at bolts 
 and bars." They contrived to meet outside of the village, and made 
 their escape to the woods, resolved to live on the meanest fare in the 
 mountain forests, rather than return to be separated. 
 
 In a lonely glen by a n'ountain streamlet, under a shady spruce. 
 
 ■r f 
 
256 
 
 yournal of American Folk-Lore. 
 
 they built a rude hut, to which at nightfall they always managed to 
 return, no matter in what direction they went in search of food. 
 While wandering about they were careful lest they should meet any 
 of their relations who might be in search of them. 
 
 Thus they lived until the lengthening nights and stormy days re- 
 minded them of approaching winter, with its cutting winds and deep 
 snows. Then it was that Quiss-an-kweedass found it necessary to 
 revisit his home, and resolved to make the journey alone, Kind-a-wuss 
 preferring to remain, rather than face her angry relations. Having 
 to stay in the solitude of the forest, she urged him to promise to re- 
 turn before nightfall of the fourth day, a request to which he readily 
 assented. Early next morning he made ready to go. While he 
 was making preparations, Kind-a-wuss thought she would accompany 
 him part of the way, in order to shorten the length of his absence. 
 As they walked along together tiiey discussed the probability of his 
 receiving a welcome, until she thought it advisable to return to the 
 hut, which she did, little thinking what would happen to each before 
 they should meet again. Leaving Kind-a-wuss to find her way back 
 to her mountain home, let us follow Quiss-an-kweedass on his way 
 to his father's house. Leaving her he loved so well, he felt ill at ease 
 for her safety. 
 
 When he reached home his parents kindly welcomed him, made 
 inquiries as to Kind-a-wuss, and her whereabouts since they had de- 
 parted ; and he told them all. When they heard how they lived, 
 and that she had become his wife, their wrath wa.xed hot. They told 
 him he should never go back, for they would keep him until she also 
 should return, as they would make him their prisoner, which they 
 did. How and where they kept him, tradition, as far as I am aware, 
 does not tell. 
 
 When he could not get away he felt ill at ease with regard to her 
 he left behind. He urged his people to let him go and save her life, 
 for she would never return alone. They listened to his appeal, yet 
 thought differently, and still detained him. Seeing this he grew de- 
 termined to effect his escape, which he did, after being confined a 
 considerable time. As soon as he was at liberty he made all haste 
 to reach his mountain home, hoping to meet Kind-a-wuss, yet fearing 
 something might be wrong. 
 
 When he arrived at the place where he had parted from her, he 
 found by the footprints on the soft earth that she had started to re- 
 turn. Drawing near the hut he listened, but he heard no sound, and 
 saw no traces of any one having been there lately. When he went 
 inside he was surprised and horror-stricken to find that she had not 
 been in the place from the time of their departure. Where was she .' 
 Had she lost her way while returning "i Hoping to find some clue 
 
The Story of the Bear and his Indian Wife. 257 
 
 to her whereabouts he searched the hut, looked up and down the 
 stream, through the timber up to the mountains, calling her by name 
 as he went along, — " Kind-a-wuss, Kind-a-wuss, where art thou ? 
 Kind-a-wuss, come to me ; I am thy own Quiss-an-kweedass. Do you 
 hear me, Kind-n-wiiss ? " To these appeals the mountain echoes an- 
 swered, Kind-a-wuss. 
 
 After ineffectually searching the country for a number of days, 
 sorrowful and angry, he turned his footsteps homeward, grieving for 
 the dear one whom he had lost, and angry with his parents, whom he 
 blamed for his misfortune. Reaching home, he called the attention 
 of the villagers to his trouble, and claimed their assistance, to which 
 appeal a large number responded, among whom were the two fathers, 
 one anxious for his daughter's safety, the other disturbed because he 
 had detained his son. 
 
 Early on the morning of the third day after Quiss-an-kweedass ar- 
 rived, this party, with himself at the head, set out for a final search, 
 determined to find her dead or alive. After a search extending over 
 ten days, during which time nothing was found except a place where 
 traces of a struggle were visible. 
 
