 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
||||||
|
 The Bear Who Married a Woman an old Tsimshian Tribe tale from the Tsmimshian Indians, who are native to the coastal regions of British Columbia and southern Alaska.
The mother said, "When a man comes to marry you,
feel of the palms of his hands. If they are soft, decline him. If
they are rough, accept him." She meant that she wanted to have
for a son-in-law a man skillful in building canoes. Her daughter
obeyed her commands and refused the wooings of all young men. One
night a youth came to her bed. The palms of his hands were very
rough, and therefore she accepted his suit. When her mother arose early in the morning and went
out, she found a halibut on the beach in front of the house, although
it was midwinter. The following evening the young man came back,
but disappeared again before the dawn of the day. In the morning
the widow found a seal in front of the house. Thus they lived for
some time. She was anxious to see her son-in-law, and one day
she waited until he arrived. Suddenly she saw a red bear emerge
from the water. He carried a whale on each side, and put them down
on the beach. As soon as he noticed that he was observed, he was
transformed into a rock, which may be seen up to this day. He was
a supernatural being of the sea.
|
|
||||
Early
in the morning, however, he had suddenly disappeared, even before
she had seen him. 
The
young woman never saw the face of her husband; but every morning
she found an animal on the beach, every day a larger one. Thus the
widow came to be very rich. 
