Raven and Crow Become Rocks¹

Sk̕ʷtúʔ2 was the brother of Sk̕ʷaʔk̕ʷátuʔ3. Every day when they spread their black wings in the sky, they noticed more and more smoke clogging the air. Smoke was everywhere. Sk̕ʷaʔk̕ʷátuʔ asked his brother if he wished more people would come to the earth. Sk̕ʷtúʔ replied, “No, if more people come, it will be too smoky to see. It is already too smoky.” Sk̕ʷaʔk̕ʷátuʔ asked his brother to dance and pray for a solution. They danced and sang.

x̣áy̕əs4 heard the brothers singing and dancing. He came to their camp. “I have heard your song. You wish things to change. I can only change  you . What do you want to be? A dear, a frog, an elk?” x̣áy̕əs awaited their answer. Sk̕ʷaʔk̕ʷátuʔ shook his head, “We will just be choked by the smoke closer to the ground or starved if we are People.” His brother agreed and replied, “We will become rocks, land, earth.” x̣áy̕əs granted their request. The brothers now make up the rocks, sands and beaches of Clallam Bay.

¹ S’Klallam tale, based on Mrs. Jennie Talicus story from  Klallam Folk Tales . 121.

² Raven

³ Crow

⁴ Changer, Transformer a very spiritual figure in S’Klallam tales