 As weeks gave place to months, and months to years, Kind-a-wuss 
 seemed to have been forgotten, her name was seldom mentioned, or 
 only as the girl who was lost and never found. Yet there was one 
 who never for a moment forgot her, — her lover, who believed her still 
 alive, and did all in his power to seek her. Having been so often 
 foiled, he thought he would visit a medicine man, or skaga (skak- 
 gilda, lon<2;-haired), who was clairvoyant, in order to see whether by 
 means of his gift this man could reveal anything. On this idea he 
 acted. 
 
 When he came to the skaga, Quiss-an-kweedass was asked if he 
 had with him anything which she had worn. On leaving the hut he 
 had brought with him a part of her clothing, which he gave the skaga, 
 who, upon taking it into his hand, thus began : " I see a young wo- 
 man lying on the ground, she seems to be asleep. It is Kind-a-wuss. 
 There is something among the bushes, coming toward her. It is a 
 large bear. He takes hold of her, she tries to get away, but cannot. 
 He takes her away with him. They go a long way off. I see a lake. 
 They reach the lake, and stop at a large cedar tree. She lives in the 
 tree with the bear. She has been there a long time. I see two 
 children, boys. She had them by the bear. If you go to the lake 
 and find the tree, you will discover them all there." This was cheer- 
 ful news for Quiss-an-kweedass, who lost no time in getting together 
 a second party. This party was led by the skaga, who by means of 
 his gift soon found the lake, and also the tree. There they halted, 
 in order to consider what was best to be done in case of anything 
 
258 
 
 yournal of American Folk-Lore. 
 
 happening. It was agreed that Quiss-an-kwcedass should call her by 
 name before venturing up a sort of step-ladder which leaned against 
 the tree. After calling her several times she at length looked out, 
 and said, " Kccsis tout ah cjiu, where do you come from .' and who 
 are you .' " " I am Quiss-an-kwcedass," said he ; " I have sought 
 long years for you ; now that I have found you I mean to take you 
 home with me. Will you go } " " I cannot go with you yet, because 
 my husband, the chief of the bears, is not at home ; I cannot go until 
 he returns." After a little familiar conversation she consented to 
 come down among them. 
 
 After they had her in their power they carried her off with them, 
 making all haste homewards. 
 
 When they reached their home her parents were glad to have their 
 lost child again, safe and sound, and Quiss-an-kweedass to recover 
 his loved one. Although at home, and kindly welcomed, she felt ill 
 at ease, on account of her two sons, and wished to return for them. 
 This her friends would not allow, but offered to go and bring them. 
 To this she replied, that their father would not allow them to go 
 away, " but," said she, " there is a way by which you may get them ; " 
 that is, the bear had made for her a song, which he used to sing ; if 
 they would learn it and go to the tree and sing it, he, the bear chief, 
 would give them all they wi.shed. 
 
 After learning the song a party went to the tree, and began to sing 
 it. As soon as the bear heard the song he came down, thinking 
 Kind-awuss had returned. When he saw that she was not there he 
 felt bad, and at first refused to let the children go, but ifterward con- 
 sented when they threatened to take them by force. I shall here 
 leave the party on their way back with the two boys, and give the 
 story told by Kind-a-wuss, respecting the manner in which she fell 
 into the power of the bear. After she turned back toward the hut 
 she had not gone far before she felt tired and sick at heart for her 
 lover ; in order to rest a little she lay down in a dry, shady place, 
 where she fell asleep. While in this state the bear came along and 
 found her. 
 
 When she found herself in the bear's clutches she tried hard to 
 get away, but found her efforts useless, as she was completely in his 
 power. So he took her an unwilling captive to his home, which was 
 near a large lake. As the entrance to his house was rather high 
 above the ground he had a sort of step-ladder made, whereby he could 
 get easily up and down, and sent some of his tribe to gather soft 
 moss wherewith to make her a bed. 
 
