An old man and his two sons camp by the shore of a frozen lake. While checking his ice-fishing line, the father is ambushed by warriors who seek revenge. Armed with only a sharpened pole and his enchanted fish-hook bag, he strikes down each attacker and even deflects arrows. His sons rush to his aid, killing the remaining foes, and the weary patriarch finally rests.
Source:
Folk-Lore of the Cree Indians
by Fred Swindlehurst
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.18, No.69, pp. 139-143
April-June, 1905
► Themes of the story
Good vs. Evil: The old man and his sons defend themselves against hostile warriors intent on doing them harm.
Revenge and Justice: The warriors seek vengeance for past slights, and the sons restore order by slaying their attackers.
Magic and Enchantment: His fish-hook bag inexplicably protects him by causing enemy arrows to fall harmlessly away.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Cree people
An old man and his two sons were encamped by the side of a large lake. One day the wife of one of his sons saw a number of warriors on the shore of the lake. She called out, as she knew the warriors were waiting for the two young men to return from the hunt. The old man had a fish-hook set through the ice, so he took a small bag and a stick pointed at both ends and went to visit his hooks.
As soon as the strange Indians saw the old man at his hooks, one of their number went to push him under the ice. As the warrior drew near, the old man stabbed him with the sharp stick.
► Continue reading…
His comrades seeing this sent two of their number to kill the old man, but these were killed in the same manner as the first. The whole band then went to obtain revenge. They fired arrows, but these fell harmlessly into the old man’s bag. The sons, hearing that their father was in danger, came up and killed the warriors. The old man was very tired, and glad to get a rest after his exertions.
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