Story of the baby stolen by Wolverene

A woman is killed by a giant, leaving her infant motherless. A marten nurtures the baby until the father avenges his wife by killing the giant. Later, a wolverine deceives the community and abducts the child. The father tracks them, eventually reuniting with his now-grown son. Together, they confront the wolverine, restoring their family bond.

Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917

► Themes of the story

Family Dynamics: Central to the tale is the relationship between the father and his son, emphasizing the father’s determination to rescue and reunite with his child.

Cunning and Deception: Wolverene’s deceitful act of stealing the baby under false pretenses showcases themes of trickery and manipulation.

Trials and Tribulations: The father’s relentless journey to retrieve his son involves overcoming numerous challenges, reflecting perseverance in the face of adversity.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

A man and his wife were travelling towards where the people lived. The woman was taken in travail, and, as was the custom of the people, she had to go in retirement during and for some time after her confinement. When they camped for the night, the husband made a camp for himself, and another for his wife some distance away.

One night a giant came to the woman’s camp, threw a noose around her neck as she was sitting at the fire, choked her, and dragged her body away in the snow. The baby, which remained alone, began to cry. The husband called out to his wife, “Why does the baby cry so much?”

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Receiving no response, he went over to see. When he arrived, the baby was quiet, and he found Marten suckling the baby with his tongue. He asked him what he was doing; and he said, “I am suckling the baby with my tongue, for his mother is dead.” The husband took his bow and arrows and followed the giant’s track in the dark, and after a time came to where the giant had lighted a big fire and was about to eat. He saw him sucking the milk out of the woman’s breasts, and then he put them on sticks before the fire to cook. The man crawled up close to the giant, and fired an arrow into his body. The giant immediately put his hand up to the place, and said, “My! A spark has burned me!” He said to the fire, “Why did you do that?” Again the man shot him, and he did the same. Then he said, “It is strange, I feel sleepy.” He lay down, saying, “I will sleep a little while before eating the breasts.” He was dying, and did not know it.

When the man returned, he found Marten caring for the baby, and suckling him, as before. The man gave his breasts to the baby, and milk came. After that, in the day-time Marten suckled the baby with his tongue, and at night the father gave him his breasts. At last they reached the people, and the man gave his baby to the women to rear. He hunted, and every five days returned to see his baby, and was glad to see that he was doing well.

One day, when he was away hunting, Wolverene came to the camp and told the people the father had sent him to get the baby and take it to him. The people thought this strange, but gave him the baby. After five days the father came back, and asked to see the baby. The people said, “Why, don’t you know, Wolverene came here some days ago, saying that you had sent him for the baby, and we gave it to him.” The man stated that he had not sent Wolverene, and at once started in pursuit of him. At Wolverene’s first camp he found baby-moss, his son being still a baby; at the second camp, small snowshoes, showing that the baby was now a boy and walking; at the third camp he found larger snowshoes, and saw that the boy had been using small arrows; at the fourth camp the snowshoes and arrows were larger; and at the fifth camp the tracks showed that the boy was now a man. Next day he found where the boy and Wolverene had separated, and he followed the tracks of the former.

The Wolverene always counted the lad’s arrows when he returned home at night. When the man came to his son, the latter thought him very strange, for he did not remember having seen people. His father told him, “You are my son.” He showed him his breasts, saying, “I suckled you. Wolverene stole you, and I have followed you a long way.” The lad at last believed him. His father said, “Tell Wolverene, when you see him tonight, to follow the sun on the morrow, and camp where the sun goes down, and there you will join him tomorrow night. Also tell him that you shot an arrow up in a tree, and you are going back after it.”

That night Wolverene counted the birds the lad had shot, and his arrows, and found one of the latter missing. Wolverene agreed to the boy’s proposal. In the morning he travelled towards the setting son, while the lad returned. That night the lad did not come to camp, and next morning Wolverene started to look for him. He came to the lad up in the top of a tree, pretending to look for his arrow, and his father standing at the bottom. Wolverene asked the latter who he was, and what he was doing there; but when the man answered and talked with him, Wolverene told him to shut up or he would kill him. The father had already arranged with his son how they would act. Wolverene told the boy to come down out of the tree; but he answered, “Father, I can’t descend, my moccasins are frozen to the tree.” Wolverene said, “Very well, don’t try to come down, you may fall. I will climb up and carry you down.” When Wolverene got beside him, he turned around to get in position to carry him down, and the lad struck him on the head, knocking him off the tree. His father at the bottom of the tree then killed Wolverene, who was already stunned by the fall.

