Young Tcikapis, orphaned by the murderous Katci’tos, embarks on a quest to avenge his parents’ death, proving his skill by shattering a jackpine and slaying the beast. Gifted with shape-shifting powers, he braves astonishing trials—outwitting a giant fish, giant beaver hunters, and a cannibal mother—before ascending a magical tree to trap the sun, thus explaining day and night, and finally bringing his family into the sky to live.
Source:
Notes on the Eastern Cree
and Northern Saulteaux
by Alanson Skinner
The American Museum
of Natural History
Anthropological Papers
Volume IX, Part 1
New York, 1911
► Themes of the story
Hero’s Journey: Tcikapis undertakes a series of transformative trials, growing from an avenger of his slain parents into a powerful, clever hero.
Transformation: He wields the magical ability to change his size at will and even causes a tree to grow into the sky.
Origin of Things: By ensnaring the sun and creating alternating light and darkness, the tale explains the natural phenomenon of day and night.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Cree people
Rupert’s House version
Narrated by Joe Iserhoff.
Once there was a young boy named Tcikapis who lived alone with his sister. Their mother and father had been slain by an animal called “Katci’tos” before the boy could remember. One day, when he grew old enough to go out hunting he asked his sister what color the hair of his parents had been. She replied, “Our father was dark, and our mother was light.” He took his bow and arrows and went out singing a song, the gist of which was that he would like to meet the animal that killed his father and mother. The bear appeared, “Are you looking for me?” he asked. “Do you eat people,” asked Tcikapis, “when you meet them?” “Oh no,” said the bear, “I run away.” “Then I don’t want you,” said Tcikapis. Other animals came and answered his questions in the same manner. At last came the “Katci’tos.” “Are you looking for me?” he asked. “Do you eat people?” asked Tcikapis. “Yes,” answered the animal. “How strong are you?” asked Tcikapis. “As strong as that Jackpine,” said the animal pointing to a tree.
► Continue reading…
Tcikapis turned around and fired his arrow at the tree to try his strength. He shivered it to splinters. This frightened the animal who started to run away. Tcikapis hastened and picked up his arrow. The animal was out of sight, but Tcikapis fired where it had disappeared. He ran to the spot and found it dead, split from head to tail by his arrow. In its belly he found the hair of his father and mother which he recognized by its color. He took it home to his sister.
One day Tcikapis told his sister to set some hooks for fish. She did so. Then Tcikapis took his bow, turned up, and got into it like a canoe, for he had the power to make himself very small or as large as a normal man. He went sailing along when up came a great fish. The fish was about to swallow Tcikapis, canoe and all, when he said, “Swallow me whole, don’t bite me.” The fish did so and went away. Tcikapis looked from the fish’s stomach out of his mouth and saw the hook his sister had set. “What is that over there?” he said to the fish. The fish went to see and took the bait. Later Tcikapis’ sister pulled in the line and caught the fish. When she gutted it, out stepped Tcikapis. His sister scolded him for this but he only laughed.
One time during the winter, Tcikapis heard someone out on the ice, chiseling beaver. He said to his sister, “I am going out to help those people catch beaver.” “Do not go,” said his sister, “they are Big Fellows’ (giants) and they are catching big beaver and they will get you to take hold of a beaver’s tail and you will only be pulled in so they will laugh at you.” “Never fear,” said Tcikapis, “I am going.”
Tcikapis made himself very small and went out to the river. The “Big Fellows” laughed at him and asked him to take hold of a beaver’s tail and pull it out, because they expected to see him pulled in so that they could laugh at him. Tcikapis took hold of a beaver’s tail and pulled it out without difficulty. He threw it over his shoulder and walked away to his lodge. When the “Big Fellows” saw this, they shouted, “Here, bring back our beaver,” Tcikapis replied, “It is my beaver, I caught it.”
When he reached home, his sister was frightened and said, “Tonight the Big Fellows’ will come and kill us.” Tcikapis only laughed and said, “I am not afraid of them.” That night he changed his wigwam into stone. The “Big Fellows” came and tried to break it in, but it was solid rock and Tcikapis only laughed at them.
One day Tcikapis heard some girls scraping skin. He said to his sister, “I am going to see those girls.” His sister said, “Do not do so, their mother eats people.” But Tcikapis was not afraid and went over where the girls were. There were two of them.
He began to make love to them, and very soon the old woman heard them talking and laughing. She came up, and Tcikapis said to the girls, “Do you mind if I kill your mother?” The girls said, “No,” for she killed all B their lovers. Tcikapis replied, “When she goes to cook me, tell her to sit close to the pot if she likes to see the grease come up.”
Tcikapis had a bladder full of grease under his coat, and when the old woman threw him in the pot he let it bubble up. It began to boil soon. After a time, the girls said, “Mother, if you like to see the grease come up, sit closer to the pot.” She did so, and Tcikapis leaped out and scalded her to death. Then Tcikapis went home and brought the girls with him. “Here are two girls, sister,” he said, “to keep you company so that you will not be lonely any more.” “What mischief have you been up to now? “ said his sister. “Nothing,” said Tcikapis, “I have only killed the old woman and the girls said that they were willing I should do it.”
Tcikapis climbed up a tree one day. When he got on the top of the tree he began to blow on it, and it began to grow. It grew until it reached the sky. Tcikapis got off, and there he found a beautiful path. (It was the road the sun traveled across the heavens every day.) Tcikapis wondered what made this fine path, so he lay down to wait. Presently, the sun came along. “Get out of my way,” said the sun to Tcikapis. “Come on, and step over me,” said Tcikapis rudely.
The sun refused, but after some argument, finding Tcikapis would not move, he came and stepped over him. It was so hot that it burned Tcikapis, caribou skin coat. This made Tcikapis very angry and be determined to be revenged so he set a snare for the sun. Next day, when the sun came along its path it was caught in the snare, and struggled to get loose. When it struggled there were great flashes of light and dark or day and night. This, of course, would not do, so Tcikapis tried to let the sun loose, but it was so hot that it burned him when he went near it. At length, Tcikapis persuaded the shrew who has a very long nose, to gnaw it loose.
After this, Tcikapis decided to go up above to live. He descended and got his two wives and his sister. They all climbed into the tree, and Tcikapis, began to blow on it. The tree grew higher and higher, so high that his sister and his two wives grew dizzy and they would fall off, but every time they fell off Tcikapis would catch them and put them back again.
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Dreamtime Whispers 