Category: Cree

Story of a cannibal

When a father hunting beaver is ambushed and killed by the cannibal Djec’actodji’ne’hwan, his young sons witness the threat but are forbidden to speak. Their mother, sensing danger, gathers relatives and follows the ominous fire to find the hunter roasting alive. They set snares, trap the monster, and avenge their kin by killing and burning him. In the end, they recover and bury the father’s body, restoring justice.

Source: 
Some Naskapi Myths 
from Little Whale River 
by Frank G. Speck 
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.28, No.107, pp. 70-77
January-March, 1915

► Themes of the story


Good vs. Evil: The tale centers on the moral struggle between the innocent family and the malevolent cannibal.

Revenge and Justice: The relatives pursue and punish the cannibal to avenge the slain hunter.

Mythical Creatures: The cannibal (“lai’tigo”) functions as a supernatural monster preying on humans.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Naskapi people

From Lake Waswanipi Band of Cree

There was once a man who had two sons, little boys, whom he left in camp when he went off to hunt beaver. He had not been gone long before Djec’actodji’ne’hwan [translated by the narrator, who spoke very little English, as “cap”] came to the camp and saw the little boys. “Where has your father gone?” he asked them. One of them told him that their father had gone to hunt beaver. Then Djec’actodji’ne-‘hwan told them not to tell anybody that he had been there. Said he, “I am going to hunt up your father and kill him tonight. I will build a big fire to cook his beavers. But you must not tell anybody.” And he went away. When night came, the little boys’ mother came and asked them if anybody had been there. “Yes, Djec’actodji’ne’hwan,” they replied. Then she asked them what he had said. And they told her he had said he would kill their father and make a big fire to cook his beavers, and that he had told them not to tell anybody.

► Continue reading…

So the woman got her relatives together, and they set out to hunt for the father. Soon they came to where they could see a big fire; and they saw a big body laid out straight beside the fire, and Djec’actodji’ne’hwan cutting big slices off its side and roasting them in the fire. When they drew nearer, they saw that it was the hunter who was being eaten. Then the mother began crying; but one of the men told her not to cry. He said, “We will kill the cannibal (lai’tigo) who has killed your husband.” And they got snares and set them about. Then Djec’actodji’ne’hwan got caught in the snares, and the men beat him to death with axes. Then they threw him into the fire and burned him all up; and they buried the hunter’s body. One arm was already eaten off.

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

The cannibals

Two cannibals prey upon helpless families by luring them into feasting and slaughtering them, but their scheme backfires when one man conjures a snow shelter to elude capture. Later, two brothers, forewarned by powerful medicine, trick the cannibals into a wrestling match on thin ice and drown them, delivering justice and freeing their people.

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


Good vs. Evil: The clear moral conflict between the evil cannibals and their innocent victims drives the story’s tension.

Revenge and Justice: The starving families ultimately turn the tables and slay the cannibals to avenge past atrocities.

Magic and Enchantment: The first victim’s use of powerful snow and weather conjuring showcases supernatural aid in escaping doom.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Cree people

Albany Cree

Once there was an old man and his son who used to go about killing and eating people. At last, they came to one family who was very poor and was starving. Then the young man said, “Father, I’ll stay here and go off and hunt for the people. We will fatten them up and kill them.” His father said it was well. The young man hunted for three days and all the deer’s meat he got he gave to those people. He stayed with them for a week.

One day, he went off and found his father. He told him he had seen a big tent full of people which he had not entered. His father said, “We will go tomorrow morning to see them.” The young man told the people he was living with that they were to eat heartily and grow fat. “We will come once a week to see you and how you are getting along.”

► Continue reading…

They went away then, the father and son, and camped close to the big tent. They did not approach it until night when everyone was asleep. Then they killed half of the people and ate them. The rest escaped. The two cannibals stayed at the same place. The man they left kept on eating and drying the meat they gave him. Once a week the old cannibal visited him and saw that he and his wife and children were growing fat.

Now the man became afraid. He continued to dry meat as before, but he dug a hole under the snow for he knew that the cannibals were fattening him in order to kill him. The next week, the old man came. “You are getting fat now,” he said. “Next week my son and I will visit you again.” “All night, I’ll be here,” said the man and all that week he collected dry meat and wood and snow to make water. Then he barricaded the door with brush. He took in his drum and sang and thumped all night praying for bad weather. The very first morning a heavy snow-storm fell covering his fort completely. The next night the man conjured again for rain to make a hard crust over the snow. It came, and then he conjured for more snow drifts. Again, the snow fell and he was covered over as hard as a rock where he was hidden. The time for the next visit of the cannibals was now at hand. When they came they could not find him.

The old cannibal dug a hole in the snow to seek them for he knew from his medicine that they must be near by. He could not find them although he and his son were right over their victims. Then the cannibal people left the place and went off in the opposite direction. The Indians stayed in the snow until the spring thaws released them. The cannibals soon found another family where there were two grown-up sons whose medicine was very strong. These two sons knew before the cannibals came that they were approaching and one hid on the river bank and the other m the brush. Sure enough, the two cannibals came in the night along the river. “There are strangers coming,” he called out. At once the cannibal and his son fell on the snow and lay there hidden intending to make an unexpected attack late that night. They were surprised for they did not think anyone was waiting for them. Then the other brother went out and both went to see the two cannibals. They said to the strangers, “You are just in time to help us chisel beaver.” Then the old man said, “I am too old to chisel beaver but my son can go with you, I’ll stay in the tent.” So then the three went to a lake. There were no beaver there at all. They all sat on the edge of the lake.

