A fisherman and his wife catch an unfamiliar fish, which they prepare and dry. When the wife washes her hands in the sea, Killer-Whales seize her in revenge. The fisherman seeks help from the Fish chief, who sends Shark to assist. Shark creates a distraction, enabling the couple’s escape. As they flee, Shark battles the pursuing Killer-Whales, allowing the couple to return home safely.
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
Underworld Journey: The fisherman’s journey to the underwater realm to rescue his wife.
Revenge and Justice: The Killer-Whales’ act of abducting the fisherman’s wife as retribution for killing their companion.
Cunning and Deception: Shark’s clever tactics to create a distraction and facilitate the rescue.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about Tahltan people
A man was out fishing and drying halibut, and his wife helped him. One day he felt something very heavy on his hook, and could not pull it up. He tied the line to the thwart of the canoe, and paddled ashore. With much trouble he managed to land the fish on the beach. He called on his wife to kill it quickly, and she despatched it with her knife. She cut it up and hung it up to dry, as is done with halibut. They did not know what kind of a fish it was. It was quite strange to them, but they thought it might be good food. When the woman had finished her work, she went to the edge of the water to wash her hands. As soon as she put her hands into the water, something seized them and pulled her underneath the sea. She had been taken by the Killer-Whales, who had come to have revenge on the man for killing their friend. The man followed the trail of his wife and her captors under the sea.
► Continue reading…
He came to the house of the Fish chief, and asked him if he knew where his wife was. The chief said, “Yes, the Killer-Whales have taken her to be their slave.” The man asked the chief if any fish of his company would care to help him get back his wife. The chief asked the fishes if any of them would volunteer, and Shark said he would go. Shark went ahead to Killer-Whale’s house, and hid the man outside the door. He went in, and saw that the Killer-Whales were about to eat their evening meal. Their chief said, “Make the fire blaze, that we may see well!” Shark was standing next to the fire. He jumped up quickly and put much wood on the fire, so that it blazed up. The chief then said, “Some one fetch water!” Shark seized the buckets and ran out to draw water. As he came in and was passing the fire, he stumbled purposely, and upset the buckets in the fire, thus causing a dense cloud of ashes and steam to arise. Quickly he caught up the woman, pushed her out into the arms of her husband, who was waiting, and followed them. Shark kept in the rear, and said to the man, “Keep a-going! If they overtake us, I shall fight them,” When the man and woman were nearly home, they looked back, and saw a severe fight in progress. Shark was fighting all the Killer-Whales, biting them with his sharp teeth, and tearing them with his rough skin.
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