 When she thought of her lover and her relations she used to won- 
 der why no one came to seek for her ; and when the bear saw her 
 down-hearted he would tell her to cheer up, and do all in his power 
 to make her happy. 
 
 lov 
 anc 
 of 
 for 
 
her by 
 
 them, 
 
 The Story of the Bear and his Indian Wife. 259 
 
 As time passed on into years, and none of her relations nor her 
 lover came near her, she began to feel more at home with the bear ; 
 and by the time the search party arrived she had given up all hope 
 of ever being found. The bear did all he could to make her com- 
 fortable, in order to please her ; he used to sit and sing, and for that 
 purpose had composed a song, which to this day is known among the 
 children of the Haidas by the name of the Song of the Bears. I 
 have hoard it sung many a time and should be glad if I could write 
 it down ; but unfortunately my ability to write music is deficient. I 
 am sorry that it is so, because there is a host of ancient songs and 
 tunes among the people which I would like to preserve, but cannot 
 on that account. 
 
 With regard to the words of the bear's song, I have long tried to 
 get them from this people, but was unable to succeed until 1888, 
 when I obtained them from an old acquaintance. Whether he gave 
 them correctly or not I cannot say, but shall give them as I got them 
 from him. They are as follows : — 
 
 " I have taken a fair maid from her Haida friends as my wife. I 
 hope her relatives won't come and take her away from me. I will be 
 kind to her. I will give her berries from the hill and roocs from the 
 ground. I will do all I can to please her. For her I made this song, 
 and for her I sing it." 
 
 This is the song of the bear, and whoever can sing it has their last- 
 ing friendship. On this account large numbers learned it from 
 Kiud-a-wuss, who never went again to live with the bear. Out of 
 consideration for her, as well as the many troubles of the lovers, they 
 were allowed to live as man and wife, and dwelt happily together for 
 many years in her native village. 
 
 As for the two sons, whom I shall call Soo-gaot and Cun-what, as 
 they grew up they showed diflferent dispositions, Soo-gaot keeping 
 by his motlier's people, while the other, following his father, lived 
 and died amid the bears. Soo-gaot, marrying a girl belonging to his 
 parental tribe, reared a family, from whom many of his people claim 
 to be descended. The direct descendant of Soo-gaot is a pretty girl, 
 the offspring of a Haida mother and Kanaku father, who inherits all 
 the family belongings, the savings of many generations. The small 
 brook which flowed by their mountain home grew to be a large 
 stream, up which every season large quantities of salmon run. That 
 stream is in the family to this day, and out of it they catch their sup- 
 ply of food. This is the story of the chief of the bears as told to me 
 by Yak Quahu in 1873. I have heard it a number of times since, 
 and at each time of telling a great deal of the original is lost or for- 
 gotten, showing that after a few more years many of these old legends 
 will have passed away. In giving names I have employed the names 
 
26o 
 
 Jotirnal of American Folk-Lore. 
 
 of Haidas known to me, being unable to get the original ones. Quiss- 
 an-kweedass means one who measures the ground, Kind-a-wuss a 
 half-caste. The girl of half Kanaku descent is now, in 1889, a full- 
 grown woman, the mother of two nice boys. The bear sucms to be 
 a Haida tribe or clan rather than an animal. Until lately there was 
 the Bear tribe, the Skannah tribe, the Kinguestan or Frog tribe, and 
 the Tsing or Beaver tribe, known as the Bears, Skannahs, or Kingue- 
 stans, as the case might be. All had their chiefs, and a tomb in 
 which they were buried. For instance, the Frogs had their tomb 
 after the following fashion : A house about twenty feet square was 
 built, in which was placed a wooden image of a frog, around which 
 in boxes were laid members of the Frog tribe as they died. These 
 houses were called in Haida language Sathlininn Nak Kiugucstan, 
 House of the Frogs, and so on with all the rest. Sat/ilinuvi, or Sat/t- 
 ling-n^t Nak, means dead-house. In this legend there is a remarkable 
 resemblance to the old story of Valentine and Orson. 
 
 jFajiics Deans. 
 Oak Vale, B. C. 
 
 /!