The Story of Djun

Once upon a time a famine broke out among the Tlingit people. One of their girls was an orphan and had to look after herself. She would have suffered terribly if her father's sister had not given her food now and then.Once upon a time a famine broke out among the tribe of the Tlingits, and one of their girls, who was an orphan and had to look after herself, would have fared very badly had she not now and then been given some food by her father's sister. But this did not happen often, for everybody was almost starving. They seldom had any food for themselves, let alone anyone else.for everybody was almost starving, and it was seldom that they had any food for themselves, still less for anyone else.

Now the girl, whose name was Djun, heard some of the women planning to go to the forest and dig roots. Though she very much wanted to go with them, they would not take her.dig roots, and though she wished very much to accompany them, they would not take her.

'You will bring us bad luck,' they said, and struck her fingers when, in despair at being left behind, she grasped the side of the canoe. The pain forced the girl to loosen her grip. But she was so hungry that she would not be driven away. At last her father's sister, who was one of the group, persuaded the others to let her go with them.But though the girl was obliged to loosen her hold from pain, she was so hungry that she would not be beaten off, and at last her father's sister, who was one of the party, persuaded the others to let her go with them. So she jumped in and paddled away to the forest.

All that day the women searched for roots until they had collected a large pile. They even caught some salmon in the river as well. As evening came on, they prepared to camp for the night and built a fire to warm themselves and cook some of the roots.All that day the women hunted for roots till they had collected a large pile, and had even caught some salmon in the river as well, and as evening drew on they prepared to encamp for the night, and built a fire to warm them and to cook some of the roots. But the girl, who had wandered away by herself as soon as they had landed, did not return. The women were angry. They said that if she did not choose to come back, she could stay in the forest forever.But the girl, who had wandered away by herself as soon as they had landed, did not return, and the women were angry, and said that if she did not choose to come back, she might stay in the forest for ever. And the next morning, when they started for home, they threw water on the fire so that Djun would be unable to cook her food, if she had any to cook.so that Djun might not be able to cook her food, if she had any to cook. However, the girl's aunt managed to steal a glowing ember from the fire. Unseen by the rest, she threw it into a deserted brush-house, a shelter made from branches, where they had slept. She put a piece of dried salmon with it.However, the girl's aunt managed to steal a burning coal which lay on the fire, and, unseen by the rest, threw it into a deserted brush-house where they had slept, and put a piece of dried salmon with it.Explanation: A brush-house is a shelter made from branches. The glowing ember is a hot piece left in the fire, which Djun can use to start her own fire. Just as she had done this she caught sight of the girl hiding behind the brush-house and went to speak to her, forthe girl hiding behind the brush-house, and went to speak to her; for the other women were too busy packing the food into the boat to notice what she was doing.

'Are you not coming with us?' she asked, and Djun answered:

'No; as they don't want to take me, I had better stay here.'

'Well, I have put a glowing embera live coal in that brush-house for you and a piece of salmon,' said her aunt, 'so you will have something to eat for a day or two.'

The girl did not leave her hiding-place until the boat was out of sight. Then she made a big fire from the glowing ember and cooked her roots and salmon. But though they smelt very good and she was hungry, somehow she felt unable to eat.The girl did not leave her hiding-place till the boat was out of sight, and then she made a big fire from the burning coal, and cooked her roots and her salmon; but though they smelt very good, and she was hungry, she did not somehow feel as if she could eat. So she soon got up and went farther into the forest and dug some more roots.

'I shall be almost starving by the evening,' she thoughtthought she, 'and I will eat them then.' But when evening came she had no more appetite than in the morning. So she curled up in a corner and fell asleep, for she was very tired.I will eat them then;' but when evening came she had no more appetite than in the morning, so she curled herself up in a corner and fell asleep, for she was very tired.

