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Umesh R. Hodeghatta and Umesha Nayak

Practical Business Analytics Using R

and Python
Solve Business Problems Using a Data-driven
Approach
2nd ed.
Umesh R. Hodeghatta, Ph.D
South Portland, ME, USA

Umesha Nayak
Bangalore, Karnataka, India

ISBN 978-1-4842-8753-8 e-ISBN 978-1-4842-8754-5

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-8754-5

© Umesh R. Hodeghatta, Ph.D and Umesha Nayak 2017, 2023

Apress Standard

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks,

service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the
absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the
relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general
use.

The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the
advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate
at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the
editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material
contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been
made.

This Apress imprint is published by the registered company APress

Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
The registered company address is: 1 New York Plaza, New York, NY
10004, U.S.A.
Foreword
We live in an era where mainstream media, business literature, and
boardrooms are awash in breathless hype about the data economy, AI
revolution, Industry/Business 4.0, and similar terms that are used to
describe a meaningful social and business inflection point. Indeed,
today’s discourse describes what seems to be an almost overnight act of
creation that has generated a new data-centric paradigm of societal and
business order that, according to the current narrative, is without
precedent and requires the creation of an entirely new set of
practitioners and best practices out of thin air. In this brave new world,
goes the narrative, everyone has already been reinvented as a “data-
something” (data scientist, data analyst, data storyteller, data citizen,
etc.) with the associated understanding of what that means for
themselves and for business. These newly minted “data-somethings”
are already overhauling current practice by operationalizing data-
driven decision-making practices throughout their organizations. They
just don’t know it yet.

Look under the covers of most operating organizations, however,

and a different picture appears. There is a yawning chasm of skillsets,
common language, and run-rate activity between those operating in
data-centric and data-adjacent roles and those in many operating
functions. As such, in many organizations, data-centric activity is
centered in only a few specialized areas or is performed only when
made available as a feature in the context of commercial, off-the-shelf
software (COTS). Similarly, while there is certainly more data volume
and more variation in the said data and all of that varied data is arriving
at a much higher velocity than in past, organizations often do not
possess either the infrastructure sophistication or the proliferation of
skillsets to validate whether the data is any good (veracity of data) and
actually use it for anything of value. And with the exception of a few
organizations for which data is their only or primary business, most
companies use data and associated analytic activities as a means to
accomplish their primary business objective more efficiently, not as an
end in and of itself.
A similar discontinuity occurred a few decades ago, with the
creation of the Internet. In the years that followed, entire job categories
were invented (who needed a “webmaster” or “e-commerce developer”
in 1990?), and yet it took almost a decade and a half before there was a
meaningful common language and understanding between
practitioners and operational business people at many organizations.
The resulting proliferation of business literature tended to focus on
“making business people more technical” so they could understand this
strange new breed of practitioners who held the keys to the new world.
And indeed, that helped to a degree. But the accompanying reality is
that the practitioners also needed to be able to understand and
communicate in the language of businesses and contextualize their
work as an enabler of business rather than the point of business.
Academia and industry both struggled to negotiate the balance
during the Internet age and once again struggle today in the nascent
data economy. Academia, too often erred on the side of theoretical
courses of study that teach technical skills (mathematics, statistics,
computer science, data science) without contextualizing the
applications to business, while on the other hand, industry rushes to
apply techniques they lack the technical skill to properly understand to
business problems. In both groups, technologists become overly
wedded to a given platform, language, or technique at the expense of
leveraging the right tool for the job. In all cases, the chasm of skills and
common language among stakeholders often leads to either or both of
incorrect conclusions or under-utilized analytics. Neither is a good
outcome.
There is space both for practitioners to be trained in the practical
application of techniques to business context and for business people to
not only understand more about the “black box” of data-centric activity
but be able to perform more of that activity in a self-service manner.
Indeed, the democratization of access to both high-powered computer
and low-code analytical software environments makes it possible for a
broader array of people to become practitioners, which is part of what
the hype is all about.
Enter this book, which provides readers with a stepwise walk-
through of the mathematical underpinnings of business analytics
(important to understand the proper use of various techniques) while
placing those techniques in the context of specific, real-world business
problems (important to understand the appropriate application of
those techniques). The authors (both of whom have longstanding
industry experience together, and one of whom is now bringing that
experience to the classroom in a professionally oriented academic
program) take an evenhanded approach to technology choices by
ensuring that currently fashionable platforms such as R and Python are
represented primarily as alternatives that can accomplish equivalent
tasks, rather than endpoints in and of themselves. The stack-agnostic
approach also helps readers prepare as to how they might incorporate
the next generation of available technology, whatever that may be in the
future.
As would-be practitioners in business, I urge you to read this book
with the associated business context in mind. Just as with the dawn of
the Internet, the true value of the data economy will only begin to be
realized when all the “data-somethings” we work with act as
appropriately contextualized practitioners who use data in the service
of the business of their organizations.

