In a Tlingit village, a destitute young man befriended a toad. One night, a woman led him to the Toad people’s dwelling, where he married the Toad chief’s daughter. The chief gifted him wealth and a large canoe. Returning home, the man rebuilt his uncle’s house and hosted a grand potlatch. Thereafter, his descendants adopted the Toad as their crest.
Source:
Tahltan Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.32, No.124, pp.198-250
April-June, 1917
Vol.34, No.133, pp.223-253
July-September, 1921
Vol.34, No.134, pp.335-356
October-December, 1921
► Themes of the story
Sacred Objects: The large canoe and the wealth given by the Toad chief can be seen as sacred gifts that facilitate the young man’s transformation.
Cultural Heroes: The young man becomes a foundational figure for his descendants, establishing the Toad crest within his clan.
Moral Lessons: The narrative teaches that kindness and openness to the unknown can lead to unexpected rewards and the elevation of one’s status.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Tahltan people
Raven phratry of the Tahltan. There is also a Katce’de clan of the Tahltan, descendants of people who went to the coast, lived there for a time, and then came back again. It seems that these people claim relationship with the Ki’ksede and Ka’tcede clans of the Tlingit, who have the Toad as a crest.
At one time there was a young man in the Tlingit country who was very poor and lived with his mother. His father was still alive. His uncle’s house was rotten and almost falling down, but he was so poor that he had no means of having it rebuilt. He had no friends. He was very sorry because of his poverty, and cried much. One day he saw a little toad, which came and played with him. That night about midnight, when he was asleep, a woman came to his bed and told him to get up. He awoke, and she asked him to come out. He went out with her, not knowing where he was going. At last they came to the door of a strange house, and entered. This was the dwelling of the Toads. Little-Toad came in, for these people were her relatives. The lad was asked quam ob rem cum matertera sua luderet, and then the people tied him up by the legs. Little-Toad said, “That man will be killed when uncle comes home.” Then they heard the sound of a canoe coming; and some said, “Uncle is coming.” He was the Toad chief. The man came in and sat down in his place. He saw the lad hanging by the legs. He asked the people, “Why is that man hanging by the legs?” The Toad mother answered, “Cum puella lusit.” There were many Toad people there. The chief asked the people, “What is this man?” and they answered, “He is a Wolf.” The chief then asked the lad himself what he was; and he answered, “Wolf.”
► Continue reading…
The chief said, “Well, we marry Wolves; there is nothing wrong about that.” He took the lad down, and made him sit down in a good, clean place. Then he brought the little Toad girl and seated her alongside the lad, saying, “Now you are married.” Now he brought a great pile of property of all kinds, and placed it beside them as a present. The lad thought, “How am I going to transport all these things?” The Toad chief heard his thoughts, and therefore gave him a very large canoe. He said, “I know you have been sorrowful for a long time about your uncle’s house. Now you can manage to build a house.” He went off with his wife and the property in the canoe, and reached his own place. He had a great amount of wealth now, and gave a great potlatch, and rebuilt his uncle’s house. The people asked his wife what she was; and she answered, “Ka’tcede.” After this her descendants had the crest of the Toad, and used it.
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