A man marries a young girl undergoing traditional training, marked by wearing a large-hooded robe. While relocating their camp, the girl is enchanted by an owl’s nest, climbs a tree, and transforms into an owl herself. Her mother attempts to deceive the son-in-law by wearing the girl’s robe, but he uncovers the truth. Efforts to retrieve his wife fail, emphasizing the cultural belief that adolescent girls should avoid looking upward to prevent such enchantments.
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
Magic and Enchantment: The story imparts a lesson on the cultural expectations and taboos for adolescent girls.
Family Dynamics: The interactions between the girl, her mother, and her husband highlight complex familial relationships.
Cunning and Deception: The mother’s attempt to deceive her son-in-law by disguising herself as her daughter showcases themes of deceit.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about Tahltan people
Once a man married a young girl who had not finished her training, and still wore the robe with large hood used by girls at this period. Her mother lived with them. The man was a good hunter, and always brought home plenty of meat. He brought home the paunch of a caribou for his wife to eat, for, being adolescent, she did not eat meat. That evening he said to his wife and mother-in-law, “We will move camp tomorrow. You women will carry everything over there; and I shall go hunting, and join you at night.” The following morning the women started with their loads, and on their way passed a tree where the owl lived. The mother said, “Oh, there is an owl’s nest in this tree!” The girl looked up, and at once had a strong desire to go there. The owl’s influence had come over her. She said, “I will climb up to see it.” While she was doing so, she began to hoot, and went into the nest, where she disappeared.
► Continue reading…
When her mother called her, she looked down, and said, “I shall eat you.” Her mother noticed that her daughter’s face already looked like that of an owl. Her clothes had dropped off on her way up the tree. Her mother now picked them up and put them on, intending to deceive her son-in-law. She hid her face with the hood. The man came home. He mistook the old woman for his wife, and asked her where her mother was. The woman answered, “She has gone out.” The man gave her a paunch to cook and eat. As the old woman had very few teeth, she put charcoal in her mouth along with the food to make a crunching-noise. She thought the sound was exactly like that of some one chewing: so she said to her son-in-law, “Don’t you think I chew well? Listen to me.” He was made suspicious by this question, and thought the sound was different from that of some one chewing. He pulled back the hood, and discovered that she was his mother-in-law. He asked her where his wife was; and she answered, “On a big tree. She has turned into an owl.” Her husband went to the tree and called his wife. She flew down repeatedly close to her husband’s head, saying, “I shall take my husband’s hair.” He tried to catch her, but in vain. The owl took the girl because she looked up. An adolescent girl should only look along the ground.
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