An elderly chief with two wives struggled to provide food during a harsh winter. Suspecting his wives were mistreating him, he discovered they had left him for another man. Determined, the chief tracked them down and challenged their new husband to a wrestling match. Proving his superior strength, he defeated the rival and reclaimed his wives.
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
Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on the complex relationships within a family, highlighting issues of loyalty and betrayal between the husband and his wives.
Trials and Tribulations: The protagonist faces significant challenges, including abandonment and the struggle to reclaim his family, which he overcomes through personal effort.
Revenge and Justice: The old man seeks to restore his honor and rightful place by confronting and defeating the man who took his wives, serving as a form of personal justice.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Dane-zaa people
There was an old man who was highly respected and the chief of his band. He had two wives. They were starving, for although he was trying to secure beaver he did not succeed in killing any. He thought the women were starving but wondered at the way they were treating him. Occasionally he killed a small beaver. He would give it to the women and ask them to cook it for him. “Take it up away from the water,” he would tell them. They would leave only the shoulder of the beaver for him. The old man ate only that. “I think they are trying to starve me,” he said to himself. Wondering what they were planning to do, he went to bed. In the morning the two women got up. “Get up,” they told the old man, “what is the matter? You never acted this way before.”
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The two women went off and left him. The old man pretended he was trying hard to get up. “They are alive all right I guess but mean,” he said to himself.
He remained there all winter alone. When the snow was all melted he started off in the direction the women had gone. They had both married the same man. The man they had married was also a strong man. “I will go and see my wives’ other husband,” the old man said.
His rival was not far away. He came to him and they began to wrestle. The man who had taken the women away was thrown down for the other man was the stronger. They say the first man was called, “Strong Man.” The other one was strong. He left the man saying, “You wanted them; marry them.” He went off and began to chisel for beaver with a moose horn. This happened before there were any white people.
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