She was awakened early next day by a rushing of wings, and looked out of the door to findand, looking out of the door, found a flock of birds sweeping by. But there was nothing very uncommon in that, and she lay down again and slept for several hours longer. Then she got up and walked some distance until she reached a flat plain where the best roots grew. But the flock of birds had found them too and were feeding on them.Then she got up and walked some distance till she reached a flat plain, where the best roots grew, but the flock of birds had found them out also, and were feeding upon them.

When they saw her they flew away, and she went to a spot covered with dead grass, for she expected that would be a good place to dig in. To her surprise, under the dead grass lay several big canoes filled with oil, dried halibut and dried salmon.

'How lucky I am!' she said to herself; 'it was a good thing I did not return with the others.' Sheit was well indeed that I did not return with the others,' and she broke off a piece of salmon and tried to eat it, but she could not.

'What is the matter with me?' she wondered. 'I wish my aunt were here.' She felt rather frightened.'I wish my aunt were here,' and she felt rather frightened. The next day she grew more frightened still. She found out that the birds were spirits. They were preventing her from eating so that she might become a great shaman, a healer who works with spirits.And the next day she grew more frightened still, for she found out that the birds were spirits, and it was they who were preventing her from eating food, so that she might become a great shaman or medicine-man.Explanation: Here shaman names a healer who works with spirits. “Medicine-man” was an older English term for this role; Djun herself is a girl. After a little while her eyes were opened, and she understood many things she had never imagined. The spirit-birds she had seen took possession of her. Others came from the woods and the sea and sang to her.After a little while her eyes were opened, and she understood many things she had never guessed at, and the spirit-birds she had seen took possession of her, and others came from the woods and the sea, and sang to her.

At first she went two or three times every day to visit the buried canoes and to dig for roots, but she quickly gave that up. She had nothing to sharpen the sticks she used instead of spades. And besides,but she quickly gave that up, for she had nothing with which to sharpen the sticks she used instead of spades; and besides, what was the use of digging for roots if you could not eat them? Meanwhile, in the village the girl's aunt mourned for her, as she felt sure Djun must by this time be dead of hunger.

'I am very lonely: I wish some of my old friends would come to see me,' thought Djun when she had been living by herself for several months. The next morning a canoe came into sight, with some people she knew seated in it.several months, and the next morning a canoe appeared in sight, and in it were seated some people whom she knew. Then Djun was happy indeed, and she told them to follow her to the brush-house and gave them food from the canoes. They stayed for two or three days, digging for roots and for anything else they could get. At the end of that time Djun said to them:she bade them follow her to the brush-house, and gave them food out of the canoes; for two or three days they stayed, digging for roots and for anything else they could get, and at the end of the time Djun said to them:

'It is best for you to go backIt is well that you should go again, but be careful not to take with you any of the food that I have given you. Tell my friends that I am alive, and beg my aunt to come and visit me.'

So the people of the canoe returned to the village, and told such tales of the food they had received from Djun that all the townsfolk hurried into their canoes and paddled straighthastened to get into their canoes and paddled straight off to the place where she was living. When they drew near enough to see the brush-house, they sawbeheld it surrounded by thousands of birds that seemed to stretch right upwards from the earth to the sky. They also heard the shaman's voice and the sound of singing, but as soon as they approached closer to the brush-house, the birds flew away.

After that the shaman went out to meet them, and she asked:

'Where is my aunt? I want her.' When her aunt came, Djun gave her everything stored in one of her buried canoes. Then she said:'Where is my aunt? I want her;' and when her aunt came Djun gave her everything that was stored in one of her buried canoes, and then she said:

'I should like two of the women to stay with me and help me with my singing.' One after another the most important women of the tribe, with their faces newly painted, stood up in the canoes. But Djun wanted none of them. She chose two girls who were orphans like herself and had been treated very badly by their relatives.'I should like two of the women to stay with me and help me with my singing,' and one after another the chief women of the tribe, with their faces newly painted, rose up in the canoes; but she would have none of them, and chose two girls who were orphans like herself, and had been treated very badly by their kinsfolk.

'The rest can come ashore,' she said, 'and camp out here,' but she took the orphans and her aunt into the brush-house.

