In a time of famine, a woman discovers a bear and secretly hides its meat, even from her starving husband. Unaware, he returns to find only bear fat and becomes fearful. Despite their children’s hunger, she conceals the bear, leading to tension. Eventually, they begin catching fish, sustaining the group until spring. This tale highlights themes of secrecy and survival among the Dane-zaa people.
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
Cunning and Deception: The woman secretly hides the bear meat from her husband and the rest of the starving group, deceiving them about the available resources.
Family Dynamics: The narrative explores the relationship between the woman and her husband, highlighting issues of trust and survival within the family unit.
Loss and Renewal: The community experiences a period of deprivation followed by a renewal of fortune when they begin to catch fish, illustrating the cyclical nature of hardship and relief.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Dane-zaa people
Once a band of Indians were traveling about starving. There was one man who was a poor hunter and no one fed him. Then the man’s wife found a bear and hid it from the others. The man did not know about it either. He had been some distance ahead and returned to find his wife gone. He wondered what was the matter and turned back to look for her. When he came back close he stood listening, for he feared the Cree were about. He heard his children asking for fat. “Why do the children say that?” he said to himself. When he came home nothing but bear fat was to be seen. He was frightened. The woman was hiding it. “Since you have hidden it for a short time, you must continue to hide well,” he said.
► Continue reading…
They were with the people and had eaten up a bear without their knowing it. They had not secured fish and the children were about to die of starvation, yet she had hidden the bear. The woman was not feeding that man. They had been many places for fish, but they had not killed any when suddenly they began to kill fish. He lived well with the people. They all lived until the snow melted.
Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page
Dreamtime Whispers 