In a large family of sisters, the eldest catches a husband by fishing him out of the water with a hook. Inspired, the second sister attempts the same but fails due to her wickedness. She later behaves inappropriately towards her brothers-in-law, leading to her family’s disappearance. Left alone, she mourns until a man in a canoe offers to reunite her with her sisters, taking her to a distant village.
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
Transformation: The second sister undergoes an emotional journey from wickedness to remorse, leading to a change in her circumstances.
Family Dynamics: The story explores relationships among the sisters, highlighting themes of jealousy, rivalry, and reconciliation.
Loss and Renewal: The second sister experiences the loss of her family and later finds a form of renewal upon reuniting with her sisters in the distant village.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about Koyukon people
Told by Walter, of Anvik
There was a big family of girls, and the second sister was a wicked little thing. In the summer all these girls made fish-nets, and caught a supply of fish for winter use; and in the winter they made snares. So they kept themselves well supplied with food.
One winter the older sister made a fish-hook, and then she made a hole in the ice and let the hook down into the water. She felt something on the hook, and pulled it up, and found that she had an old wooden bowl. She let it down again, and felt something else, and tried to pull it up, but it was very heavy. So she pulled very hard, and at last she pulled out something tied up in a bag. She opened it, and found that there was somebody inside. She ran up on the bank; but some one overtook her and caught her, and she saw that it was a fine young man.
► Continue reading…
“What are you afraid of?” said he. “I am afraid of you,” said she. “Well,” said he, “let us go down and get my things!” So she went down with him, and she saw that there was a good sled.
Then he got all his things, and they went into the house. And when the girls saw them, they all had a fit of bashfulness; but the second sister spoke, and said, “Where did you get your husband?” “I caught him in the water with a fish-hook,” said she. “I want to get one, too,” said the second sister. Then they all went fishing, and all had good luck but the second sister. She got no husband, because she was not a good girl.
Now, the young men all went hunting deer, and they had good luck; and after the hunt they all went into the kashime. And that bad girl, made eyes at her brothers-in-law; and all her sisters said to her, “Don’t make eyes at your brothers;” but she said, “I don’t care.” After that, she said to her oldest sister, “How did you get your husband?” And she said, “Well, you make a hole in the ice, and let your fish-hook down into the water; and when you get a bite, you pull hard; and if you find a bag on the hook, you must not be afraid, but open it right away.” “I’ll do it,” she said. So she went and made a hole in the ice, and let down her hook; and pretty soon she felt something on it. She tried to pull it up, but it was too heavy. Then she saw that it was a big bag, and she became frightened and ran up to the house; and all her brothers and sisters dove down into the water; and when she went to the house, there was nobody there. So she did nothing but cry all the time; and when it came springtime, she made herself a little house, but still she did nothing but cry all the time.
When it came summer, she saw a man coming in a canoe. “Why are you crying?” said he. “Because I want to see my sisters,” said she. “Well,” said he, “get into my canoe, and I will take you to them.” So she got into his canoe, and he took her about one day’s journey, and they came in sight of a big village; and she went ashore, and there she found the sisters that she loved.
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Dreamtime Whispers 