Dan Koloski
Professor of the Practice and Head of Learning Programs Roux Institute
at Northeastern University
October 2022
 Dan Koloski is a professor of the practice in the analytics program
and director of professional studies at the Roux Institute at
Northeastern University.
Professor Koloski joined Northeastern after spending more than 20
years in the IT and software industry, working in both technical and
business management roles in companies large and small. This
included application development, product management and
partnerships, and helping lead a spin-out and sale from a venture-
backed company to Oracle. Most recently, Professor Koloski was vice
president of product management and business development at Oracle,
where he was responsible for worldwide direct and channel go-to-
market activities, partner integrations, product management,
marketing/branding, and mergers and acquisitions for more than $2
billion in product and cloud-services business. Before Oracle, he was
CTO and director of strategy of the web business unit at Empirix, a role
that included product management, marketing, alliances, mergers and
acquisitions, and analyst relations. He also worked as a freelance
consultant and Allaire-certified instructor, developing and deploying
database-driven web applications.
Professor Koloski earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University
and earned his MBA from Harvard Business School in 2002.
Preface
Business analytics, data science, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine
learning (ML) are hot words right now in the business community.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning systems are enabling
organizations to make informed decisions by optimizing processes,
understanding customer behavior, maximizing customer satisfaction,
and thus accelerating overall top-line growth. AI and machine learning
help organizations by performing tasks efficiently and consistently, thus
improving overall customer satisfaction level.
In financial services, AI models are designed to help manage
customers’ loans, retirement plans, investment strategies, and other
financial decisions. In the automotive industry, AI models can help in
vehicle design, sales and marketing decisions, customer safety features
based on driving patterns of the customer, recommended vehicle type
for the customer, etc. This has helped automotive companies to predict
future manufacturing resources needed to build, for example, electric
and driverless vehicles. AI models also help them in making better
advertisement decisions.
AI can play a big role in customer relationship management (CRM),
too. Machine learning models can predict consumer behavior, start a
virtual agent conversation, and forecast trend analysis that can improve
efficiency and response time.
Recommendation systems (AI systems) can learn users’ content
preferences and can select customers’ choice of music, book, game, or
any items the customer is planning to buy online. Recommendation
systems can reduce return rates and help create better targeted content
management.
Sentiment analysis using machine learning techniques can predict
the opinions and feelings of users of content. This helps companies to
improve their products and services by analyzing the customers’
reviews and feedback.
These are a few sample business applications, but this can be
extended to any business problem provided you have data; for example,
an AI system can be developed for HR functions, manufacturing,
process engineering, IT infrastructure and security, software
development life cycle, and more.
 There are several industries that have begun to adopt AI into their
business decision process. Investment in analytics, machine learning,
and artificial intelligence is predicted to triple in 2023, and by 2025, it
is predicted to become a $47 billion market (per International Data
Corp.). According to a recent research survey in the United States,
nearly 34 percent of businesses are currently implementing or plan to
implement AI solutions in their business decisions.
Machine learning refers to the learning algorithm of AI systems to
make decisions based on past data (historical data). Some of the
commonly used machine learning methods include neural networks,
decision trees, k-nearest neighbors, logistic regression, cluster analysis,
association rules, deep neural networks, hidden Markov models, and
natural language processing. Availability and abundance of data, lower
storage and processing costs, and efficient algorithms have made
machine learning and AI a reality in many organizations.
AI will be the biggest disruptor to the industry in the next five years.
This will no doubt have a significant impact on the workforce. Though
many say AI can replace a significant number of jobs, it can actually
enhance productivity and improve the efficiency of workers. AI systems
can help executives make better business decisions and allow
businesses to work on resources and investments to beat the
competition. When decision-makers and business executives make
decisions based on reliable data and recommendations arrived at
through AI systems, they can make better choices for their business,
investments, and employees thus enabling their business to stand out
from competition.
There are currently thousands of jobs posted on job portals in
machine learning, data science, and AI, and it is one of the fastest-
growing technology areas, according to the Kiplinger report of 2017.
Many of these jobs are going unfilled because of a shortage of qualified
engineers. Apple, IBM, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Walmart, and
Amazon are some of the top companies hiring data scientists in
addition to other companies such as Uber, Flipkart, Citibank, Fidelity
Investments, GE, and many others including manufacturing, healthcare,
agriculture, and transportation companies. Many open job positions are
in San Jose, Boston, New York, London, Hong Kong, and many other
cities. If you have the right skills, then you can be a data scientist in one
of these companies tomorrow!
A data scientist/machine learning engineer may acquire the
following skills:
Communication skills to understand and interpret business
requirements and present the final outcome
Statistics, machine learning, and data mining skills
SQL, NoSQL, and other database knowledge
Knowledge of accessing XML data, connecting to databases, writing
SQL queries, reading JSON, reading unstructured web data, accessing
big data files such as HDFS, NoSQL MongoDB, Cassandra, Redis, Riak,
CouchDB, and Neo4j
Coding skills: Python, R or Java, C++
Tools: Microsoft Azure, IBM Watson, SAS
This book aims to cover the skills required to become a data
scientist. This book enables you to gain sufficient knowledge and skills
to process data and to develop machine learning models. We have made
an attempt to cover the most commonly used learning algorithms and
developing models by using open-source tools such as R and Python.
Practical Business Analytics Using R and Python is organized into five
parts. The first part covers the fundamental principles required to
perform analytics. It starts by defining the sometimes confusing
terminologies that exist in analytics, job skills, tools, and technologies
required for an analytical engineer, before describing the process
necessary to execute AI and analytics projects. The second and
subsequent chapters cover the basics of math, probability theory, and
statistics required for analytics, before delving into SQL, the business
analytics process, exploring data using graphical methods, and an in-
depth discussion of how to evaluate analytics model performance.
In Part II, we introduce supervised machine learning models. We
start with regression analysis and then introduce different
classification algorithms, including naïve Bayes, decision trees, logistic
regression, and neural networks.
Part III discusses time-series models. We cover the most commonly
used models including ARIMA.
 Part IV covers unsupervised learning and text mining. In
unsupervised learning, we discuss clustering analysis and association
mining. We end the section by briefly introducing big data analytics.
In the final part, we discuss the open-source tools, R and Python,
and using them in programming for analytics. The focus here is on
developing sufficient programing skills to perform analytics.

Source Code
All the source code used in this book can be downloaded from
https://github.com/apress/practical-business-
analytics-r-python.
Any source code or other supplementary material referenced by the
author in this book is available to readers on GitHub
(https://github.com/Apress). For more detailed information, please
visit www.apress.com/source-code.
Table of Contents
Part I: Introduction to Analytics
Chapter 1:​An Overview of Business Analytics
1.​1 Introduction
1.​2 Objectives of This Book
1.​3 Confusing Terminology
1.​4 Drivers for Business Analytics
1.​4.​1 Growth of Computer Packages and Applications
1.​4.​2 Feasibility to Consolidate Data from Various Sources
1.​4.​3 Growth of Infinite Storage and Computing Capability
1.​4.​4 Survival and Growth in the Highly Competitive World
1.​4.​5 Business Complexity Growing Out of Globalization
1.​4.​6 Easy-to-Use Programming Tools and Platforms
1.​5 Applications of Business Analytics
1.​5.​1 Marketing and Sales
1.​5.​2 Human Resources
1.​5.​3 Product Design
1.​5.​4 Service Design
1.​5.​5 Customer Service and Support Areas
1.​6 Skills Required for an Analytics Job
1.​7 Process of an Analytics Project
1.​8 Chapter Summary
Chapter 2:​The Foundations of Business Analytics
2.​1 Introduction
2.​2 Population and Sample
2.​2.​1 Population
 2.​2.​2 Sample
2.​3 Statistical Parameters of Interest
2.​3.​1 Mean
2.​3.​2 Median
2.​3.​3 Mode
2.​3.​4 Range
2.​3.​5 Quantiles
2.​3.​6 Standard Deviation
2.​3.​7 Variance
2.​3.​8 Summary Command in R
2.​4 Probability
2.​4.​1 Rules of Probability
2.​4.​2 Probability Distributions
2.​4.​3 Conditional Probability
2.​5 Computations on Data Frames
2.​6 Scatter Plot
2.​7 Chapter Summary
Chapter 3:​Structured Query Language Analytics
3.​1 Introduction
3.​2 Data Used by Us
3.​3 Steps for Business Analytics
3.​3.​1 Initial Exploration and Understanding of the Data
3.​3.​2 Understanding Incorrect and Missing Data, and
Correcting Such Data
3.​3.​3 Further Exploration and Reporting on the Data
3.​4 Chapter Summary
Chapter 4:​Business Analytics Process
4.​1 Business Analytics Life Cycle
4.​1.​1 Phase 1:​Understand the Business Problem
4.​1.​2 Phase 2:​Data Collection
4.​1.​3 Phase 3:​Data Preprocessing and Preparation
4.​1.​4 Phase 4:​Explore and Visualize the Data
4.​1.​5 Phase 5:​Choose Modeling Techniques and Algorithms
4.​1.​6 Phase 6:​Evaluate the Model
4.​1.​7 Phase 7:​Report to Management and Review
4.​1.​8 Phase 8:​Deploy the Model
4.​2 Chapter Summary
Chapter 5:​Exploratory Data Analysis
5.​1 Exploring and Visualizing the Data
5.​1.​1 Tables
5.​1.​2 Describing Data:​Summary Tables
5.​1.​3 Graphs
5.​1.​4 Scatter Plot Matrices
5.​2 Plotting Categorical Data
5.​3 Chapter Summary
Chapter 6:​Evaluating Analytics Model Performance
6.​1 Introduction
6.​2 Regression Model Evaluation
6.​2.​1 Root-Mean-Square Error
6.​2.​2 Mean Absolute Percentage Error
6.​2.​3 Mean Absolute Error (MAE) or Mean Absolute
Deviation (MAD)
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
And, after his uncles had fished for herring for some time, they killed
another porpoise. Then a slave again came in and commanded that
they should spill none of the blood. Then [the chief] came in and
seized it, and he carried it off. As he was going out with it, he took it
away. He became so angry where he sat in the rear of the house
that the floor planks were as if split into slivers by the finger nails.

