Raven, in human form, discovers and consumes fish from others’ nets. He encounters a beautiful woman gathering berries and insists she accompany him to her house. She reluctantly agrees, but when Raven attempts to impress her with a dance, she transforms into a squirrel and escapes. Angered, she throws hot ashes into Raven’s eyes, turning them white.
Source:
Ten’a Texts and Tales
(from Anvik, Alaska)
by John W. Chapman
The American Ethnological Society
Publications, Volume 6 (ed. Franz Boas)
E.J. Brill, Leyden, 1914
► Themes of the story
Trickster: Raven embodies the trickster archetype, using cunning to take fish and attempting to coerce the woman.
Cunning and Deception: The woman deceives Raven by pretending to comply with his wishes, only to trick him and escape.
Moral Lessons: The story imparts a lesson about the consequences of greed and unwelcome advances, as Raven’s actions lead to his own suffering.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about Koyukon people
When the raven was a man, he was paddling along past a mountain, and became hungry. He paddled along, and came to a stake set at the edge of the water, and examined it. There was a fish-net tied to it, and the net was full of fish.
So he put them into his canoe, and stowed them at his back and in front of him also. Those in front of him he ate raw, until he was satisfied. “A-ha-ha!” thinks he, “I am filled. Thanks, I am filled.” And he takes his paddle, and is off again. He paddled all day, and again he saw another stake set up. He paddled up to it, and there was another fish-net tied. This one, too, he examined. Surely enough, it was full of fish.
► Continue reading…
Taking these, he put them into his canoe, at his back and in front of him also; and part of those that were in front of him he ate raw. “A-ha-ha!” thought he, “thanks, I am filled.” Then he looked about, and upward also, and saw a house, — a fine house. Outside the house were dried whitefish hanging. So he went into the house. There was no one there. Inside the house also there were dried whitefish. On the side nearest him were some fine, new, squirrel-skin parkas, women’s parkas, — and beautiful mats and work-bags. “Where can she be?” he thought. He went back again, and stood looking out of the doorway. He kept on looking, and saw a path leading up upon the mountain. So there he swaggered along, and went rushing up. He climbed up to the top and looked around. There were many berries there, and beside the path there were birchbark bowls with berries in them. This way and that he ran, looking for whoever was there. Suddenly he saw a beautiful woman picking berries. He went to her and took her by the shoulder. “Come along,” said he, “let us go to your house!” but she was unwilling. “No,” said she, “it is the time for me to be picking berries. By and by I will think about it,” said she. But he kept hold of her shoulder. “Come along!” said he. At length she grew angry. “What a rascal!” said she. “Go along down to my house by yourself!” Angrily the woman said, “Go along down to my house with me, then!” She tied her berries into a pack, and the Raven and the woman also started to carry them away. When they reached the house, the woman said, “Come, untie it and put it down! I will dance for you,” said she. And the woman sang,
Ikna’, ikna’, a’kcaito.
Ikna’, ikna’, a’kcaito.
Akca’ tcugu’n hugu’,
Unnu’ ya vwuga’n he.
m m m!
Now, then, it is your turn,” she said. “I should like to see you.” “Yes,” said he. He jumped up and down. He sang,
Tliki’n gaka’hl, tlik, tlik, tlikim gakajl,
Tliki’n gaka’hl, tlik, tlik.
“Your song is good for nothing,” said she. “Shut your eyes! Ctiq!” said she, and she scampered down between his legs in the form of a squirrel. She went into her house, and the door closed by magic. The Raven climbed up to the roof at the smoke-hole, and looked down. The woman was angry, and threw hot ashes into his eyes with a ladle, and they turned white.
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Dreamtime Whispers 