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Three Birds scream to frighten the Ghosts

The Southern Mewuk of the Chowchilla region say:

After a person dies his Hoo'-ne or Ghost sets out toward the ocean. On the way it has to cross a broad river on a log. While it is crossing on this log, three birds scream to frighten it—Hek-ek'-ke the Quail, Ha-chah'-we the Barn Owl, and Hah'-jen-nah a small Heron.

If the Ghost is frightened and falls into the river it turns into a fish; but if it keeps on and crosses the log it continues westerly over the ocean and goes to the place where all the Ghosts live together, and never comes back.

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