Then he pulled it away from him again. And, when he picked it up

again, he let him go outside with it. Then he twisted [the chief’s]
neck round outside. And he said: “Wā-ā-ā, wā-ā-ā.” When he came
near the end of the town [he said]: “Wā-ā-ā, he has killed me.” Then
his voice was lost in the woods.

Now he had a crowd of people go over for the basket. And they
could not lift it. Then he went to get it. And he brought it in. Then
he began to call the people. Next day he called the people again,
and the day after.

And he became town mother [instead of the old chief]. The one he
sent off killed is He-who-travels-behind-us. 8

[Sequel to the above, told by Edward of the Food-giving-town

people]

Her brother (i.e., the old town-chief) was killed. Then she started
from the town. And she put the two bracelets she wore into the
middle of ʟgidō′ 9. And she said: “Through you future people shall
see a portent.” When something terrible was going to happen, they
saw them. Broad seaweeds lay upon them. They paddled off in
terror. Although they (the people) had before been living quietly,
they moved from that place at once. And she went up into the
woods opposite. She became a mountain there. They call it Sea-
otter-woman.
This is also one of the most esteemed Haida myths. The version here presented
was obtained from the present chief of Kloo with the exception of the portion
about Sea-otter-woman, which was contributed by an old man of the nearly
extinct Daiyū′­ał-lā′nas or People of Skidegate creek. Qonā′ts, the hero of the story,
was one of the Sea-otters (Qogā′ñas), and, were any of those people still living, a
much longer version might perhaps have been secured. [238]

1 Łg̣ ā′xet is a word applied to round stones lying on the beach. “Pebble” seems to
be the nearest English equivalent, although the Haida word perhaps denotes a
somewhat [237]larger variety of stone. This town was once occupied by the Sea-
otters, who sold it to another family, the Łg̣ ā′xet-gu-lā′nas, and moved to a place
east of Skidegate called Qꜝo′stᴀn-xana. More often the scene of the story is laid at
this latter place. ↑
2 That is, they were not to cut it because he was going to take all. ↑
3 A creek on the east coast of Graham island where the Haida of Skidegate inlet
used to assemble before starting for the mainland. ↑
4 Compare Story of the House-point families, notes. ↑
5 The locally famous Rose Spit that runs out for miles at the northeastern end of
Graham island between Dixon entrance and Hecate strait. It was called Na-
iku′n, “House point,” by the Haida; but by supernatural beings it was supposed to
be called Qꜝᴀ′kun, as in the story. This probably means North-point. ↑
6 Sg̣ îl, the word translated “duck,” is said to be applied to the Surf Scoter or
“Coot” (Oidemia perspicillata, Linn.), and also to the White-winged Scoter
(Oidemia deglandi, Bonap.). ↑
7 I have not identified the root to which the Haida word Tag̣ ᴀ′nskia is applied. ↑
8 Some seemed to think that Qonā′ts and He-who-travels-behind-us were the
same person. The word translated “behind us” means “back from the shore,”
“inland,” or “back from the houses.” He-who-travels-behind-us is also identified
with Supernatural-being-on-whom-is-thunder (Sg̣ ā′na-gut-hī′lᴀñwas). ↑
9 Slate creek, which flows into Skidegate inlet near its head, and along which the
famous slate is found, carved so extensively by the Haida. ↑
[Contents]
 He-who-got-supernatural-power-from-his-little-finger

[Told by Walter McGregor of the Sealion-town people]

At White-slope 1 a certain person and his mother were disliked. They

made a house out of branches at one end of the town in which they
lived. When it was low tide he went down and brought up something
for his mother to eat.

After he had done this for some time he came to a heron with a
broken bill. Then he sharpened it. And it said to him: “Grandson, you
helped 2 me nicely. I will also help 2 you. Keep this medicine in your
mouth.” Then it also gave him the feather on the tip of its wing, and
it said to him: “Blow this under the armpit of the son of the town
chief. Even the supernatural beings will not know it.”

The child often played at having supernatural power. He had a mat

as a dancing skirt. He fastened shells upon it. Others he used as a
rattle. He had feathers he found as a dancing hat. He used old cedar
bark as a drum. One evening he went around the town. He looked
into some of the houses. A chief’s son sat in one of them. Then he
pushed the feather in between the side planks. When the point was
turned toward his armpit, he blew it in. As soon as it went into the
chief’s son’s armpit, he had a pain.

Then he went home. They got a shaman for [the chief’s son]. He
went over to see him practice. Some persons with black skins on the
side toward the door held burning pitchwood. Then he thought: “I
wonder why they do not see the thing sticking out of him.” They
dropped their torches and ran out after him. He ran from them.
Those were The-ones-who-have-spines-for-earrings. 3
The day after he went again. He wanted to see the shaman. When
he thought the same thing as he had thought before they ran out
after him again. At that time they discovered that it was the boy.

Then they set out to get him. He spit medicine upon the things he
had been playing with. 4 The dancing skirt had a drawing on it. The
drum had the picture of a wā′sg̣ o. The dancing hat, too, was
finished.

They hung up five moose skins for him. He went thither, and the
beating plank beat itself as it came in. They had opened the door for
him. While they were looking through it for him, his dancing hat
came out back of the fire. 5 It did the same thing on the other side,
on the side toward the door, and on the opposite side. After it had
come up in all four corners he stood up. He took his feather. When
he pulled it out the pain ceased, and the sickness was gone. Just
before [239]he went out he blew it in again. He did not think he had
received enough. Then he went away.

Next day they made the number of his moose skins ten, and he
again went there. Again the drum and the beating board went in of
themselves. After he had entered as before he stood up. After he
had danced around for a while he pulled his feather out for good.
The chief’s child slept.

He had many uncles. They kept their daughters for him. Among
these one was short on one side. That was the youngest’s daughter.
One time, when they were going on a picnic, he started. And he
changed himself into a salmon-berry bush near the trail and waited
there.

When the lame one came along behind he tangled himself up in her
hair. While she was trying to untie it, all left her. Instead, he came
and stood near her. Then he said to her: “I will marry you. Go with
me.” Then she went with him. After he had entered the house with
her he spit medicine on her. He stretched her leg out. It became
well. He married her.

Then he threw away the house of branches and built a regular house
for himself. He made a bedstead which he and his wife always used.
One night, while he slept, the house moved with him, and he awoke.
He heard some one talking with his mother. When day broke he
opened his eyes. Something wonderful lay there into which he
awoke. The carvings inside of the house winked their eyes. The
carvings on the corner posts of the bedstead moved their tongues at
each other. In a rear corner of the house something stood making a
noise. That was Greatest Hopper, 6 they say. Master Carpenter 7 had
become his father, they say.

When he arose [the latter] said: “Come! my child, let me fix you up.”
Then he went to him. He combed his hair. It hung down broad and
glossy even beyond his buttocks. He painted his face. He was very
handsome.

After he had lived a while with his father in that house he set out to
marry the daughter of Many-ledges. Then his father told him that he
destroyed the sons of the supernatural beings. And he let him take
his arrows. “They fly around,” 8 he said to him. One bore the figure of
a weasel. The other bore the figure of a mouse. He also gave him
some knots. “In his town driftwood never floats ashore,” he said to
him.

