A young girl, denied food by her parents, is lured outside by an owl mimicking her grandmother’s voice. The owl abducts her to its tree lodge, feeding her live ants. The villagers’ mourning rituals intrigue the owl, leading it to ask the girl about them. Seizing the opportunity, the girl deceives and kills the owl, then escapes home. Upon warming by the fire, ants emerge from her body, and she dies.
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
Supernatural Beings: The owl in the story is portrayed with anthropomorphic qualities, capable of mimicking human speech and abducting the girl, indicating its supernatural nature.
Cunning and Deception: The owl deceives the girl by imitating her grandmother’s voice, luring her outside to facilitate the abduction.
Family Dynamics: The narrative highlights the relationships within the girl’s family, including her interactions with her parents and sister, and their reactions to her disappearance and return.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about Tahltan people
Once a number of people who were living at a salmon creek engaged in putting up fish for winter use. In one house lived a girl with her parents and sister. Her grandmother lived near by in another lodge. The girl had been playing in her grandmother’s lodge, and came home late, after her parents had gone to bed. She asked them for something to eat; but her parents did not want to get up, and told her to wait until the next morning. The girl cried and cried. Suddenly they heard some one speak outside with a voice like that of the grandmother, saying, “Come here! I’ll give you a piece of salmon.” The mother told the girl to go; but it was dark outside, and she was afraid. She continued to cry, and her mother urged her to go. She went out, and came back, saying, “That woman is not my grandmother.” Her mother said, “Surely it is she.” She went out again, and Owl took her. She screamed, and her parents got up. All the people searched for the girl.
► Continue reading…
They followed her to the foot of a mountain, in which she disappeared. Her cries became fainter and fainter, and finally ceased altogether. Owl took her through the mountain to her lodge, which was in a hollow tree on the other side. The people dug into the mountain, but gave it up when they heard cries far away on the other side. They returned home and sang a dirge, accompanying it with beats of a long staff. Owl heard the noise, and said, “Let us go and see what the people are doing!” Owl went, and perched with the girl on the roof of one of the lodges, and watched. Owl asked, “Why are they singing?” and the girl answered, “Because they are sorry.” Owl said, “That is funny.” The people kept up the ceremony for several nights, and Owl watched each night. She thought it was nice, and asked the girl, “How do they do it? Do they hold the pole and bring one end down on their heads?” Owl thought this, because to her everything looked upside down. The girl answered, “Yes,” and Owl said she would like to try it. The girl said, “Very well. Let me help you!” When they came home, the girl made a long pole, sharpened one end, and put a heavy flat stone on the other. She stood above Owl, who was standing up straight. She put the sharp end of the stick on Owl’s head just where the skull was weakest. She pushed the stick and drove it in with the stone. Owl tried to pull the stick out, but did not succeed. When dying, she tore holes in the tree with her hands. The girl left, and returned to her people. She was weak, for Owl had fed her on live ants, telling her to swallow them without chewing. At last she reached the place where the people drew water, and sat down. Her sister came, and recognized her. When she told her parents that her sister had returned, the mother would not believe it. She said, “Don’t speak of her! Long ago Owl took her.” The girl returned, and told her sister that their parents would not believe her. Then the returned girl took off part of the fringe of her marten robe and sent it to her mother. She recognized it, and came out at once and took her in. She told her story. There was a good fire in the camp; and when the girl became warm, the ants stirred in her belly, and came out through her mouth, nose, ears, and even her eyes, and every opening in her body. Then she died.
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