The youngest brother said, “Let us make a big hole in the ice in the middle of the lake. Then we will have a wrestling match, and whoever gets worsted, will be thrown into the hole and drowned. They had no axes or anything but a sharpened caribou leg bone tied on a stick for a chisel. The two brothers began to chisel and the cannibal sat and looked on. “Make it big, narrow and long, just the length of a man, so that when you throw a man, he’ll just go in,” said he. The two Indians did as they were told. Then the two brothers said slyly to each other, “Who’ll try him first?” “I will,” said the youngest. “You can’t master him,” said the older. “I will try any way,” said the younger. “We are all ready now,” said they to the cannibal at last. The young cannibal jumped up. The younger brother tried twice to throw the cannibal but could not put him in the hole. “Let me try,” said the older. So they threw the cannibal in the hole and the younger brother struck him with his ice chisel as he went down and he was killed. Then they went back. They had a war club. The old man was sitting with his legs crossed. They struck his legs and broke them with a single blow. Then they said, “We have killed your son.” Then they killed him too.

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

Kanweo and the cannibals

Two brothers—Kanweo and his sibling—encounter a tribe of cannibal giants. After escaping an initial ambush, Kanweo leads his people in a spirit-guided raid that routs the enemy. When the cannibals later kill his brother, Kanweo pretends friendship, lures them to a beaver lodge, and exacts revenge. Sparing only the innocents, he secures justice and returns home to restore peace.

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


Good vs. Evil: The battle between Kanweo’s people and the cannibal tribe frames a classic moral struggle.

Revenge and Justice: After his brother is killed, Kanweo’s actions are motivated by avenging that wrong and restoring order.

Cunning and Deception: Kanweo feigns friendship at the beaver lodge to lure and overcome his unsuspecting foes.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Cree people

Collected at Rupert’s House

There were once two brothers. They lived well, but not upon people. Nearby was a tribe called Witigo (Cannibal). These people hunted in the ordinary manner but when they could, they killed and ate men. Once, in the summer, when the two brothers were traveling about together, they came upon the Cannibals first and were able to escape. Kanweo thought he would return and get the things he used for war, and prepare for battle. He returned and told his people they would have to get ready to fight or all be killed. Kanweo began to conjure, and asked if he would be victorious if he went to war with the Cannibals. The spirits replied that if he had a mind to go he would be victorious. Kanweo at once got his people together. The Cannibals always lived together. The people at once began to get their war spears and “sword arrows” [a “sword arrow” is one having a pointed pile, or head, set in the shaft] etc., together and started out.

► Continue reading…

Kanweo prepared to attack the Cannibals slyly not intending to let them know before he tackled them. There was a big hill there, just at the back of the place where the Cannibals were staying. Kanweo told his men to go up on top of this hill to watch first. He told his men, “We will watch to see when they are not ready and then we will attack them.”

The next day the Cannibals began to build sweat houses and he said, “Now is the time to go down upon them slyly.” None of the Cannibals had anything ready. Kanweo and his men ran down and began to spear them as they ran out of the sweat houses. Some of the Cannibals burned themselves on the hot stones. It was a dreadful fight. Some of them escaped. Of course, he did not kill the women and children. The great warrior, Kanweo, was driven back towards the water where the giants (the Cannibals were very large, they say) were attempting to escape by canoes. There were two or three attacking him, but he backed away and fell into a canoe. He thought he was finished, but he managed to get up and killed all those who were attacking him.

There was one old man, who was a chief, and his sons, among the cannibals. He was not killed and was escaping with his children in the canoe. Kanweo saw him and ran right out in the water to him and gripped the head of the canoe but the water was too deep and he could not hold it. His own canoe was hidden a long way off.

All the women and children of the Cannibals escaped. Whether there were any of Kanweo’s party killed is not known, but a great many of the Cannibal giants were killed. The Kanweo stopped and went back to his place again. He lived there with his brother and they went about as usual.

One winter, his brother went off to hunt in another direction. The brothers came upon the Cannibals again and they killed him when they came on him unawares. They took his wife and children alive.

Next summer, where the brothers had appointed to meet, there was no sign of the brother and Kanweo learned from other Indians what had happened to his brother. Kanweo thought to have his revenge on account of his brother but he didn’t know where the Cannibals were. Some time after that he thought to himself he would try and find out. It was winter and he was living alone with his family. One day he was off hunting. Before he went off that morning he told his wife he was sure to meet somebody that day. He put on his oldest and worst clothes and made himself very miserable looking. Right enough, he went off that day. He was looking for beaver, trying to find where the beaver were. He took nothing with him except his chisel to bore the ice. He came to a place where there were beaver, where the beaver were lodging. He came to a beaver house and cuttings near by. He looked at the house and then went down to see if he could find the dam where they had shut up the creek.