He had Greatest Hopper take him over. After he had gone along for
a while with him the capes before him were burning. Then he spit
medicine upon them, and he hopped quickly over with him. When he
got close in front of Mā′g̣ ᴀn 9 he felt extremely sweet. There were
very many stick-potatoes there. That made him so, they say. After
[240]he
had brought him to the end of Many-ledges’ town, Greatest
Hopper went back.

Then he changed himself into knots and at evening floated ashore in

front of the town, awaiting until his children came down to defecate.
By and by they came down. “See the driftwood which has floated
ashore. It is wonderful, because driftwood never floats ashore in
father’s village.” Then they picked it up and laid it down near the
door. Then they forgot it.

And, when they were going to bed, they thought of it and brought it
in. He (Many-ledges) started to cut it up with one of his five stone
adzes. It broke. Then he took another. He struck it with that, too.
That, too, broke. After the same thing had happened to four, he split
it in pieces with the last one. Then he was glad. And he put it into
the fire.

When the daughters went to bed he shot in as a spark. Then he sat

at the head of the bed and laid his hands on them. “Who are you?”
[they said]. And he said, “It is I.” “Who is I?” “I am He-who-got-
supernatural-power-from-his-little-finger.” When he was a boy and
was whittling, something stuck into his little finger. 10 That is why he
was so called. Then the woman 11 said: “For him alone my father has
kept me.”

And, when she replied to him, he married her. When day broke her
father said: “I wonder what supernatural being was talking to my
daughter last night. I had her for He-who-got-supernatural-power-
from-his-little-finger.” Then she said to her father: “Father, he is the
one, he says.”

“Now, my child, come down and sit by the fire with your husband.”
And they came down and sat there. They spread out a mat for him,
and he gave him food. They brought out berries and grease. Flames
came out of them. They put some into a tray and set it before him.
The woman told him not to eat it. After he had swallowed medicine
four times he took some. When he had taken two mouthfuls he
stopped. It passed quickly through his insides burning. He stood up
and, where he had sat, smoke rose.

Next day he said to his daughter: “Let your husband go and get an
alder for me which stands behind the house.” And he got up quickly.
Then she clung to her husband crying. “Alas! the supernatural
beings think they can do everything. They have me marry their sons.
By and by he begins to do this way.” Then he said to his wife: “Let
me go. I will see what he is going to do to me.” And she said to her
husband: “Go to it after it has come together and lightning has
flashed in it four times.”

Then his father-in-law gave him a stone wedge, and he went along a
trail running inland side of the house. After he had gone in some
distance [he saw] it standing far off. After it had come together and
[241]lightning had shot in it four times he spit medicine before him
and went to it. After he had chopped at it a while and it had fallen,
he found himself inside of its mouth (lit.). There was no way to get
out. Something held him tight.

Then his father’s supernatural powers came to him. Four having

their hair tied in bunches with cedar limbs came quickly to him. Two
had wedges in their hands. Two had big hammers. Then they
worked at the alder, and they split it. They pulled him out. He
rubbed medicine upon himself and became as he had been before.

When he pulled it apart human bones burst out of it. Some of these
were like whole human bodies; some were just held together by the
ligaments. Then he trod the alder into bits and threw them around.
“Those will be useful to the very last people.” Then he carried half of
it off on his shoulder, let one end down on the ground in front of the
house, and struck the house front hard. Then his father-in-law said:
“Alas! he has killed my supernatural helper.” Then he went in and lay
by his wife behind the screens. His father-in-law had the fire
quenched, they say. 12

Next day he again said to his daughter, “Come, my child, let your
husband go for a small devilfish of mine which lives toward the
point.” Then he again got up quickly. Again his wife clung to him.
And his wife said: “They let me marry the sons of the supernatural
beings who think themselves powerful. By and by he begins to do
this way.” Then he said to his wife: “Let me go. I will see the thing
he uses against me.” Then she gave her husband directions. “After it
has spit upward and it has lightened four times go to it.”

Then he went to it. He shot it twice with the arrows his father had
given to him. After it had shot up water four times he spit medicine
in front of himself and went to it. After he had struck it with a stick 13
he was in its mouth.

When he was almost drowned in its slime he thought of his father’s

supernatural helpers. Again the four came to him. They had clubs in
their hands, and they clubbed it in the eyes. They pulled him out. He
was covered with slime. Then he spit medicine upon himself. He
became as he had been before. The bones in it were also many.

He pulled it apart and tore half of it in pieces and threw them

around. “These will be useful to all future people.” And he carried
half of it off with a stick. He threw it in on the side toward the door.
Then his father-in-law said: “Alas! he has killed my supernatural
helper.” Then he entered and lay behind the screens with his wife.

Next day he again said to his daughter: “Come! my child, let your
husband go after my little sea lion yonder.” At once he got up. Again
she clung to her husband while she cried. “He always lets them
marry the sons of the supernatural beings who think they are strong.
[242]By and by he begins to do this way.” Then he again said to his
wife: “Let me go. I will see the thing with which he is going to do
[harm] to me.” And his wife gave him directions. “After it has looked
at you and growled four times go to it.”

Then he started for it. He was going to kill it with a club which his
father-in-law gave him. After he had gone toward it for a while he
saw it lying there. After it had looked at him and growled four times
he went to it. When he came near it it breathed in. He went into its
mouth.

And again he thought of his father’s supernatural helpers. Again they

came to him bearing bone clubs. They clubbed the sea lion on the
head. They killed it. When he (the youth) was almost dead they
pulled him out of its mouth. Then he put medicine upon himself and
was restored.

Then he pulled the sea lion apart. The bones of three persons fell
out of it. Then he tore half of it in pieces and threw them around.
“You will be useful to all future people.” And he carried off half of the
sea lion and threw it in through the doorway. His father-in-law said:
“Alas! he has killed my supernatural helper.” Then he lay behind the
screen again with his wife.

Next day he again said to his daughter: “Come! my child, let your
husband go for my little hair seal yonder.” And at once he arose.
Again his wife clung weeping to him. “He always lets me marry the
sons of the supernatural beings who think themselves powerful. By
and by he begins to treat them this way.” And he said to his wife:
“Let me go. I will see the thing with which he does it.” “After it
growls and looks toward you four times go to it,” she said to him.
Then his father-in-law gave him a bone club, and he set out to it.
After he reached it, and the hair seal had looked at him and growled
four times he went thither, and it breathed in. He was in its mouth.

Again he thought of his father’s supernatural helpers, and again they

came to him bearing bone clubs. They struck the hair seal on the
head and killed it. Then they pulled him out, and he rubbed
medicine upon himself.

Then he pulled the hair seal apart. Half of the hair seal he pulled in
pieces and scattered around. “This will be useful to all future
people.” Out of this, also, poured the bones of two persons. Then he
carried off half of the hair seal upon his shoulder and threw it down
in the house. His father-in-law said: “Alas! he has killed my
supernatural helper.” Again he lay with his wife behind the screens.

The day after that he said to his daughter: “Come! let your husband
go and get my little eagle sitting yonder.” Again she did not want her
husband to go, and he said to his wife: “Let me go as before. I will
see the thing with which he is going to do it to me.” Then she said to
her husband: “Go to it after its eye mucus has dropped four times.”
[243]

Then he took his arrows. His father-in-law said that they pushed the
eagle down with a pole. Then he went thither. After its eye mucus
had dropped four times he shot it up through the belly. He went to
the other side also and shot it from that side as well. But it did not
do anything, they say.

