legends of vancouver-第3部分

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an　and　cowardly　feared　him。

The　customs　and　traditions　of　his　ancestors　were　a　positive　religion　to　him；　the　sayings　and　the　advices　of　the　old　people　were　his　creed。　　He　was　conservative　in　every　rite　and　ritual　of　his　race。　　He　fought　his　tribal　enemies　like　the　savage　that　he　was。　　He　sang　his　war　songs；　danced　his　war　dances；　slew　his　foes；　but　the　little　girl…wife　from　the　north　he　treated　with　the　deference　that　he　gave　his　own　mother；　for　was　she　not　to　be　the　mother　of　his　warrior　son？

The　year　rolled　round；　weeks　merged　into　months；　winter　into　spring；　and　one　glorious　summer　at　daybreak　he　wakened　to　her　voice　calling　him。　　She　stood　beside　him；　smiling。

〃It　will　be　to…day；〃　she　said　proudly。

He　sprang　from　his　couch　of　wolf　skins　and　looked　out　upon　the　coming　day：　the　promise　of　what　it　would　bring　him　seemed　breathing　through　all　his　forest　world。　　He　took　her　very　gently　by　the　hand　and　led　her　through　the　tangle　of　wilderness　down　to　the　water's　edge；　where　the　beauty　spot　we　moderns　call　Stanley　Park　bends　about　Prospect　Point。　　〃I　must　swim；〃　he　told　her。

〃I　must　swim；　too；〃　she　smiled　with　the　perfect　understanding　of　two　beings　who　are　mated。　　For　to　them　the　old　Indian　custom　was　lawthe　custom　that　the　parents　of　a　coming　child　must　swim　until　their　flesh　is　so　clear　and　clean　that　a　wild　animal　cannot　scent　their　proximity。　　If　the　wild　creatures　of　the　forests　have　no　fear　of　them；　then；　and　only　then；　are　they　fit　to　become　parents；　and　to　scent　a　human　is　in　itself　a　fearsome　thing　to　all　wild　things。

So　those　two　plunged　into　the　waters　of　the　Narrows　as　the　grey　dawn　slipped　up　the　eastern　skies　and　all　the　forest　awoke　to　the　life　of　a　new；　glad　day。　　Presently　he　took　her　ashore；　and　smilingly　she　crept　away　under　the　giant　trees。　　〃I　must　be　alone；〃　she　said；　〃but　some　to　me　at　sunrise：　you　will　not　find　me　alone　then。〃　　He　smiled　also；　and　plunged　back　into　the　sea。　　He　must　swim；　swim；　swim　through　this　hour　when　his　fatherhood　was　coming　upon　him。　　It　was　the　law　that　he　must　be　clean；　spotlessly　clean；　so　that　when　his　child　looked　out　upon　the　world　it　would　have　the　chance　to　live　its　own　life　clean。　　If　he　did　not　swim　hour　upon　hour　his　child　would　come　to　an　unclean　father。　He　must　give　his　child　a　chance　in　life；　he　must　not　hamper　it　by　his　own　uncleanliness　at　its　birth。　　It　was　the　tribal　lawthe　law　of　vicarious　purity。

As　he　swam　joyously　to　and　fro；　a　canoe　bearing　four　men　headed　up　the　Narrows。　These　men　were　giants　in　stature；　and　the　stroke　of　their　paddles　made　huge　eddies　that　boiled　like　the　seething　tides。

〃Out　from　our　course！〃　they　cried　as　his　lithe；　copper…colored　body　arose　and　fell　with　his　splendid　stroke。　　He　laughed　at　them；　giants　though　they　were；　and　answered　that　he　could　not　cease　his　swimming　at　their　demand。

〃But　you　shall　cease！〃　they　commanded。　〃We　are　the　men　（agents）　of　the　Sagalie　Tyee　（God）；　and　we　command　you　ashore　out　of　our　way！〃　　（I　find　in　all　these　Coast　Indian　legends　that　the　Deity　is　represented　by　four　men；　usually　paddling　an　immense　canoe。）

He　ceased　swimming；　and；　lifting　his　head；　defied　them。　　〃I　shall　not　stop；　nor　yet　go　ashore；〃　he　declared；　striking　out　once　more　to　the　middle　of　the　channel。