As he was going along down the creek he saw someone coming up stream. He knew now this was the man he was expecting to see. This was the old man who had escaped from him two or three years before in the battle with the Cannibals. The old man was looking for beaver too, and had only his chisel with him. This was the same man who had killed his brother. Kanweo pretended he did not see the Cannibal and the Cannibal who saw Kanweo did likewise. They drew together, the Cannibal thinking he would knock Kanweo down and kill him before Kanweo saw him. Kanweo knew what the Cannibal was about to do and when he approached pushed him away, saying, “Don’t you see me? Look out where you are going.” The Cannibal lied, and said, “Oh, I did not see you.” Then they began to talk like friends.

Kanweo told the old man he was looking for beaver, and the old man said he was doing the same. They had just met you see, at the dam, and Kanweo asked the old man, “Where are you thinking of going?” The old man replied that he thought of going where the beaver were. Kanweo told the old man that they would come there and chisel the beaver together the next day. The Cannibal said that he had three sons who would come along with him too. The great warrior Kanweo told the old man to tell his sons to cut sticks to stake in the river and when they were to carry the sticks down to the river they were not to wear their snowshoes but beat the path with their feet. After they had planned what they were going to do, they separated, and each went back to his own place.

When Kanweo came home, he had some dry beaver outside his tent and he took four in with him and told his wife to cook them. He said, “We must try to finish all that beaver tonight.” He was making a feast so that he might be prosperous to kill his enemy. “We must try to finish these before daylight,” he told her after they were cooked.

He told his family that he had met someone and they had planned to chisel beaver together. He told them they might come, but not with him. They began to feast. He told them if they managed to finish the feast they might be able to overcome the enemy.

Next morning, he got out his war tools, his spear, etc., and went off, his family following behind. He told them to make camp at a certain place that he would mark which was not close to where he was going to have the battle. Kanweo went there first, before the rest, where the beaver were. He marked the creek where they were going to stake it in. Then he saw the old man coming with his sons. When the sons saw him they said to their father, “We are sure that man must be the one called Kanweo who used to fight with us.” They were afraid, for they knew he had something against them as they had killed his brother and held his wife a prisoner.

Kanweo was in charge of the beaver. He told the young men where to go to cut the sticks. He told them to leave their snowshoes down by the creek and beat the path in their moccasins, so they would not make much noise. Then he said to the old man, “We’ll chisel the ice, make a trench right across the ice to put down the sticks.” Kanweo had a chisel with a blade at each end, that he could turn as he liked to see which chisel was sharpest. The old man was chiseling and Kanweo told him to make the hole big in one place in the middle of the river where they were to set the net. Kanweo would turn his chisel now and again to see which end was sharper.

Every time Kanweo would turn his chisel the old man was afraid and would jump. “You seem to be afraid,” said Kanweo, “every time I turn my chisel.” “Oh, no,” said the old man, “I’m not afraid, but I very nearly slipped.” At last, they had the hole big enough, and Kanweo told the old man to skim the ice out of the hole. The old man sat down on his knees to do this and Kanweo knew that the hole was big enough. All at once, when the old man was not thinking, Kanweo stabbed him in the back, with his chisel and threw him under the water. The old man managed, however, to give a shout as he was going under, and the young men, who were cutting sticks heard it. The old man struggled beneath the ice for a moment, and very nearly burst the ice through it was so thick. When Kanweo saw the old man was killed, he took his bow and arrow.

The young men came running to the creek when they heard their father call. Kanweo took his bow and arrow and shot at the young men when they tried to escape. He killed two when they were putting on their snowshoes, but the third got his snowshoes on. Kanweo, however, managed to shoot him before he got very far. The family of Kanweo soon came up and soon after came the Cannibal’s family. When they heard that the old man was dead, they began to cry, but Kanweo did not harm them. At last, the old man’s wife came up, but when she saw the others crying, she refused to believe her husband was dead, for she did not believe any one could overcome him.

Kanweo told her to come and see the old man’s body which Kanweo had pulled to the hole they had made. He was not on the ice but his head was out of the water. Kanweo used his body as one of the stakes to shut up the creek. Then the old woman believed and became angry. She attempted to make an end of Kanweo. She got her big ax off the sled and was going to kill him with that. Of course, Kanweo knocked her ax away, and he took her ax from her and knocked her down. He told her she had to die, and with the same ax with which she wanted to strike him he struck her and killed her.

Kanweo’s sister-in-law was there, a prisoner, and she wanted to come and live with him. She didn’t want to stay with them any more. Kanweo would not allow her to come. “I’ve heard,” he said, “you helped them kill your husband. I don’t want to have anything more to do with you.” He let the other go and she had to return with them. That is the end of this story.

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

The burning of the world

After a cataclysmic fire engulfs the earth, only a young man, his mother, and sister survive on a square refuge he marks out. As the waters calm, he names and assigns roles to animals based on their qualities, explains their physical traits, and gives himself and his family bird identities. Each then departs, destined to reconvene, marking the beginning of a renewed world.

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


Creation: The story recounts the remaking of the world after a great fire, describing how life began anew on the marked patch of land.

Origin of Things: It explains the beginnings and characteristics of various animals, detailing why each species has its unique traits.

