The Beautiful Blanket

: TSIMSHIAN TALES
: Indian Legends Retold

Not long after this, Raven grew tired of the jet-black robe that his

father had given him, and one day he exchanged it for a beautiful

blanket of many colors, such as is worn to dances. He had not gone

very far when the gay blanket fell to pieces, and he was cold and

sorrowful.



He did not know what else to do, so he went back to look for his

raven skin and found it lying by the roadside. He put it on agai
, but

soon came upon another dance blanket even handsomer than the first.

Forgetting the lesson he had just had, he tore his old robe in half

and threw it away with contempt, and dressed himself in the other.

Then he walked on, thinking how well he must look in the eyes of any

whom he might chance to meet.



This fine dandy was greatly pleased when he saw a strange village near

at hand, until, glancing downward, he found to his dismay that he was

covered with nothing but moss and lichens. Crying bitterly, he was

once more forced to go back in search of his raven skin; after hunting

a long time he found it, but it was torn in two. Sadly he pinned it

about his body as well as he could and again turned his steps toward

the village.



While he was still a little way off, Raven plucked up spirit and

gathered a piece of rotten spruce wood, which by his magic art he

turned into a slave. Lacking a fine blanket, he made for himself some

large ear ornaments out of common clam shells which he found on the

beach. Then he ordered his slave to walk before him, crying in a loud

voice:



"People of the village, here comes my master, who is a great chief!

You will know him by the costly ornaments of abalone shell in his

ears!"



It is said that the strangers were deceived by this fine talk and

invited the pretender to their chief's wigwam, where a feast was given

in his honor.



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