An entire band is killed by the Cree

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

War and Peace: The narrative centers on a violent conflict between two groups, the Beaver and the Cree, resulting in the complete annihilation of the Beaver band.

Tragic Flaw: The encounter suggests a possible lack of preparedness or misjudgment on the part of the Beaver, leading to their ultimate demise.

Community and Isolation: The story reflects on the fate of a community facing isolation and the devastating consequences of their encounter with a more powerful adversary.

► From the same Region or People

• North America
  • Sub-Arctic Region
    • Dane-zaa Lore

Learn more about the Dane-zaa people

---

A band of Indians were traveling in a starving condition. They were hastening frantically towards a fish lake. “We shall get there tomorrow,” they were saying. They came to the lake the next evening only to find the Cree there. When they came to an open place each party saw the other. There was nothing they could do so they began to kill each other. There were many of the Cree and they were stronger than the Beaver. The Beaver were not able to kill a single one of the Cree but were themselves killed to a man. Then the women and children came along behind and the Cree killed them all. They were slaughtered to the last one.