Loss and Renewal: A catastrophic conflagration destroys the old world and its inhabitants, yet paves the way for a regenerated life.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Cree people

Collected at Rupert’s House

Once all the world was burnt. Only a man, and his mother and sister were saved. Of course, there were a lot of people on earth before that. The surviving man fell out with his father, and at last they became enemies. At last, the young man heard that the earth was going to be burnt, but the father did not believe it would happen. So the young man made a bow and arrows and shot one arrow to the west, another to the east, another to the south, and another to the north. Thus using the spots where the arrows fell for corners, he marked out a large square patch of land, and whatever wanted to be saved could come on that ground.

Some did not believe that the earth would be burnt. The old man and his wives and children did not believe that the earth would burn and also refused to come.

► Continue reading…

Sure enough, when the time came, they could hear the fire. They were camped by the side of a big lake. By and by, all the birds and animals came running to the patch of ground that was marked out, as that was the only patch of ground that was not on fire. When the old man saw he was going to burn too, he tried to get to the ground that his son had marked out. His son would not allow him to come on because he didn’t believe that this would happen. So he and all of his family were burnt. Even the water was boiling it was so hot.

Of course, after all the fire was over, and the water was settled down again, there were only three people left in the world. The old man who was burnt only had two wives and only two children, one of whom was his son.

After the fire was over, there were lots and lots of animals on the patch of ground. The man named some of them. He put the beaver to live in the water. The rabbit wanted to be a beaver, but he wouldn’t allow it. The rabbit even jumped into the water, but the man pulled him out and drained the water off him. He said his legs were too long and even if he did eat willows like a beaver, he couldn’t go about in the water properly.

The squirrel wished to be a bear. He did all he could to be a bear. The man said he wouldn’t do, he was too noisy. He said, “If you were a bear, when people got numerous again, you will get thinned down too much. The bear must be a very canny animal and keep quiet; he has too many enemies.” The squirrel began to weep. He wept a great deal, until his eyes were white. If you take notice the next time you see a squirrel you will notice that his eyes are bright and swollen from weeping. The man made the bear then because he was nice, and quiet and canny.

Somebody else wanted to be a deer (caribou) but I don’t remember who it was, but the deer was put in too. The real deer was appointed because he was swift and could run from his enemies. After he was finished with the animals he put a mark on the people telling what they had to be called. They had to have new names after the world was burnt.

He called his mother Robin, because she was loving, that is what he meant I think; he called his sister golden winged woodpecker (“flicker,” “clape,” “high-holer”) because that meant she was beautiful. He called himself Cluih duih-kiyu, blackbird, because he meant by this he would only come every spring. Each of them flew away wherever they wanted to travel. They did not stay together but they met again. That is all of this story I ever heard. [There are, according to the narrator, other stories about Aiacciou, the elder, who was burnt.]

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

The Beaver wife

A man tests various female animals to find a clever wife, finally choosing the whisky-jack, then the beaver under a bond to bridge every creek. Neglecting this, she flees to her river-home, and he learns to live underwater as her mate. Years later his brother, guided by dreams, traps the beaver, rescues him from near-total transformation, and restores him to human life.

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


Transformation: The man gradually adopts beaver traits and even becomes nearly indistinguishable from them.

Prophecy and Fate: Both the beaver wife and his brother learn of coming events through dreams that shape the story’s outcome.

Journey to the Otherworld: The man dives into an underwater beaver lodge—a hidden realm ruled by his aquatic wife.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Cree people

There was a man in the olden days who tried every female animal to see who was the smartest to work that he might keep her to live with him. He tried the deer (caribou) first, but she did not please him, so he sent her away. He next tried the wolf. She did not please him, as she was too wicked and greedy. He then came across the moose and did not like her. Then he tried the fisher but she did not please him either. He tried the marten and she did not please him. He tried the lynx and lived with her a while. She was smart but still she did not please him. He went off and lived with Otter but she was too funny and made too much noise. Then he thought he would try some of the flying animals. He tried the owls, but they did not care for his tent properly when he was away hunting, and besides they ate too much.

► Continue reading…

As the whisky-jack (wiskatcak, Canada jay) was always about him, he asked her if she could look after his tent. She said she could try it. She staid for a while; she was very cleanly and kept the tent decent.

One day, he told her he would go and hunt caribou and chisel beaver. She had everything ready, water and wood, when she expected him back. He came home in the evening and threw down his game (three or four beaver tied together) at the tent door. He came in without his game, as is customary among the Cree, and hearing the bundle fall she ran out to get it. It was so heavy that it broke her legs when she tried to lift it. She couldn’t rise so she told her husband and he brought in the beaver. He said he would get his bowstring and bind up her legs so that they would get well. He did so and she recovered. Ever afterwards, however, one can see the marks of the wrapping on the whisky-jack’s legs. He continued to live with her until she got well, then he told her she could leave as the work was too hard for her.

One day, when he was walking about, he met Beaver cutting down a tree. She left her dwelling and came to him. She was very attentive and a good worker. She could do anything a man might wish; she could wash and dress fur well. When the man found she was so pleasing he asked her if she would become his wife and live with him.

Before she would promise she said to him, “It will be hard for me to do what you ask me, and hard for you too. There is only one condition under which I will live with you. As I live in the water and you on the dry land, you must never forget when crossing a little valley or creek to break down a stick and lay it across the water or else it will become a big river. You must promise never to forget this even when you are tired and in a great hurry, or the river will appear and we will be separated.”