Now these women of noble birthhigh-born women had brought their slaves with them, and Djun took the slaves in exchange for food. She put necklaces and paint and feathers and fine robes on the orphans.Djun took the slaves in exchange for food, and put necklaces and paint and feathers and fine robes upon the orphans. And the whole of the village people stayed with her a long while, and when they got into the canoes again they were fat and strong with all that Djun had given them.

For some time Djun lived quite happily in the brush-house now that she had companions. Then she began to long to return to her own village. So she worked magic to make the chief of the town fall ill. The people, who had learnt that she had become a shaman, sent a canoe to fetch her and offered her a large payment if she would cure him.For some time Djun lived quite happily in the brush-house now that she had some companions; then a longing took hold of her to go back to her own village, so she worked magic in order to make the chief of the town fall ill, and the people, who had learnt that she had become a shaman, sent a canoe to fetch her and offered her much payment if she would cure him.

The family of Djun the shaman was one of the noblest in the tribe, but misfortune had overtaken them. One by one they had all died. When the girl came back to the village, nothing remained but the posts of her uncle's house, while grass had sprouted inside the walls.One by one they had all died, and when the girl came back to the village nothing remained but the posts of her uncle's house, while grass had sprouted inside the walls. She sawbeheld these things from the canoe and felt very sad, but she told the slaves to stop paddlingbut she bade the slaves cease paddling, as she wished to land. Then she took out an eagle's tail, held it up, blew on it and waved it back and forth.Then she drew out an eagle's tail, and, holding it up, blew upon it and waved it backwards and forwards. After she had done this four times, the posts and the grass disappeared, and in their place stood a fine house—finer and larger than the one the chief had lived in.

'Bring in whatever the canoe contains,' she said; and when everything was ready she went into the house, and the two orphan girls went with her.

'The chief's daughter is ill as well as her father,' Djun heard a few days after returning to the village. She waited in the house, expecting to be called to cure them.'The chief's daughter is ill as well as her father,' so Djun heard after she had been back in the village for a few days, and she waited in the house, expecting to be summoned to work a cure. But though they had sent for her when she lived far away, now that she was among them again, she looked so much like the girl they had known since she was a child that they could not believe she was a real shaman. They called in others.But though they had sent for her while she was living far from them, now that she was amongst them again she looked so like the girl they had known from a child that the people could not believe she could be a real shaman, and called in others. However, despite the care of these other shamans, both the chief and his daughter grew worse and worse. In despair, their relatives suddenly thought of Djun.However, in spite of the care of these medicine men, both the chief and his daughter became worse and worse, and in despair, their kinsfolk suddenly bethought themselves of Djun. The girl was not in the house when the messenger arrived. But one of the orphans met him and asked:at the time that the messenger arrived, but one of the orphans met him, and asked:

'How much will they pay the shaman if she cures them?'

'Two slaves,' was the answer.

'That is not enough,' said the child; 'go back and tell them so.'

And the messenger went back and came again.

'How much will they pay the shaman?' asked the child as she opened the door to him.

'Two slaves and many goods,' he answeredTwo slaves and much goods,' answered he.

'That is goodThat is well; she will come,' said the child, and the messenger returned with her answer.

'We will go together,' Djun said to the orphans, and the three set off at once to the house of the chief. Inside, there was a crowd of people, except for an empty space around the fire where the chief and his daughter layround the fire where lay the chief and his daughter. The shaman sat down between them and cast all the spells she knewworked all the spells she knew, but they grew no better. Then she rose and walked through the people in the room, and when she had looked at each one she said to the chief:

'The witch that is killing you two is not here.'

As soon as the people heard that, they left the house and brought in those of the villagers who had not come before, for there was not room for very many people.for there was not room for a very great number. For the second time Djun went among them and examined them, and then she repeated:

'The witch is not yet here.' But the spirits, which showed her what others could not see, opened her eyes, and after a moment she spoke again.

