The jackfish that became a man

Source: 
Chipewyan Texts
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 1
New York, 1912

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► Themes of the story

Transformation: The jackfish undergoes a significant change, first growing into a large fish and then transforming into a human being.

Mythical Creatures: The tale features a creature that exists beyond the ordinary realm—a fish that becomes a human.

Ancestral Spirits: The man’s origin from a fish and his recounting of his story through songs may suggest a connection to ancestral or spiritual elements within the culture.

► From the same Region or People

• North America
  • Sub-Arctic Region
    • Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

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This was given as a “story.” The interpreter, Ennou, insisted that it was only a story, but the relator immediately explained that it was ceremonial as the context plainly shows it to be. The objects used were small pieces of the fat from the tail of an otter, piece of moose tongue, tissue from the inside of bear’s tongue, “stone” from the head of a fish, tooth of a weasel, silk thread and beaver scent. These are tied to the hook as a charm.

A large eagle caught a jackfish and was carrying it to a tree. It fell into the middle of the lake and lived there until it grew to be a big fish. Finally, it was caught in a net. A girl, while eating it, suddenly stopped. She had a child on which there were fish scales. Her father started to throw it away but relented and gave the girl permission to raise it. When the child became a man, he used to tell his story in songs. “When I was a small jackfish I stuck my nose in the grass by the shore. An eagle took me up suddenly and started with me toward his nest. I fell back into the middle of the lake and became a large jackfish. Once, when swimming through the narrows, I thought I smelled something. As I swam around I thought I saw a small fish and bit him. I broke the fish line but could not eat because the hook was in my throat. Soon after, while swimming through the narrows, I thought I saw some algae but it was a net and I was caught. ‘It is only a poor jackfish, just skin and bones,’ he said of me and threw me by the shore. As I lay there I thought to myself, ‘I wish a young girl who is pregnant would roast my tail.’ Soon a nearly grown girl came there. ‘I am going to roast that jackfish’s tail,’ I heard her say. She began to eat me, but as she was swallowing the last bit, I caused her belly to shake. She caught her breath and stopped chewing. I became a person.” This is what he told by means of songs in the sweat lodges. They found out from him what kind of a person he was. Long ago, a man used to know something like this.