Then he scattered half of it around. “All future people will make use
of you.” And he carried half of it off on his shoulders. The bones of
two persons came out. Then he threw it into the house. His father-
in-law said: “Alas! he has killed my supernatural helper.” And again
he lay with his wife.
Next day he said to his daughter as before: “Come! my child, let
your husband go and get my little clam on the point.” And again she
went to her husband. Still he started thither. And she gave her
husband directions: “Go to it after it has spit out water four times.”
And his father-in-law said: “They get it by means of a stick.”

Then he gave him a digging stick, and he went thither. After it had
spit up water four times, he went to it and started to get it with a
stick; he suddenly found himself in its mouth.

When he thought of his father’s supernatural helpers, they came to

him holding flat, broad clubs. They struck on its ligaments (lit.,
“eyes”), 14 and they pulled him out. Then he scattered half of it
around. “All future people will make use of these,” he said. He took
half of it, went home with it, and threw it down in the house. “Alas!
he has killed my supernatural helper.” Again he lay with his wife.

The day after that he had a fire lighted. They rubbed hard, white
stones together, and it burned. 15 He told them to put stones into it.
At once they did so. When they became hot they put them into a
stone box lying near the door. Then his father-in-law told him to get
in. At once he stood up and, after he had spit medicine upon himself
four times, he sat in it. It was cold.

Then they put the box cover over it. After he had sat there for a
while he tapped upon the side of it. Then he (his father-in-law)
made a noise at him with his lips. He said: “I guess I have killed
him.”

By and by he stood up, throwing his hair back out of it. And he
kicked the box to pieces and threw the pieces around the side of the
house toward the door. His father-in-law became ashamed. He had
destroyed his ten supernatural helpers. After that his mind became
good toward him. 16
The devilfish he killed was in the cave at Skedans point, they say.
And his father-in-law, Many-ledges, was a cliff behind the town of
Skedans.

His mind had become changed toward him. After he had stayed with
his wife for a while he told his wife he wanted to return home. Then
she told her father, and her father said: “Now, my child, go [244]with
your husband. Just outside is a canoe.” Then her husband went out.
There lay an old canoe out from between the cracks of which grass
was growing.

Then he went in and told his wife, and she said to her father:
“Father, he hunted in vain for the canoe. He says there is only an old
one there.” “That is it.” Then she went to it with her husband. She
kicked it on the edges and [said]: “Go seaward, father’s canoe.” At
once it was floating there. It went of itself either way. The carving
on the bow paddled. Then he told it to come near. It came before
him.

And he had his daughter take along all kinds of food. There was a
great quantity of it. He sent five slaves to take care of the canoe. He
had five boxes of berries and grease put in for the canoe. And he
said to his daughter: “My child, when it is hungry it will point its bow
backward. Then let your husband throw one box at its face.”

Then they started. He sat high in the bow with his wife, and the bow
carving paddled the canoe. After it had gone along for some time
the canoe turned its bow back. Then they pulled out one of the
boxes of grease and berries, and he threw it at its face. Again it
went on. After it had gone along for a while the canoe turned its
bow back again, and again he threw the grease and berries at its
face with a spoon. Then the canoe again went on. 17
After they had gone on a while longer they saw the town. The whole
town was alight with fires. They wanted to see the daughter of
Many-ledges. They asked: “Who is it?” “It is He-who-got-
supernatural-power-from-his-little-finger coming with his wife.”

And they came down in a great crowd to the shore opposite. He

came ashore, and they took the food off. Then the five canoe slaves
went back. They took along the three boxes of berries and grease
which were left for the canoe.

Then his wife sat among the things, and he went up to the house
and told his mother to call her up. Immediately his mother went
down. She saw nothing there. There was only a cloud among the
boxes. Then she went up and said to her son: “I saw nothing there.
Only a cloud was there resting upon the things.” He said to his
mother: “That is she.”

Again she went down, and she called her up. The cloud came up
after her. The cloud went near the place where her husband sat.
They wanted to see her. A great crowd awaited her. By and by he
said to his wife: “Take off your hat.” Then she told her husband to
take it off, and he took it off. He put it behind himself. There the
cloud lay. A wonderful creature sat where it had been. She was
pretty, like a daughter of the supernatural beings. The ones they had
wanted him to marry looked in at her and wept as they did so.

And, after he had had his wife for a while, a whitish sea otter came
[245]swimming in front of the town. After they had shot at it for a
while he also launched his canoe. He shot at it with his arrows. He
shot it in the end of the tail. 18 After it had flopped about there for
some time he got it into his canoe. He came home. Then he skinned
it.
There were spots of blood upon it. On account of these his wife
washed it. After she had done this for a while she slipped seaward
upon it. When the water was as high as her knees a killer whale
went away with her blowing. She was stuck between its fins. Killer
whales went out to sea with her in a crowd.

He got into a canoe and went after his wife. They disappeared under
the water in front of him. Then he came back and went crying
around the town. By and by he questioned an old man who lived at
one end of the town. “What supernatural being is it that took away
my wife?” he asked of him. “Supernatural-being-always-in-the-cradle
took your wife away.”

Then he gave him all sorts of things. He gave him all kinds of things
that would be useful to him. “Now, chief, I will let you have my
canoe. I will go with you. I will stand at the end of the trail, and you
shall get your wife,” he said to him.

He lent him his short canoe which lay outside. “Raise it, chief. Burn
the bottom of it. Take twisted cedar limbs, Indian tobacco, and
tallow.” Then he did as directed.

When it was a fine day he went to him, but he said it was a bad day.
One day, when it was cloudy, he went to him not expecting
anything. He sat outside with his mat over his shoulder. He also had
on his hat. “It is a good day, chief. When we come to the middle of
the sea the sunshine will be upon us only.” Then he launched the
canoe. He got in the stern of his canoe. Immediately they set off.

After they had gone on for a while the sunshine came out, as he had
said. Then the old man said to him: “Look for a kelp with two
heads.” And they came to one. “Now fasten [the canoe and leave]
me right here. This is his trail.”
Then he gave him directions. “Right in the trail at the end of the
town Heron always repairs a canoe. He never lets a strange
supernatural being pass in. When he shouts, quickly put Indian
tobacco into his mouth. Also give him twisted cedar limbs. Then he
will conceal you.”

And he went down upon the kelp. He went along for a while upon a
trail in which were footprints and heard the sound of a hammer. And
he came to him. After he had looked at him for a while he shouted.
Then he put tobacco into his mouth. He also gave him twisted cedar
branches. Now he put him into his mouth.

Then the town people came to him in a crowd. “Why did you shout
like that?” “I cried out because my awl slipped.” Then they [246]said
to him: “No; you smell of human beings.” They hunted about him.
They did not find him. They went home from him.

Then he took him out and gave him directions. “Supernatural-being-

always-in-the-cradle took your wife. His three-headed house pole 19 is
always on the watch. Hide yourself from it. Did you bring tallow?”
And he said to him “Yes.” “Two persons covered with sores will come
to get wood. Make their skins well. Rub the tallow on them.”

He went back of the houses. After he had sat there for a while they
came to him. They called out to him. “Do not tickle us by looking at
us,” said they to him, and they told him to come out to them. Then
he went to them. And he rubbed the tallow upon them and healed
their scabs.

