A Wintu Legend
Long ago some women gathered, put a blanket on the ground, and laid down on top of them. They made their leader, the chief's daughter, lie in the middle; they sang the most beautiful songs.
The chief's daughter was the best singer out of all the village. Many people gathered to watch her. Among these people were some that wanted to abduct her; but they couldn't get close, for she had many people watching out for her. The people that wanted to abduct her were from somewhere else.
The chief was thought very well of, he had many sons who were good people. He helped everyone. When he hired a worker he always paid them well. He was rich, so his daughter was rich.
The women sang for hours, and stopped when midnight came. They packed up their things and the others were still watching, and others that were watching those who were watching the chief's daughter.
When the chief's daughter went to pick up a clover, all of the women followed her, and also picked up a clover. The chief's daughter got bitten by a rattlesnake,and they took her home. She died before many days had passed. The rattlesnake had killed her. The buried their daughter in elk hide with her all of her belongings. She took many beads, clam shells, and things with her. They gathered everything, wrapped her up in elk hide and buried her. She took much with her; and that is because they would never see their daughter again.
Her mother, the chief's wife, grieved the loss of her daughter. She may many sticks, packed them, and went out. She went west to a snake den called Snake Rock. There she dug for rattlesnakes and killed those she saw coming out, with a long green stick. She also had a short stick with her.
She killed off all the rattlesnakes that came out and strung, and tied them on a trimmed sharp stick. She dug up their rocky nest, and killed many rattle snakes that were in the den. She killed forty rattlesnakes, and couldn't find anymore. So, she leveled the den, and wiped them out. Their dens stink terribly, but the woman who had lost her daughter did not give up looking for the rattlesnakes.
She found some, she killed them and strung them up. She looked everywhere and did not give up. For five years she did not forget to kill rattlesnakes, and there were no more rattlesnakes nearby, she had killed them all. She had lost her daughter and did not want to stop.
She went all other the mountains, steep hills, and rock piles, looking for rattlesnakes. When she saw a rattlesnake she killed it, but when she saw a king, water, bull, or anyother kind of snake besides rattlesnakes she did not kill them. After that five year period she did not hunt rattlesnakes anymore.
