A young man, struggling as an unsuccessful hunter, defies his mother’s advice and discovers a sinister figure intending to feast on him. Pretending to be dead, he endures pain to maintain his ruse before escaping with a magical sinew rope. This artifact brings him exceptional hunting success, transforming him into a celebrated provider and symbolizing resilience and the rewards of courage.
Source
Eskimo and Aleut Stories from Alaska
collected by F.A. Golder
The Journal of American Folklore
Vol. 22, No. 83, Jan. – Mar., 1909
► Themes of the story
Transformation: The protagonist evolves from an unsuccessful hunter to a renowned provider, symbolizing personal growth and change.
Cunning and Deception: The young man uses cleverness to feign death and escape from the sinister figure, highlighting the use of wit to overcome danger.
Sacred Objects: The sinew rope serves as a magical artifact that brings the protagonist success, emphasizing the significance of powerful objects in myths.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Aleut people
Kadiak story
There were a great many successful hunters in a certain village; but one there was who had never killed anything, and he and his parents lived off the game secured by others. This humiliated the young man very much. He asked his mother why he in particular was so unfortunate, and what he ought to do to have better luck.
His mother advised him to go to the point of the cape and look about, but under no circumstances to go farther. He set out, and, when reaching the designated spot without seeing anything of note, he decided to go on until something happened. Towards evening he came to a beach, and in the sand he detected fresh human footsteps.
► Continue reading…
After pulling up his boat on the kelp, he threw himself alongside of it, giving the impression of having been thrown up by the waves. He lay there a short time when he heard footsteps followed by a voice saying, “Ha, ha, here is another one! “The young man was carefully examined by the new-comer to make sure that he was dead; then tying a sinew rope about the body, the person swung him on his shoulders and walked off. On the way they passed through alder-bushes; and when a good opportunity offered itself, the young man reached out and gave a strong pull at a bush, almost upsetting the bearer, who called out, “Who is pulling me?”
When they reached a barabara, the young man was conscious of a woman and several children gathered about him in the expectation of a feast. The baby coaxed so much for a piece of meat that the father told the mother to cut off a toe for the child. Painful as the operation was, the young man did not in the least betray his feelings. The man had started a big fire and was sharpening the knives, when his attention was drawn to the choking baby, who had attempted to swallow the toe but could not. While the whole family was assisting the baby, the young man decided it was about time to escape. So he made a dash for the outside, and ran as fast as he could to the beach for the boat. He had barely time to get in it and push out, when the other man came up and said, “Give me back my sinew rope, and I will give you something also.”
The young man, however, refused to have any dealings with him, and pulled away, taking the rope with him. On the way home he killed much game; and as long as he retained the rope he was successful, and in time became a renowned hunter.
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