〃Do　you　dare　disobey　us；〃　they　cried〃we；　the　men　of　the　Sagalie　Tyee？　　We　can　turn　you　into　a　fish；　or　a　tree；　or　a　stone　for　this；　do　you　dare　disobey　the　Great　Tyee？〃

〃I　dare　anything　for　the　cleanliness　and　purity　of　my　coming　child。　　I　dare　even　the　Sagalie　Tyee　Himself；　but　my　child　must　be　born　to　a　spotless　life。〃

The　four　men　were　astounded。　　They　consulted　together；　lighted　their　pipes　and　sat　in　council。　　Never　had　they；　the　men　of　the　Sagalie　Tyee；　been　defied　before。　　Now；　for　the　sake　of　a　little　unborn　child；　they　were　ignored；　disobeyed；　almost　despised。　　The　lithe　young　copper…colored　body　still　disported　itself　in　the　cool　waters；　superstition　held　that　should　their　canoe；　or　even　their　paddle　blades；　touch　a　human　being　their　marvellous　power　would　be　lost。　　The　handsome　young　chief　swam　directly　in　their　course。　　They　dared　not　run　him　down；　if　so；　they　would　become　as　other　men。　　While　they　yet　counselled　what　to　do；　there　floated　from　out　the　forest　a　faint；　strange；　compelling　sound。　　They　listened；　and　the　young　chief　ceased　his　stroke　as　he　listened　also。　　The　faint　sound　drifted　out　across　the　waters　once　more。　　It　was　the　cry　of　a　little；　little　child。　Then　one　of　the　four　men；　he　that　steered　the　canoe；　the　strongest　and　tallest　of　them　all；　arose　and；　standing　erect；　stretched　out　his　arms　towards　the　rising　sun　and　chanted；　not　a　curse　on　the　young　chief's　disobedience；　but　a　promise　of　everlasting　days　and　freedom　from　death。

〃Because　you　have　defied　all　things　that　came　in　your　path　we　promise　this　to　you；〃　he　chanted；　〃you　have　defied　what　interferes　with　your　child's　chance　for　a　clean　life；　you　have　lived　as　you　wish　your　son　to　live；　you　have　defied　us　when　we　would　have　stopped　your　swimming　and　hampered　your　child's　future。　　You　have　placed　that　child's　future　before　all　things；　and　for　this　the　Sagalie　Tyee　commands　us　to　make　you　forever　a　pattern　for　your　tribe。　　You　shall　never　die；　but　you　shall　stand　through　all　the　thousands　of　years　to　come；　where　all　eyes　can　see　you。　You　shall　live；　live；　live　as　an　indestructible　monument　to　Clean　Fatherhood。〃

The　four　men　lifted　their　paddles；　and　as　the　handsome　young　chief　swam　inshore；　as　his　feet　touched　the　line　where　sea　and　land　met；　he　was　transformed　into　stone。

Then　the　four　men　said；　〃His　wife　and　child　must　ever　be　near　him；　they　shall　not　die；　but　live　also。〃　　And　they；　too；　were　turned　into　stone。　　If　you　penetrate　the　hollows　in　the　woods　near　Siwash　Rock　you　will　find　a　large　rock　and　a　smaller　one　beside　it。　　They　are　the　shy　little　bride…wife　from　the　north；　with　her　hour…old　baby　beside　her。　　And　from　the　uttermost　parts　of　the　world　vessels　come　daily　throbbing　and　sailing　up　the　Narrows。　　From　far　trans…Pacific　ports；　from　the　frozen　North；　from　the　lands　of　the　Southern　Cross；　they　pass　and　repass　the　living　rock　that　was　there　before　their　hulls　were　shaped；　that　will　be　there　when　their　very　names　are　forgotten；　when　their　crews　and　their　captains　have　taken　their　long　last　voyage；　when　their　merchandise　has　rotted；　and　their　owners　are　known　no　more。　　But　the　tall；　grey　column　of　stone　will　still　be　therea　monument　to　one　man's　fidelity　to　a　generation　yet　unborn　and　will　endure　from　everlasting　to　everlasting。





The　Recluse

Journeying　toward　the　upper　course　of　the　Capilano　River；　about　a　mile　citywards　from　the　damn；　you　will　pass　a　disused　logger's　shack。　　Leave　the　trail　at　this　point　and　strike　through　the　undergrowth　for　a　few　hundred　yards　and　you　will　be　on　the　rocky　borders　of　that　purest；　most　restless　river　in　all　Canada。　　The　stream　is　haunted　with　tradition；　teeming　with　a　score　of　romances　that　vie　with　its　grandeur　and　loveliness；　and　of　which　its　waters　are　perpetually　whispering。　　But　I　learned　this　legend　from　one　whose　voice　was　as　dulcet　as　the　swirling　rapids；　but；　unlike　them；　that　voice　is　hushed　today；　while　the　river　still　sings　on　sings　on。