He lived with her for a while. At last, he became careless. One time, towards the spring (it was not yet summer) he was leading the way through the forest. She followed, hauling the tent utensils. At last, he crossed a valley that did not look as though water would ever run through it. He thought “Surely this can never become a river,” and put nothing there. He went on, found a suitable camping place, left his sled for his beaver wife to pitch the camp and went off hunting. “When he returned he found his sled still there, and there was no sign of his wife. At once, he remembered his neglect to put the stick across the valley, but he could not believe this to be the cause of her absence. When she did not return he went back to the place where the omission occurred and there he found a great river and saw his wife swimming about in it building a beaver house. She had it already finished.

He began to cry for he was very fond of his wife and now he knew he had lost her. He begged her to come to see him but she would not come ashore and acted as though she was afraid of him. She told him to come to her. He did not know what to do, as he feared to drown. She said, “At first you’ll find it hard, but if you dive down and come up inside the house, it is dry there.”

At last, he thought to himself that he would try, although he was rather afraid. He swam out and she came to meet him. She told him where to dive and he followed her into the door, and came up on the inside where it was dry. He lived with her for a long time. He had to eat what she ate, willows and bark of trees. It was not very nice for him after eating meat and men’s food. After a time, he began to become able to swim about and act like a beaver. Occasionally he went ashore and walked about. He learned to build beaver houses, but could not cut down a tree with his teeth as they did. For this, he used his ax which he brought with him. He lived with the beavers a good many years.

This man had a brother who missed him as the years went by. At last he dreamt what had become of his brother and went to look for him. Right enough, he found different signs where the beaver lived. Trees had been cut with an ax, etc. The brother could not find him, as he only came out at night when the beaver did and slept all day. The brother had to wait till winter, when he declared he would find him. When the middle of the winter arrived, the brother went off to find the lost man. The beaver man dreamed that his brother was coming and told his wife that this would happen and that they would soon be separated.

Sure enough, the brother came, and staked in the river on both sides of the houses. (The beavers had a lot of holes besides their houses; the beavers ran out and were caught. The beaver man who now had much of the nature of the beaver, told his wife to be careful, as he knew all about the nets having himself taken beaver in this way. He showed the beaver how to make holes in the bank which they never knew about before.)

At last, the brother found the holes in the bank and killed the beaver wife in one of them. Later still, he found her husband. He was almost changed to a beaver with hair all over his body, like one. His brother knew him, however, and told him he had come for him and brought clothes for him to wear. So the man dressed up and went home with his brother. When they got there, the brother gave him something to eat.

The beaver man told him never to give him any of the meat of the female beaver to eat, for said he, “As sure as I eat a piece of the flesh of a female beaver, I’ll turn into a beaver again, and you will never be able to get me back to a man again.” After this he lived with mankind until he died.

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

The virgin birth

A chief’s daughter secretly bears a child by a young boy, prompting the tribe’s paternity-test ritual: the infant is passed among suitors to see whom it urinates on. A deceitful suitor is unmasked when the true father’s bond triggers the correct result. Ostracized for a time, the young couple thrives on hunting, leading the struggling villagers to return and beseech them for meat.

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


Family Dynamics: It centers on the relationships between the chief’s daughter, her suitors, and her young secret lover.

Revenge and Justice: The community exposes the liar and establishes rightful parenthood through their customary trial.

Community and Isolation: After the trial, the true parents are shunned until the young father’s hunting success forces the villagers to return and plead for aid.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Cree people

Narrated by Joe Iserhoff.

Once, in the old days, there was a very beautiful girl who was a chief’s daughter. All the young men loved her et cum ea coire volebant [and they wanted to have sex with her]. In those days, it was customary for quisquan cum virgine coiiseet [who will sleep with a virgin] to also marry her. But she would have nothing to do with them.

In the village, there was a certain young boy who also loved her but he was so young that everybody laughed at him. However, during the winter he watched the girl, et quondocumque mincture exiret eodem loco minxit [and whenever he felt the need to urinate, he did it always at her place].

After a time, the girl became pregnant from this cause, and gave birth to a child.

► Continue reading…

The chief called all the young men together and when they had gathered in the wigwam he announced that he would pass the child about and when the father took the child in his arms infantum in patrem mincturum [the child will urinate on his father]. This was done.

There was a certain young man in the village who loved the girl and he filled his mouth with spittle. When the child was passed to him he permitted it to run out all over him and cried, “I am the child’s father, you can see in me minxit [he urinated on me].” But some in the crowd saw what he had done and they called out, “You lie,” so he was disappointed. The child was passed on and when it reached its father verum in ilium minxit [he really peed on him].

Then the young boy took his wife and settled down. The rest of the people were angry (jealous) at him, and moved away, leaving him alone. He went hunting and was very successful. The rest of the people were not, however, and they nearly starved. At length, they heard he had meat and returned and begged for some.

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

The adventures of Tcikapis

Tcikapis and his sister survive a bear attack by hiding in a tree. After a fish swallows Tcikapis, his sister rescues him, leaving mystical fish slime on his brow. He embarks on a series of daring exploits: slaying bears, outwitting giant women and men, retrieving grease, and ultimately ensnaring the sun. His cunning and resilience restore cosmic order when the shrew releases the sun.

