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From: Cougar <cougar@twoshamans.com>
Date: 3/15/2002
Time: 1:09:45 AM
Remote Name: 66.191.20.47
The following is the story as passed down of the Chinook Indian origin:
The Origin of the Chinook Indians
Long ago, when Old Man South Wind was traveling north, he met an old woman who was a giant. "Will you give me some food?" asked South Wind. "I am very hungry." "I have no food," answered the giantess, "But here is a net. You can catch some fish for yourself if you wish." So Old Man South Wind dragged the net down to the ocean and with it caught a little whale. Taking out his knife, he was about to cut the whale to remove the blubber. But the old giantess cried out, "Do not cut it crossways. Take the sharp knife and split it down the back."
But South Wind did not take to heart what the old woman was saying. He cut the fish crossways and began to remove some blubber. He was startled to see the fish change into a huge bird. It was so big that when it flew into the air it blocked the sun, and the noise of its wings shook the earth. It was T'soona (Thunderbird).
T'soona flew to the north and lit on the top of the Kan'eese (Cape Disappointment), at the mouth of the Columbia River. There it laid a nest full of eggs. The old giantess followed the bird until she found its nest. She broke one egg, but it was not good. She threw it down the mountainside. Before the egg reached the base, it became an Indian.
The old giantess broke some other eggs and then threw them down the mountainside. They too became Indians. Each of Thunderbird's eggs became an Indian.
When Thunderbird returned she saw what the old giantess had done to her eggs and tracked her down. When she was found, Thunderbird consumed her with fire, thus taking it's revenge.