Then they said to him: “To-day they are going to put fins upon your
wife. That is why we came after firewood. When it is evening, and
we go after water we will cause the strings of our buckets to break.
We will let the water run into the fire. Go and get your wife quickly
in the midst of the steam.” So they spoke to him.
As soon as evening came they came after water with two large
buckets. He met them there, and they said to him: “Prepare
yourself.” And, when they went in, he looked through the doorway
and saw that his wife had tears on her cheeks. They had
Supernatural-being-always-in-a-cradle, the one who married her,
hung up as if in a cradle.

When they got in near the fire, and on each side of it, with the water
the bucket strings were broken. While the house was filled with
steam, he went in quickly and got his wife. Then he put her under
his arm and ran away with her. The house pole heads shouted: “He-
who-got-supernatural-power-from-his-little-finger has taken his wife
back.”

At once they pursued him. They ran after him in a great crowd.
Supernatural-being-always-in-the-cradle ran after them crying. He
came with his wife to the old man. Then he again put them into his
mouth. When the crowd came to him they asked him: “Old man, did
not He-who-got-supernatural-power-from-his-little-finger pass by
upon this trail? He has taken his wife back.” Then he said: “I felt
nothing.” And they hunted about a little farther. When they found
nothing they asked him again: “Did not you feel anything upon it?”
“No,” he said. Then they said to him: “You smell of a human being.”
And they pushed him down. They felt all over him. Then he said:
“You make me tired by your handling. You better stop searching
me.” Then they went home from him.

And afterward he took them out. And he said: “Go along carefully
with your wife upon this trail.” Then they went along the trail. After
they had gone along for a while they came to the place [247]where
the old man was. They got in with him and started off. After they
had gone on a while longer he came with her to the town. He had
got his wife back, and he stayed there with her always.
[The following excellent version of this story was obtained by
Professor Boas from Charlie Edenshaw, chief of the Stᴀ′stas, a
Masset family.]

In the village T’ī [on the west coast of Graham island] there was a
boy who lived with his grandmother. His parents were dead. While
he was still living in his little house with his grandmother, he used to
make wands with a little shell knife. While doing so he ran a splint
under his finger nail, which made his finger swell to an enormous
size. Therefore he received the name Sʟᴇg̣ otsg̣ ā′noē.

One day the boy met a crane whose beak was broken. He carved a
new beak for him out of wood. They were living in the last house of
the village. He had ten uncles who were all chiefs. One of his uncles
had a boy who was sick all the time. Now, the boy who had healed
the crane, took a small mat, which he tied round his waist like a
shaman’s apron. He made a rattle of cockleshell and carved a
shaman’s wand for his own use. He tried to imitate the shamans
who were trying to heal his cousin. One day the youth went to his
uncle’s house, which was full of people. He looked into it and saw a
bone sticking in his sick cousin’s side. A black man was standing on
each side of the door. They were the porpoises. The boy thought: “If
I am able to remove that bone my cousin will recover.” The two
black men said at once: “This boy says a bone is in the sick boy’s
side, and that he is able to pull it out.” Then the people laughed at
him, but they allowed him to try. The crane had given him a
shaman’s powers, although he did not know it. Then he pulled out
the bone, and his cousin arose, healed and well. Then he put it back
again, and he was sick again. Now the boy returned to his house. He
said to his grandmother: “I am able to save my cousin.” She struck
him, saying: “Don’t say so, else they will punish you.” But he was
able to see the bone in his cousin’s side, although nobody else was
able to discover it.
Now the chief sent for his nephew. One of his slaves went to call
him. Then his grandmother said: “Surely, the chief is going to kill
us.” Then the boy took his mat apron, his rattle, and his wand and
went to his uncle’s house. There were many shamans inside. He
went around the fire, keeping the fireplace to his left. Then he pulled
the bone out of his cousin’s body, blew upon him, while the people
were beating time, and the sick boy recovered. Then he put it in
again, and he felt sick again. The sick boy said that he had felt
better for a little while, but that he was sick again. The other
shamans tried again to cure him, but they were unable to do so.
Then the sick boy asked them to send once more for his cousin.
They sent for him, and, when he came, they offered him all kinds of
property, but he refused it. [248]But the two porpoises knew his
thoughts, and said: “Lk·anqēosʼg̣ a′noe (= Jumping-on-one-leg,
name of the poor boy) wishes to have the paraphernalia which his
father wore when dancing.” His uncle promised to give them to him.
Then he pulled out the bone and healed his cousin.

Now he wore a beautiful apron instead of his mat apron; he used a

wooden rattle instead of his shell rattle, and a bone wand instead of
his wooden wand. Now he was a great shaman.

After some time he heard about a great chief whose name was
T’êckoa′nayē. He wished to visit him. He had a beautiful daughter
whom all the chiefs desired to marry, but he did not accept them. He
killed all her suitors. He invited them to a meal and made them sit
down near the fire. Then he put four stones into his fire, and, when
they were red-hot, he put them into a dish. Then he made them
swallow the stones.

Now, Sʟᴇg̣ otsg̣ ā′noē intended to marry this girl. Before he went
there the crane visited him. He gave him a medicine which caused
water to gather in his mouth so that it cooled the stones. When he
reached the chief’s house he chewed this medicine and was able to
swallow the stones without any injury.

He came to a place where there were rock slides all the time. Then
he chewed a medicine called xu′ntsd’ala, and he came to a place
near Skidegate. Then he took his strap of mountain-goat wool. He
threw it over Skidegate straits and stepped across it, using it as a
bridge. Then he threw it down once more, and thus reached her
house. He thought: “I wish the girl would come outside to-night.”

Then she went out of the house and sat down on the beach to
defecate. The boy assumed the shape of a burl, which lay on the
beach in front of the house. The girl said to her slave: “Carry the
burl into the house,” because she wished her father to make a hook
from it. The slave carried it home and told the chief that his
daughter wished him to make a hook out of the wood. Then the
chief asked for his ax, intending to split the wood. When he hit it his
ax broke. Then the chief was sad. He took another ax, but it broke
also. Then he threw the wood into the fire.

In the evening the chief’s daughter retired to her room, which was
separated from the main room by a large plank. When the wood was
burned the boy in the shape of ashes flew into the girl’s room. There
he assumed his human shape. She asked him: “Who are you? I want
to marry no one but Sʟᴇg̣ otsg̣ ā′noē.” Then he replied: “I am
Sʟᴇg̣ otsg̣ ā′noē.” Then she was glad and allowed him to lie down with
her. They talked all night. Early the next morning the chief rose. He
spat and he thought: “Who is talking to my daughter? I don’t want
anyone to become my son-in-law except Sʟᴇg̣ otsg̣ ā′noē.” Then his
daughter shouted: “He has arrived!” Then the old chief was glad.
[249]He spread mats on the floor of the house and put four stones
into the fire. When the stones were hot he took a dish and ordered
his slaves to put the stones into the dish. They placed it before the
young man, who sat down on the mat. Then the girl said: “You
always try to kill my suitors by means of the red-hot stones.” The
youth chewed the medicine which he had received from the crane
and rubbed his body with it. Then he took the stones up in a ladle
and swallowed them one after the other. They fell right through his
body. The floor of the house was made of stone, and the stones
broke it. The young man was not dead. Then they fed him with
salmon and berries.