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 undergoes a series of transformative adventures, growing in skill and wisdom through each challenge.

Resurrection: After being killed and boiled by the giant women, Tcikapis miraculously returns to life and defeats his foes.

Time and Timelessness: Capturing the sun halts daylight, exploring themes of cosmic order and the manipulation of time.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Cree people

Albany version
Narrated by Willie Archibald

(While their parents were being devoured by brown bears, Tcikapis and his sister escaped by climbing a tall tree where they could not be seen.)

Tcikapis and his sister lived beside a lake. One day the sister told him not to go out on a tree leaning over the water, but Tcikapis shot a bird and it fell into the water. In order to get it Tcikapis climbed out on the tree to reach it and was devoured by a fish. By and by, his sister missed him and suspecting that the fish had eaten him she caught it with a hook.

When she went to cut it up, Tcikapis cried, “Slowly, slowly, or you will cut me.” When Tcikapis was released he said to her, “Don’t scrape the (fish) slime off the top of my head and my upper lip, and the people who come later will have hair there.”

► Continue reading…

The next day, Tcikapis was hunting, he heard a noise and came home. His sister cried out, “It is the bears who killed our parents, don’t go.” Tcikapis went, however, and killed the bears. He found his mother’s braid of hair in one. He burned the carcasses.

Tcikapis went out again the next day. Again, he heard a noise and returned. His sister said to him, “Don’t go out, it is the noise made by giant women scraping beaver skins. The next day, Tcikapis went out and saw the giant women at work. He shot a “Whisky Jack” (Canada jay) and dressed in its skin and flew about. He stole the grease the women had scraped off the skins. The giant women knew it was Tcikapis, and one of them knocked him down with her scraper which she threw at him and killed him. Then they threw him into a kettle of boiling water and laughed as he whirled round and round. Tcikapis was not really dead, however. Suddenly, he jumped out and scalded the people all to death.

Next day, Tcikapis heard the giant men netting (chiseling) beaver under the ice. He made himself very small and went to them. The giants asked him to pull out a giant beaver by the tail, expecting him to be pulled in and drowned; he, however, succeeded, much to their surprise. Tcikapis opened the sinew lining of his bow and put the beaver there. The giants shouted to him to bring it back, but he refused.

He gave the beaver to his sister to cook. While he was skimming the grease to eat from the pot where the beaver was boiling, the giants came with their war spears, to harpoon him, stabbing through his tent. Tcikapis had a round, flat shell of spoon shape, he put it on his back and covered himself. The giants entered his wigwam but they couldn’t break the shell although they knew very well that Tcikapis was under it. Then they threatened to take away his sister if he didn’t come out, but he did not budge. They burned the tent and took away his sister.

When they had gone, Tcikapis came out and strung his bow and followed them. He came up to them when they were crossing a swamp or muskeg. He said to his arrow, “Don’t fall on those that are short, fall only on the tall ones.” He fired the arrow which destroyed the giants but did not harm his sister.

Next day, Tcikapis went out again. He found a fine path. He went home and told his sister. She said, “That is the path where the sun walks over night.” Tcikapis got some string from his sister and made a snare. In the morning, when the sun came along it was caught. There was no daylight the next day. Tcikapis didn’t know what to think, but at last he got up and made the fire. Then he told his sister he had caught the sun. As it would not do to have perpetual darkness, Tcikapis called all the animals together to release the sun by cutting the string. He asked the smaller animals to try first,, thinking that they would be least apt to be burned. First he tried the ermine (weasel) but he was burned to death. At last he tried the shrew who succeeded in releasing the sun.

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

The adventures of Tcikapis

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.

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

Mishi Shigak, Big Skunk

Big Skunk eats a toad, uses his potent flatus to destroy obstacles as he pursues starving animals who flee to Beaver’s camp. Beaver’s flatulence mars his generosity, so the animals depart. Big Skunk is finally captured and slain by Wolverine and the beasts, his gas salting the sea. Wolverine returns home but is deceived and murdered by his wolf brothers-in-law, who also kill his family.

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


Origin of Things: The tale explains why the sea is salty, attributing it to Big Skunk’s flatus.

Revenge and Justice: The animals band together to capture and punish Big Skunk for his relentless pursuit.

Cunning and Deception: The wolves deceitfully murder Wolverine after feigning familial goodwill.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Cree people

Albany version

Big Skunk went hunting one day but he found no game to kill except a toad. He told his wife to cook the toad, and after he had eaten it he went to bed and had a sleep.

He dreamed that someone had seen his tracks so next morning, when he got up, he told his wife to go and get what was left of the toad, and when he had finished it, he went back over his trail of the day before. Sure enough, he saw that someone had come out from under the snow and had seen his trail and followed it. It was Weasel.

There were a lot of animals of all kinds camping near by and they were starving. They were very much afraid of Big Skunk, so when they learned that Weasel had seen his trail they all fled away from him.

