Why the wolverine became a thief

A man hunted with a wolverine over three nights; on the third night the animal threw his shoes into the fire, leaving him stranded. It repeated its treachery with a second man. With a third hunter, the wolverine mistakenly burned its own paw and, ashamed, abandons hunting to live by stealing from human caches. The tale explains the wolverine’s thieving nature.

Source:
Athabascan Myths
by Frank Russell
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.13, No.48, pp. 11-18
January-March, 1900

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The wolverine repeatedly betrays and outwits its human companions through cunning acts.

Trials and Tribulations: Each hunter endures the hardship of being stranded by the wolverine’s treachery.

Transformation: After burning its own paw, the wolverine resolves to cease hunting and live by robbing caches.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Slavey Lore

Learn more about the Slavey people

Told by Tenegorley. (Simpson, winter of 1897-98)

A man went out hunting with a wolverine. They were out three nights, and during the third night the wolverine rose and threw the man’s shoes into the fire. In the morning the wolverine deserted the man, leaving him unable to travel. The wolverine then went out with another man, and served him in the same treacherous manner. He went hunting with a third man, and during the first and second nights he was very careful to provide for the man’s wants. The third evening they took off their shoes and hung them before the fire, as is the custom of the country. The man soon rose and put on his shoes and again laid down. Later the wolverine got up, and, seeing a pair of shoes, thought they belonged to the man, and threw them into the fire. The next morning, as they rose, the wolverine said, “Where are your shoes?” “On my feet,” replied the man. “I have lost mine,” said the wolverine; “lend me yours, and I will go and get a pair for you.” But the man refused. Just as he was leaving the camp the wolverine put his forefoot in the fire and burned it. “I will never hunt for myself again, but will always live by robbing the caches of the people.” And that is why the wolverine is such a thief.

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Origin of the pine

A lone tribesman, guided by a talking wolverine, is led to a steep riverbank where he feigns death and gains the upper hand. He springs up in the wolverine’s camp, slays its kin, and, in a final act of magic, throws his bloody phlegm at a tree, which transforms into pine wood for his arrows. The humbled wolverine concedes and lets the man go on his way.

Source:
Athabascan Myths
by Frank Russell
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.13, No.48, pp. 11-18
January-March, 1900

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The tale explains the origin of pine trees being used as arrow wood.

Supernatural Beings: The wolverine speaks and behaves with magical intent, guiding and testing the man.

Conflict with Nature: The man battles and overcomes a pack of wolverines in their own environment.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Slavey Lore

Learn more about the Slavey people

Told by Tenegorley. (Simpson, winter of 1897-98)

There were a number of Indians in a camp who went away one by one and were lost. At last only one remained, and he also decided to leave the camp. He soon encountered a wolverine, which said, “I know who you are; you will have to go before me.” As they went along they came out upon the river at a point where the bank was very steep. The wolverine said, “You must slide down.” So the Indian slid down the bank, and the wolverine ran around through a ravine. When the man reached the bottom, he caused his nose to bleed, and put some of the blood on a spear, and then laid down and feigned death. When the wolverine reached the spot where the man lay, he took him up and carried him to his camp across the river. After placing him in the middle of the camp he began to sharpen his knife. The man soon opened his eyes and looked for a stick; when he found a stick he sprang up and killed all the wolverines except one young one which ran up a tree. The man blew his nose and threw the phlegm at the tree, and it was transformed into a pine. The wolverine then said, “That will do for your arrows; now you must leave me alone.”

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The Great Beaver

Long ago a clan of giant beavers journeyed down the Mackenzie River, where one’s roasted flesh was stolen by a wolverine—prompting the first flame—then that thief was petrified in the cliffs. The beaver raced over rocks to form a swift rapid and outwitted a pursuing giant whose overturned canoe became an island. The beaver painted the giant’s likeness on the gorge walls before he departed.

Source:
Athabascan Myths
by Frank Russell
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.13, No.48, pp. 11-18
January-March, 1900

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The story explains the creation of natural features like perpetual fires, rapids, islands, and stone formations along the Mackenzie River.

Quest: The beaver embarks on a long, purposeful journey downriver, encountering challenges and shaping the landscape.

Mythical Creatures: The anthropomorphic beaver, cunning wolverine, and giant frame the tale in a realm of legendary beings.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Slavey Lore

Learn more about the Slavey people

Told by Tenegorley. (Simpson, winter of 1897-98)

A family of very large beavers lived on the Great Slave Lake, long ago, and the lodge is still there. Well, they all started down the Mackenzie River, and when they had gone a long distance, one of them killed one of his companions and roasted the flesh, but left it hanging before the fire while he fell asleep. While he slept a wolverine came along and took the roasted beaver and left a roll of moss in its place. After a time the sleeping beaver awoke. When he found that the roasted flesh was gone he was vexed, so he took the bark dish that he had placed under the roasting meat to catch the fat and emptied it into the fire, saying, “Burn, and never go out.” And so the fire burns to this day.

[Beds of lignite along the banks of the Mackenzie a few miles above Bear River, have been burning for a century at least.]

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Then he went down-stream until he came to some high rocks, where he met a wolverine, with whom he wished to fight; but the wolverine said, “No, I will not fight with you, and you cannot catch me.” He then tried to escape by running up the face of the cliff. Then the beaver said, “Stay there, and never come down.” And the wolverine was turned into stone, and can be seen there to this day. [Roche Carcajou, an anticlinal uplift of Devonian limestone, 1000 feet high.]

As he continued his journey down the river he went so fast at one place that he created the “Sans Sault” Rapid [the only rapid in the Mackenzie River of any consequence, and one that is easily passed by the steamers in any but the lowest stages of water]. As the beaver went on down the river he was discovered and pursued by a giant, to whom he said, “If you can clear all the rocks from the river, you may kill me, but if you cannot clear the river you will never kill me.” In his efforts to clear the channel the giant overturned his canoe, which turned into stone, and to this day forms an island in the bed of the stream. [An island at the Sans Sault Rapid divides the stream into an eastern and a western channel, the latter being “the steamboat channel”.] Failing to accomplish his task, the giant said, “I cannot kill you; but never mind, there will soon be plenty of men here who will always hunt you and all your tribe.” The beaver replied, “Since you cannot kill me, keep still a while, and I will paint your picture.” Then the beaver painted the picture of the giant on one side of the ramparts, where it may be seen to this day. [At the ramparts the Mackenzie, much contracted in width, flows between vertical cliffs of Devonian limestone varying from one hundred to two hundred and fifty feet in height. This gorge is but a few miles south of the Arctic Circle, and is one of the most interesting features of the great river] After this the giant left the country.