On the following day the chief said to his daughter: “There is a

devilfish at the point of land just beyond our village. I have tried
often to kill it, but I can not do so. Tell your husband to try to kill it.”
The young man started in his canoe, and reached the place where
the devilfish was living. Four times he chewed his medicine and
rubbed it over his body. Then he threw his harpoon at the eye of the
devilfish. As soon as he had done so he fainted, and the monster
swallowed him. But he was not dead. He merely thought: “I wish
your stomach would burst,” and at once the stomach of the devilfish
burst, and it was dead. The bones of many people were inside. They
dropped to the ground when the monster died. Those who had been
killed recently were still partly covered with flesh, while those who
had been killed long ago were only bones. He chewed some of his
medicine and spat on the remains. Thus he resuscitated them. He
took the devilfish and carried it to his father-in-law. He threw it
down in front of the house. It was so heavy that the house almost
fell down.

On the following morning the chief said to his daughter: “There is a

tree not far from here. Let your husband go and fetch its bark.” The
young man took his stone ax and went to the tree. Then he saw that
the bark was sliding up and down all the time. Again he chewed his
medicine. Then he spat at the tree three times. Now he struck it
with his ax. He fainted right away. When he recovered his senses he
found that he was inside the tree. Then he only thought: “I wish the
tree would break.” At once the tree burst, and with him the bones of
many people which the tree had killed fell to the ground. He
resuscitated them. Then he took the bark and carried it to the
house. He threw it down in front of the house and almost destroyed
it.

Then his father-in-law was very sad because he could not overcome
his son-in-law. He did not speak a word. On the following day he
said: “Go and cut some alder wood for my fire.” He gave him an ax,
and the young man went. As soon as he struck the alder he fainted.
When he recovered his senses he found that he was inside the tree.
Again he thought: “I wish the tree would burst,” and he himself and
many people whom it had killed came out of it. He [250]resuscitated
them. Then he took one-half of the tree on his shoulder and carried
it home.

On the following morning the chief said to his daughter: “Let your
husband catch the sea otter which lives not far from here.” He gave
him a harpoon. Then the young man went out. Soon he reached a
cave in which the sea otter was living. He chewed the medicine and
rubbed his body four times. Then he threw his harpoon. He fainted
right away. When he recovered his senses he found that he was in
the stomach of the sea otter, and he only thought: “I wish it would
burst,” and the sea otter’s stomach burst, and with him the bones of
many people dropped out, whom he resuscitated.

The old chief had not been able to overcome Sʟᴇg̣ otsg̣ ā′noē. After a
while the latter became homesick. He lay down and did not say a
word. Then the old chief asked his daughter: “Why is your husband
sad?” She replied: “He is homesick. He wishes to return to Tʼī.”
“Hm!” replied the chief. After a while he continued: “Take my large
canoe and accompany him to his home.” The young man went out to
look for the canoe, but he could not find it. He only saw an old
rotten tree with long roots. When he returned to the house, the old
man asked: “Did you find my canoe?” “No,” the young man replied,
“we have only seen an old rotten tree.” “That’s it, that’s it!” said the
old man. They returned, but when they reached the place they could
not find the canoe. They saw nothing but an old rotten tree. They
returned to the house; and, when they informed the old chief that
they had not been able to find the canoe, he told them: “When you
reach the tree again, say, ‘Go into the water.’ ” They turned back,
and, on reaching the tree, said: “Go into the water, canoe of my
father.” At once it was transformed into a large canoe. It was full of
geese (x·īt) which were crying all the time. They were the oarsmen.
The old chief gave them vast quantities of provisions, and they
started, the geese paddling the canoe.

During all this time the youth’s finger was very thick and sore. In the
evening they camped. While they were asleep a great many spirits
which the crane had held captive in his finger by means of sorcery
escaped, killed his wife, and scattered over the whole world. From
that time the whole country of the Haida has been filled with spirits.
Then the boy said: “Future generations shall always see the spirits
which were living in my finger.” Sʟᴇg̣ otsg̣ ā′noē traveled on, and
nobody knew what became of him. If he had not visited the old
chief, he (the latter) would still continue to kill people.

This is a popular story known both at Skidegate and Masset. A version obtained by
Professor Boas from Charlie Edenshaw at Masset is appended to the story I myself
obtained. It differs from that in several interesting particulars. That two such
[251]distant points as Masset and Skedans should be combined in one myth seems
rather singular. The Haida equivalent of He-who-got-supernatural-power-from-his-
little-finger is Sʟō′g̣ ot-sg̣ ā′nag̣ wa-i. [252]

1 The native name for Masset. ↑

2 As in the story of Sacred-one-standing-and-moving, note 25. ↑ a b
3 Said to be “the greatest ones who got power from what they heard.” Compare
story of Supernatural-being-who-went-naked, note 32. ↑
4 Changing them into fine articles. ↑
5 While they were watching to see him enter through the doorway he came out
of the ground. ↑
6 See the story of He who hunted birds in his father’s village, note 7. ↑
7 Or Master Canoe-builder. ↑
8 This seems to mean that they went of themselves. ↑
9 The creek next north of Telel on the east coast of Graham island. ↑
10 See second version. ↑
11 At this point the two women appear to resolve themselves into one. ↑
12 That is, the burning alder. ↑
13 The stick used in getting devilfish is made of hemlock and has a sharp, bent
point to pull up rocks and stones. ↑
14 The ligaments by means of which these bivalves close their shells are called in
Haida “eyes.” ↑
15 This was the way that supernatural beings lighted their fires. ↑
16 Owing to the destruction of his hostile supernatural powers. ↑
17 My interpreter added that, while they were encamped near Cumshewa point
during this journey, He-who-got-supernatural-power-from-his-little-finger awoke
in the night and found his wife gone. She had been lying next to the fire. For this
reason, when people camp, they now place the women next to the wall. ↑
18 That its blood might not injure the fur. ↑
19 Great Haida chiefs often had two or three of these “watchmen” on the tops of
their house poles. ↑
[Contents]
 Łᴀguadjî′na or Łg̣ añā′ʻogaña

[Told by Walter McGregor of the Sea-lion-town people]

He and his wife were the only two in the town. An eel had destroyed the town
people. A big dog also stayed with them. Her husband went fishing and always
stopped at a fishing ground right in front of the town. In his absence his wife
went digging spruce roots, and the dog always went with her. When her
husband came home she steamed a lot of halibut for him, putting it in a big
tray. And he sat above it. And, when he began to eat, his wife looked toward
the door. She was afraid to look at him. When her husband went fishing again
she did the same thing.

One day, as she bent down to dig roots, something startled her by touching her
buttocks. She looked toward it. Lo! he (the dog) came to her, and she cried
hard. And, when her husband again came from fishing, she steamed food for
him again, set it before him, and turned round toward the door. Shortly she
became pregnant.

One day, while her husband was out fishing, she gave birth. She gave birth to a
dog. A second one came forth and another. It went on this way until there were
nine. The middle one always showed its teeth. That was the one that was going
to be brave. The youngest came forth with medicine in its mouth. Last of all a
bitch came forth. Counting that one there were ten.

Then her heart was not strong enough to kill them, and she put grass into the
cellar and put them into it together. And, when her husband came home, she
did not look as if anything had happened. And next day, when her husband
went fishing, she again went to dig roots.

As soon as she had gone out from the house, a noise arose inside of it. They
were wrestling with each other there. The bitch was talking. Then she went
back. She peeped in at the door. Upon a pole in the rear of the house hung
their skins. In another place they were playing with one another. And, when she
made a noise with the door, they quickly took down their clothing. In a short
time they were lying near the fire with their feet drawn together. Then she put
them into the cellar again.
And, when her husband came home, he asked her: “My child’s mother, what
made the noise in this town?” “The dog was playing. He was running over the
floor planks.” [253]

Next day her husband again went fishing. Afterward she went after roots again.
No sooner had she got out than a noise arose inside of the house. At that time
she did not return so soon. Then she gathered a quantity of dry firewood and
looked in again. Again the skins hung upon the pole in the rear of the house.
And, when she made a noise with the door again, they went over quickly and
pulled their skins down. They lay around the fire. And again she put them into
the cellar. When Łᴀguadjî′na came home again he asked her: “My child’s
mother, what made the noise in the town?” “The dog was playing with himself
and made a noise on the floor planks.”

