Beaver and Muskrat

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

Origin of Things: The physical change resulting from the exchange of tails and hands between Beaver and Muskrat.

Trickster: Beaver employs cunning to persuade Muskrat into the exchange, leading to Muskrat’s disadvantage.

Family Dynamics: The story explores the relationship and ensuing conflict between the two brother figures.

► From the same Region or People

• North America
  • Sub-Arctic Region
    • Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

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Beaver and Muskrat were brothers living together by a lake. The oldest could swim very fast. Beaver said to Muskrat, the older brother, “Lend me your tail; I want to try it.” “No, I will not lend it to you, for any length of time,” Muskrat replied. “Well then, we will exchange tails for a short time,” Beaver said.

Muskrat gave Beaver his tail with which he was able to swim fast. After Beaver had swam around for a while Muskrat suggested that they exchange hands. “First put my tail on me again,” Beaver said. He put it back in the proper position but Beaver put Muskrat’s tail on edgewise. Since then he has not been able to swim fast. He became angry toward his young brother. He has been mean tempered ever since, and that is why he is called bedjede dzen — “mean muskrat.”