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The Dawn of the World, by C. Hart Merriam, [1910], at sacred-texts.com


p. 214

WHERE THE DUCKS AND GEESE GO TO BREED

The Hookooeko of Tomales Bay say:

The home of Ducks and Geese is far up the coast in the cold country called Kon'-win, the North, which is on the other side of the sky. The way to this country lies between two high hills which continually go apart and come together, forming a sliding gateway which is ever opening and closing--the hills are never still. 21

The name of these sliding hills is Wal-le-kah'-pah.

In spring when the Ducks and Geese go north they pass between the Wal'-le-kah'-pah hills and make their nests and rear their young in the cold Kon'-win country beyond; in fall they come back through the same opening and bring their young with them.


Footnotes

214:21 The gateway in this little story is of course the North Hole in the sky, which is always described as opening and closing with great rapidity, so that only the swiftest personages can shoot through.


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