► Continue reading…

As the animals were fleeing, they came to Beaver’s camp. They all went in and begged for food. Beaver always has plenty of food in his camp and he wished to feed the poor animals. He had big bundles of all kinds of meat so he started to pull one out. It was so heavy that the strain made him break wind. This made Otter snicker. The other animals were very much frightened at this because they feared Beaver would be offended and not give them anything to eat. Beaver tried to lift the bundle a second time and again he broke wind. This time Otter simply could not help bursting out laughing, and it made Beaver so angry that, just as they feared, he refused to give them anything to eat. It was just as well, however, for had the animals taken any of Beaver’s meat, they would ever afterwards have been obliged to live on bark and grass as Beaver does. All the animals left Beaver’s camp.

As soon as Big Skunk found Weasel’s track he began to pursue him. He knew he was with the other animals. As he went along he thought he would see if his rump was powerful enough to kill game. He backed around and aiming at a stump, blew it all to pieces with his discharge. Then he took up the trail again. After a while, he came to a steep mountain, and backing up to it he blew it all to pieces. “Now, that is all right,” he said, “I can kill them all now.”

He went off until he came to a camping ground and found the animals had all fled. One old otter (not the one who laughed at Beaver) was all tired out and too feeble to flee from him. When this otter saw Big Skunk coming it pretended to be dead. When Big Skunk came up he began to examine it all over to see how it had been killed, but he could not find any marks on its body. At last, he thrust his finger up Otter’s aboral aperture. “Well, that is the place the bullet went in,” said Big Skunk. “When I come back I will pick him up,” he said and covered Otter with brush.

The animals continued to flee before Big Skunk. They tried to pick out a hilly road to tire him out. At last they came on Wolverene who was chiseling beaver. The animals were starving, they had been fleeing from Big Skunk for several days and had had no food. Wolverene sent the animals to his camp to get food. “If Big Skunk comes, I’ll shout,” said he to them.

Shortly after, Big Skunk did come up. “I’m entirely played out now,” said Big Skunk to Wolverene. “I have followed those animals over a good many mountains and hills. “Well,” said Wolverene, “you shouldn’t run about so much. You should stay in one place.” “Do you wish to make me angry?” said Big Skunk. Then he turned about and discharged his flatus at Wolverene. Then Wolverene bit Big Skunk’s anus and closed it with his mouth. He held on so that Skunk could not fire. He shouted to all the animals for help and they all ran out. Then Otter took his tail and stabbed Big Skunk with it as though it had been a spear, right through the body.

Lynx got a bad cramp when he was running to the spot so that he could not move, but one of the animals returned and cured Lynx so he recovered and coming up grabbed Big Skunk by the neck and finished him.

Then Wolverene could not open his eyes, for Big Skunk had discharged full in his face. “Make a hole in the ice,” said Wolverene to the beasts, “so I can wash my eyes.” “Don’t wash yourself at the lake,” said they, “go out to the sea and wash there. It will be salty if you do.” So Wolverene started off for the sea. When Wolverene struck against a tree, he could not see anything, he would say, “Who are you?” “I am Black Spruce,” “I am Tamarack,” or “I am White Spruce,” whatever they were, those trees told him truly. At last, he ran into a stump, “Who are you?” he said. “I am a stump, lying on the shore.” Then he struck something else. “Who are you?” “I am the ice.” Soon he fell in the water and washed himself clean. That is why the water of the sea (James and Hudson’s Bay) is salt. It is Big Skunk’s flatus that made it so. Then, when Wolverene could see, he came ashore. As he started for home, he sang a song which he made to himself.

“Niki ki poti yepaw mishi Shigak.”
“I closed Big Skunk’s anus for him.”

As Wolverene was returning, three wolves heard him singing. They were his brothers-in-law, for he had married a wolf. They planned to hide and scare him. “Hello brother,” they cried, “what are you singing about?” Wolverene was afraid and climbed into a tree. “Are you single?” asked the wolves. “Yes,” lied Wolverene. After a while he consented to come down.

It was winter. When it was night they sent Wolverene ahead to find a suitable place to camp. Wolverene wanted to camp in the thick forest. The wolves at once claimed that he had deceived them since only a married man would wish to camp in the thick forest. Then they camped in the open in a hole in the snow. Wolverene nearly froze. He was so cold that he wept. He begged the wolves to cover him with their tails. They covered him with their tails from opposite directions and at last he went to sleep. Before they went to bed they made a, fire. Wolverene lighted it with a flint and steel. Then the wolves jeered, “No single man ever carried a flint and steel. This is the way we make fire,” said the wolves. They piled up the wood and leaped over it, and it blazed up.

Next morning, they found a deer track and followed it. They noticed something in the snow, and at last they found a deer-killing implement. They came to a lake and killed the deer there. Then they divided it into four equal parts of flesh, and marrow bones. They ate the deer flesh, and in the evening they began to split the bones for the marrow. When the wolves were to split their bones, they told Wolverene to close his eyes or a splinter would fly in them and blind him. Wolverene did as he was bidden and the wolves took up a bone and struck him over the head with it. Wolverene cried out, and the wolves replied that he must have been looking.

Wolverene then told the wolves to close their eyes while he split his marrow bones. He took up a bone and struck one of the wolves over the head and killed him. This made the other two very angry. Wolverene tried to explain that his victim must have been looking but the wolves told him he must leave them. He went off the next morning. The wolves gave him the power of lighting the fire by jumping over it, but told him to use it only after having hunted.