When he went fishing again, the dog lay on the opposite side of the fire. Then
she threw a stone at him and said to him: “Who does not get wood for the
mother of his children?” And he got up. He shook himself and went out. Then
there was a noise behind the house, and she looked at him between the house
planks. One with a big knot of hair which fell below his buttocks and a striped
skin rolled the firewood about. After the noise had gone on for a while outside,
he came in. He shook himself and lay down again on the opposite side of the
fire.

When her husband came home he asked her: “Where did that good firewood
come from?” “Why, that is [from a tree] which fell behind us and which I rolled
out to an open place.”

Next day her husband went fishing again, and she went after roots. Just before
she went out, she put wood on the fire. Soon after she went out a noise arose
in the house. Then she crept quietly thither. She had shut the door to easily.
When she looked in [she saw that] the skins were again hung in the rear of the
house. They were pushing each other about.

After she had looked for a while they pushed each other toward the corner, and
she ran in quickly. She gathered the skins together quickly and put them into
the fire. At once they burned up. Then they sat in a row on the other side from
her. One among them was a woman.
Then she said to them: “My children, when your father comes home and eats,
do not look toward him. After he is through eating I will let you eat also. People
never look him in the face.”

Then Sawałī′xa ran out. His father was fishing seaward. He said, “Hō hū′-u-u-u
hū. 1” The more his mother tried to stop him, the more he shouted. When he
(her husband) came home she again steamed food for him. After she had laid it
before him she turned her face from him toward the door. Before he had eaten
Sawałī′xa arose, picked up a fat piece from the edge of a split fish, and stood
around eating it. After he had finished it, he picked up another. When he had
finished that as well he pushed away the tray. [254]

And he called to his wife: “My child’s mother, bring my cape to me.” Then she
brought it to him, and he put it on. Then he called for the eldest: “Come here,
my child, while I sing a song for you.” Then he went to him. After he had sung
for a while he pulled him closer to his breast. He was as one who has gone to
sleep. “My child is asleep. Let me lay him down.”

And he called for another. He also went to him, and, after he had sung for him
for a while, he pulled him close to himself. He acted like the other. “My child is
asleep.”

After he had done this for a while, he got through with eight. Then he called
the last one, who had medicine in his mouth. After he had sung to him for a
while and pulled him closer to himself, he spit the medicine upon his chest.
Something sharp, like glass, fell from him and stuck into the floor planks. Then
he brought the back of his cloak round in front. And, after he had sung for him
again and pulled him closer to himself, he again spat medicine upon his breast.
From that also the needles fell off. 2

Now he became angry with him, and he was pushing him toward his
whetstone, which stood on edge in the rear of the house pointing toward the
fire. When he touched it, it ground the skin off of his side. He put the medicine
upon his palms and rubbed it upon himself, and it became well. After they had
wrestled for a while he threw his father down there. It ground away, and he
was ground to pieces. He killed his father quickly.

Then he went to his elder brothers, who were lying about, laid them together,
and spit medicine upon them. They all got up. [Each said] “I guess I must have
been sleeping here.” All got up, and they continued to live in that house.

Their names are as follows: The eldest was called G̣ osg̣ aʟ̣ ē′kꜝa; [the next] He-
whose-skin-is-of-white-rock, the next one, The-left-handed. He was a brave
fellow. He who was full of mischief was named Sawałī′xa, and one was called
Łg̣ añā′ʼo. He who had medicine in his mouth was called ʟā′ga-na′qatî. 3

Then they asked their mother: “Say! mother, why is this town empty?” “My
child, a supernatural being at the south end of the island destroyed your uncles.
Since then it has remained this way.” Then they said to each other: “To-morrow
we will go and look at it.” And next day they went and looked at it. It lived in a
cave. In front of it was a pile of human bones. They looked and went away.

Then they made something with which to kill it. All nine twisted cedar limbs.
Afterward they spliced them. And then they twisted them together. They made
it long. It was also stout. Next day they went to it. When they arrived they
strangled their sister and fastened her on the end of a pole. They used her as
bait. They set [255]the snare in front of its den. After they had held their sister
in front of it for a while, it came out, and they drew her out before it.

When the snare was even with its middle they pulled it up. They also pulled in
their sister quickly and spit medicine upon her. At once their sister seized the
end of the rope. After they had pulled against it for a while and began to be
pulled down on top of each other the cord broke, and they fell backward in a
heap. Then they went home.

And after they had thought for a while what they could use with which to catch
it they began digging roots. They traveled around upon the island of Gᴀsqo. 4
Upon it they got roots. And they also twisted those. When the rope was long,
they went to it again. They again used their sister as bait. Again they put the
snare in front of it. When it put its head through, they slipped the knot down to
its middle. Again they pulled their sister in quickly, again they spat medicine
upon her, and again she seized the end of the rope. After they had been pulled
down many times, as they held this, it broke, and they fell backward in a heap.
Then they went away again.

And they took dry strings lying upon the beach. As they went around the island
they carried them along. After that they spliced them. At once they twisted
them. When it (the rope) became long, they went over there again. Again they
used their sister as bait. When that also broke, they gave it up. Nothing was left
that they could use.

And, after they had lived there for a while, a wren chirped in the corner of the
house. It said “Guda′dixa-i” (“sinews”). 5 Then they felt strange about what it
said, and all made blunt-pointed arrows and bows. Then they began traveling
about upon the island. Each kept coming in with three or four [wrens]. At once
their sister pulled out the sinews, after which they twisted them together. It was
slender.

When this was long they went to it again. They set the snare in front of it.
Again they used their sister as bait. When he again came out they slipped the
knot over him. They pulled their sister away quickly and spit medicine upon her.
At once she was pulling along with them. All pulled upon it. It stretched out
smaller. But when it touched the face of a rock, that fell over. They were saying:
“Think yourself wren sinews.” 6

After they had pulled at it for a while, something cracked at the bottom of the
island, and they pulled it up. They cut its belly open. They cut human bones
out. Then they laid the bones together. If one part were missing, they broke off
pieces of old limbs of trees and put them in instead. Immediately ʟā′ga-na′qatî
spit upon it. And they said to them: “Go to the places where you used to live.”
They killed him, and they went home. That was Supernatural-eel, they say. [256]

And, after they had lived there for a while, their sister became menstruant for
the first time. By and by [they heard] some one talking to their sister. They did
not know who it was that talked. And again some one talked to their sister.
Then they put pitch on the mat. And again some one was talking with their
sister. In the morning they bathed in the sea. 7 When they came in from it, there
were spots of pitch on the side of him who was mischievous. Then they pushed
him from one to another. They laughed at him. 8

Then their mother said to them: “I guess they are laughing because the
Djugî′tg̣ a’s head is going to be hung up in front of their menstruant sister.” 9 At
once they inquired of an old man who lived at one end of the town. They asked
about the thing their mother spoke of. And they gave him twisted cedar limbs.
They also gave him strong bones to make gimlets out of and Indian tobacco.
He told them where its place was. He told them that it slept there, and he said
it was easy to approach it.