It　was　singing　in　very　melodious　tones　through　the　long　August　afternoon　two　summers　ago；　while　we；　the　chief；　his　happy…hearted　wife　and　bright；　young　daughter；　all　lounged　amongst　the　boulders　and　watched　the　lazy　clouds　drift　from　peak　to　peak　far　above　us。　　It　was　one　of　his　inspired　days；　legends　crowded　to　his　lips　as　a　whistle　teases　the　mouth　of　a　happy　boy；　his　heart　was　brimming　with　tales　of　the　bygones；　his　eyes　were　dark　with　dreams　and　that　strange　mournfulness　that　always　haunted　them　when　he　spoke　of　long…ago　romances。　　There　was　not　a　tree；　a　boulder；　a　dash　of　rapid　upon　which　his　glance　fell　that　he　had　not　some　ancient　superstition　to　link　with　it。　　Then　abruptly；　in　the　very　midst　of　his　verbal　reveries；　he　turned　and　asked　me　if　I　were　superstitious。　　Of　course　I　replied　that　I　was。

〃Do　you　think　some　happenings　will　bring　trouble　later　onwill　foretell　evil？〃　he　asked。

I　made　some　evasive　answer；　which；　however；　seemed　to　satisfy　him；　for　he　plunged　into　the　strange　tale　of　the　recluse　of　the　canyon　with　more　vigor　than　dreaminess；　but　first　he　asked　me　the　question：

〃What　do　your　own　tribes；　those　east　of　the　great　mountains　think　of　twin　children？〃

I　shook　my　head。

〃That　is　enough；〃　he　said　before　I　could　reply。　　〃I　see；　your　people　do　not　like　them。〃

〃Twin　children　are　almost　unknown　with　us；〃　I　hastened。　　〃They　are　rare；　very　rare；　but　it　is　true　we　do　not　welcome　them。〃

〃Why？〃　he　asked　abruptly。

I　was　a　little　uncertain　about　telling　him。　If　I　said　the　wrong　thing；　the　coming　tale　might　die　on　his　lips　before　it　was　born　to　speech；　but　we　understood　each　other　so　well　that　I　finally　ventured　the　truth：

〃We　Iroquois　say　that　twin　children　are　as　rabbits；〃　I　explained。　　〃The　nation　always　nicknames　the　parents。　　'Tow…wan…da…na…ga。'　That　is　the　Mohawk　for　rabbit。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　he　asked　curiously。

〃That　is　all。　　Is　it　not　enough　to　render　twin　children　unwelcome？〃　I　questioned。

He　thought　awhile；　then　with　evident　desire　to　learn　how　all　races　regarded　this　occurrence；　he　said；　〃You　have　been　much　among　the　Palefaces；　what　do　they　say　of　twins？〃

〃Oh！　the　Palefaces　like　them。　　They　are　they　areoh！　well；　they　say　they　are　very　proud　of　having　twins；〃　I　stammered。　Once　again　I　was　hardly　sure　of　my　ground。　He　looked　most　incredulous；　and　I　was　led　to　enquire　what　his　own　people　of　the　Squamish　thought　of　this　discussed　problem。

〃It　is　no　pride　to　us；〃　he　said；　decidedly；　〃nor　yet　is　it　disgrace　of　rabbits；　but　it　is　a　fearsome　thinga　sign　of　coming　evil　to　the　father；　and；　worse　than　that；　of　coming　disaster　to　the　tribe。〃

Then　I　knew　he　held　in　his　heart　some　strange　incident　that　gave　substance　to　the　superstition。　　〃Won't　you　tell　it　to　me？〃　I　begged。

He　leaned　a　little　backward　against　a　giant　boulder；　clasping　his　thin；　brown　hands　about　his　knees；　his　eyes　roved　up　the　galloping　river；　then　swept　down　the　singing　waters　to　where　they　crowded　past　the　sudden　bend；　and　during　the　entire　recital　of　the　strange　legend　his　eyes　never　left　that　spot　where　the　stre