The next day Wolverene tried his power at mid-day, although he had not hunted. He only got smoke. Finally, he succeeded in getting fire. At night, he again succeeded in making fire so he threw away his flint and steel. The next day he tried to light his fire this way but could not succeed. Then he tried to find his flint and steel but he could not. He nearly froze. He walked four days before he met his family.

His brothers-in-law (the two wolves) and his mother-in-law were there before him. Their tents were close together. Wolverene began to hunt. He killed a lot of beaver but the wolves couldn’t kill anything. One day, the wolves tracked a moose. They asked Wolverene to help them but he said he did not want to eat moose, he wanted to eat beaver. The wolves drove the moose on to the lake where Wolverene was chiseling beaver and it passed him as it fled. When the wolves came up, they asked Wolverene for their quarry. Wolverene replied, “If his tail had been long enough, you would have seen it.” So the wolves hurried up and caught and killed the moose.

Wolverene wanted some moose meat. He had been so stingy with his beavers that he was afraid the wolves would not give him any. He could see the moose fat hung on a pole in front of the wolves’ lodge. The wolves knew that he would beg for some, so they had frozen the inner stomach of the moose into a club to kill him when he should ask for it. Wolverene went home and loaded his sled with beaver meat. He intended to make his mother-in-law a present and then ask for some moose meat. He put large beaver tails on the front of his sled so that his mother-in-law would find them at once. When he arrived at her lodge she asked him why he was bringing them meat when they had plenty and had not done so before, when they were starving. However, she gave him some fat, and told him to close his eves while he ate it. The wolves hit him with the “bowl” of the frozen inner stomach. [This seems to refer to the fact that the inner stomach of the moose and caribou is sometimes used as a cooking utensil by the Eastern Cree.] Wolverene cried out in pain, but they hit him again and killed him. Then they took the frozen fat from his mouth, for they said it was getting dirty and was too good to waste. The wolves then killed his two little ones and speared his wife to death.

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

Tcigibis, the Hell Diver

While canoeing, Tcigibis finds Otter feigning death by stuffing maggot-ridden punk into his nose and rectum, only for Otter to leap up and devour all but one Crawfish, explaining their lineage. Later, jealous of his wife’s brother Loon, Tcigibis kills him with a heated iron, hides the blood, and feigns suicide. After escaping a mob in the water, he survives and secures hell divers’ future.

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


Origin of Things: The tale explains how Crawfish came to be, tracing their lineage to the sole survivor of Otter’s trickery.

Family Dynamics: Tcigibis’ jealousy of his brother Loon over his wife drives him to murder.

Revenge and Justice: Both Crawfish and Tcigibis enact reprisals—Otter against Crawfish, and Tcigibis against Loon—for past wrongs.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Cree people

Albany Cree

Tcigibis was out canoeing and as he went along he saw Otter lying on the bank. Otter knew that Tcigibis had seen him so he took some punk and put some up his nostrils and up his rectum and lay down again, feigning death. When Tcigibis returned he saw Otter lying there and went ashore to look at him. When he saw the rotted wood on Otter’s nose and anus, he said, “Well, it seems this otter is full of maggots.” Tcigibis turned back from there and hunted up Crawfish and told him he had just found Otter lying dead. Not long before this, Otter had tried to kill and eat Crawfish, but he had only succeeded in pulling all his legs and his claw off on one side.

When Crawfish heard that his enemy was dead, he was very glad. He called all the other crawfish together and said, “Let us go over and see the dead otter.”

► Continue reading…

They all went over and a whole lot of them went ashore to look at him. As soon as they saw the punk in Otter’s rectum, they commenced to pull it out. Otter was so amused at this that he could not help laughing. One of the crawfish then said, “I believe that that Otter is moving.” Crawfish, who had been pulling the punk out of Otter’s rectum replied, “Oh, I guess that was I, I must have moved Otter.” Then Otter jumped up and caught all the crawfish but one whose legs had all been pulled off on one side by Otter on a former occasion. He was afraid to go too near and that is how he was saved. From him, all the crawfish we have today are descended.

After this, Tcigibis went canoeing again. As he was traveling, he shot and killed a caribou. Tcigibis had a wife and he was jealous of Loon who was his brother on her account. “For,” he said, “I believe Loon is after my wife.” When he had killed the caribou, he went and found Loon sleeping. Then Tcigibis took an iron and heated it in the fire until it was red hot, and then he shoved it down Loon’s throat and killed him. When he had killed Loon, he went back and took some of the blood of the caribou and put it in his grease bag. Then he hid the grease bladder in his bosom. When Tcigibis had done these things he went home.

When Tcigibis reached home he went ashore and everyone came down to see what game he had. The people all knew (supernaturally) that he had killed his brother. They called out to him, “Your brother is dead now.” He pulled out his knife and stabbed himself in the bosom, piercing the bladder of blood which ran out all over his body. Then he fell over in the water and escaped by making a long dive.

At first, all the people really thought that Tcigibis had committed suicide but when they saw him reappear in the water, a long distance away, they were undeceived, and gave chase. Tcigibis escaped, however, and it is just as well, for had the people caught and killed him, there would have been no more hell divers to this day.

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