An old man named Wonyoni lives with his three sons. Despite their father’s warnings, the two older sons visit their malevolent uncle and are killed. The youngest escapes and informs Wonyoni. Seeking revenge, Wonyoni confronts his brother-in-law, who underestimates him due to his small stature. Using cunning and a jawbone weapon, Wonyoni kills the larger man, avenging his sons.
Source:
The Beaver Indians
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 4
New York, 1912
► Themes of the story
Revenge and Justice: Wonyoni seeks retribution for the murder of his sons by confronting and killing his brother-in-law.
Cunning and Deception: Wonyoni uses his intelligence and strategic thinking to overcome his physically stronger brother-in-law.
Tragic Flaw: The uncle’s overconfidence and underestimation of Wonyoni lead to his downfall.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Dane-zaa people
There was an old man who raised his children by themselves. When the boys were grown up one of them said, “Father, do you know of any people living close by?” The father replied, “No, my son, I do not know of any people living close by except your uncle who lives near, but he has always been a bad man.” “We will visit him,” the boys said. “Do not do it; you will not live if you do,” said the father. “We will visit our uncle any way; it is hard for us to live by ourselves,” the boys replied. “Well, go then,” the father said. Addressing the youngest boy he asked him what supernatural help he had. “My dream was of newly fallen snow that does not pack,” the youngest replied. When the two older boys started the youngest one told his father that he too would go.
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“Well,” replied his father, “your uncle is bad. If your brothers go into the house, you stay outside and play.”
The boys started to make the visit. The two older ones came to their uncle who recognized them. “They are my nephews. Quick, give them something to eat,” he said. His wife gave them some bear grease by means of which he killed them. He killed the two boys but the youngest ran away. He came where he had left his snowshoes, put them on, and made his escape.
When he came to his father he said, “Father, he killed my two brothers.” The father was little disturbed and slept as usual. The old man was undersized and his name was Wonyoni which means “smart.” “I will pay my brother-in-law a visit tomorrow morning,” he said.
He went where the camp had been but found his brother-in-law had moved away. The bodies of his sons were lying there. The camp had been moved across the lake. Wonyoni started to cross on the ice and saw his brother-in-law walking by the lake. “Do not come this way,” the brother-in-law called, “you are in pitiful condition.” [This remark probably refers to the usual seclusion of those who have recently suffered the loss of near relatives, which the murderer was trying to enforce.]
They say he was a large man. “Brother-in-law, why do you speak as any other man might? Do I visit you for nothing that you say that.” Wonyoni said. “Don’t you come here, nevertheless; you are pitiful,” he replied, but the old man paid no attention to him. He walked on until he came near him. “You are coming to me because I killed your children. You begin the fight,” he said to Wonyoni, who replied, “I am in pitiful condition as you say. What am I able to do to you?” “You begin the fight anyway,” he said again. “Fix yourself,” Wonyoni said.
The large man had a buffalo rawhide and Wonyoni had beaver skins of the same sort. The latter had a jawbone for a weapon and the former the backbone of a buffalo. [The buffalo skins and the beaver skins were to give supernatural help as well as real protection] Wonyoni made a feint at the head of the other man who thinking he was to be hit in the head raised his buffalo hide. Wonyoni striking under this, broke his legs and killed him. Although he was a small man he was a formidable one they say.
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