'The road of the witch is very clear now; it runs straight to this house.' After that she waited in silence, and the people were silent also. At last they heard a bird whistling in the woods at the back, and the shaman said:

'She is coming now; open the door and let her in.' They flung the door wide, and a wild canary flew in.'She is coming now; open the door and let her in,' and they flung the door wide, and there flew in a wild canary.

'Go and sit between the two sick peopletwo sick persons,' said Djun, and the canary fluttered towards them, making such a noise with her wings that they were frightened and shrank away from her. The shaman asked a man to tie the bird's wings to her side so that she would stay still.And the shaman desired a man to tie the bird's wings to her side so that she might be still. Next a rolling sound, like distant thunder, filled the air.Next a rolling sound such as thunder makes a long way off filled the air.

'Here come her children,' cried the shaman. 'Block all the holesStop all the holes so that they may not enter, for they are very angry.' But though the holes were blocked, there were cracks in the boards. The birds flew in through the cracks until the house was full of them. The noise was deafening.But though the holes were stopped, there were cracks in the boards, and the birds flew in through the cracks till the house became full of them, and the noise was deafening. They flew round and round among the people, and anyone they touched receivedwhosoever they touched received a cut or a bruise. Suddenly—no one knew how—they all vanished, and not a bird was left in the room except the one whose wings were tiednot a bird was left in the room save the one which was tied.

Hours had passed since the shaman first came to the house, and it was now morning. The canary never stopped making a noise throughout that timeThe canary never ceased making a noise all that time, and at last the shaman said:

'She wants to go to the place where she has put the food and the locks of hair with which she is bewitching the chief and his daughter. Untie her wings and let her do as she wisheslet her do as she will, but be careful to follow her.' So they untied her wings. The canary flew out of the house, followed by four men. She hopped ahead of them through the woods along the way she had come.So they untied her wings, and the canary flew out of the house followed by four men, and she hopped ahead of them the way she had come through the woods.

At last she stopped and began scratching at the roots of some bushes until she uncovered a skull.At length she stopped and began scratching at the roots of some bushes till she laid bare a skull. On the top of the skull some leaves, hair, food, and scraps of clothes were carefully arranged in a pattern. She picked up as many of them as she could carry in her beak and flew with them down to the sea, letting the wind scatter them in different directions. She did this until everything had disappeared, including the skull. Then she returned to the house with the four men following her. They found the chief and his daughter completely cured, for as soon as the skull and the other things touched the sea, the two had recovered by magic.This she did till all had disappeared and the skull likewise, and then she returned to the house with the four men following her, and they found the chief and his daughter quite cured, for as soon as the skull and the other things had touched the sea, they recovered by magic.

'Do you hear the noise she is making?' asked the shaman, when the bird had begun to chatter as noisily as before. 'She wants to go away from here, but not to her home, because the other birds will be ashamed of her. The place she wishes to go to is a town called Close-along-the-beach. Therefore, have a canoe prepared at once to take her there.Therefore, let a canoe be got ready at once to take her there.' So the canoe was prepared, and the bird flew into it. They pushed off from the shore and paddled until the bird suddenly began to speak in the strange language which only the shaman could understand.So the canoe was got ready, and the bird flew into it, and they pushed off from the shore, and paddled till the bird suddenly broke out into the strange speech, which no one could understand but the shaman.

'This must be the place,' they said, and paddled towards the beach. The canary flew out of the boat and went very fast down to the shore. A man followed to see where she was going. She stopped at a tree whose roots stuck out above the ground.'This must be the place,' they said, and paddled in towards the beach, and the canary flew out of the boat and went very fast down to the shore followed by a man who wished to see where she was going, and she stopped at a tree whose roots stuck out above the ground. For this was the bird-town of Close-along-the-beach.

That is how Native Americans of long agothe ancient IndiansExplanation: “Indians” here refers to Native Americans. The ending presents a traditional account of how people first learnt of witchcraft. first heard of witchcraft.

[ Tlingit Myths and Texts. ]