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Wolverene and Wolf

Wolverene and Wolf are brothers-in-law who hunt together. Facing scarce game, they discover an inaccessible cache of dried meat. Ignoring Wolf’s warnings, Wolverene attempts to steal from the cache, falls, and suffers fatal injuries. Before dying, he vows that his kind will continue stealing from human stores, explaining why wolverenes are notorious thieves.

Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917

► Themes of the story

Trickster: Wolverene exhibits cunning behavior by attempting to steal meat from a cache, embodying the trickster archetype.

Divine Punishment: Wolverene’s actions lead to his demise, suggesting a form of retribution for his transgressions.

Mythical Creatures: The narrative features anthropomorphic animals, with Wolverene and Wolf taking on human-like roles.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

Wolverene and Wolf were brothers-in-law and lived together. Wolf had no wife, while Wolverene had a large family. They hunted in company, Wolf traversing the high mountains, and Wolverene following the timber-line below him. Game was very scarce. By and by the deep snow prohibited their hunting on the high grounds, and they had to hunt lower down in the woods, where game was still less abundant. One day they came on a cache of dried meat made by some people (Indians) in a bad precipitous place near a waterfall, and beyond their reach. Wolverene was very anxious to get at the cache, and thought by jumping against it he might knock it down.

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Wolf would not attempt it, and declared that if Wolverene jumped, he would not reach the cache, and would simply fall down on the steep, smooth ice below, and perhaps kill himself. Wolf declared he was going home, and, just as he was leaving, Wolverene made the jump. He fell short of the cache, landed on the steep ice, and was precipitated to the bottom, breaking his arms and legs. Wolf lifted him up; but he could not get him out of there, nor set his broken limbs. Soon afterwards some people came along to get meat from the cache, and found Wolverene lying there with his arms and legs broken. They knew he had been trying to steal, so they clubbed and killed him. As he was dying, he said to the people, “No matter if you kill me, I shall steal from your caches just the same. There are many of us.” This is why the wolverene is now such a thief, and breaks into people’s caches and steals their meat. Wolf returned to camp, and reared Wolverene’s family.

Wolverene and his wives

Wolverene marries a series of sisters, confining each in a pit and overfeeding them until they become fat. He then kills and consumes them, feigning grief to marry the next sister. The youngest sister grows suspicious, escapes, and reveals his deeds to her family. Her brothers retaliate by killing Wolverene, ending his murderous cycle.

Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917

► Themes of the story

Trickster: Wolverene embodies the trickster archetype, using deceit to marry and murder multiple sisters.

Family Dynamics: The narrative explores complex relationships within a family, particularly the bond between the sisters and their collective plight.

Revenge and Justice: The story culminates in Wolverene facing retribution for his actions, delivering justice through familial intervention.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

Wolverene married the eldest of many sisters, and took her to his house. He hunted all the time, and always had plenty of meat and fat. He had a hole in the ground under his house, into which he put his wife. He kept her there, and fed her just fat meat and fat. He never gave her any water to drink. When she was very fat, he killed her and ate her (or cached her meat).

He then went crying to his mother-in-law’s house, saying that his wife was dead. He cried so much, that they took pity on him, and he got the next oldest sister for a wife. He did the same with her. Thus he married and killed all the sisters excepting the youngest two.

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At last the youngest sister of age was given to him. She thought something was wrong, and was on her guard. He treated her the same way. When she had been some time in the hole, she asked him why he had never slept with her; and he answered, “I don’t want to spoil my food.” She then told him to give her something to kill mice with, for they were annoying her terribly. He gave her a long, sharp piece of antler. While he was absent hunting, she dug a tunnel with the tool, until she got out to the bank of the creek. She was too fat to walk, so she rolled to the creek and drank. She then rolled onto a log, and floated downstream to the place where her mother drew water. Her sister, a little girl, came for water, and saw her. She went back and told her mother, who said, “Don’t say that you saw your sister! She is dead.” However, she went and brought her daughter up to the camp. She fed her nothing but water, so that she might get thin.

Wolverene thought she had died, and shortly afterwards appeared, crying, and saying that his wife had died. The woman’s mother hid her. Wolverene smelled her, and sniffed, saying, “Ah! What do I smell? It smells like an old cache.” Then he thought his wife might have escaped somehow, and went back to see if she was still in the hole or cache. He was wont to leave his victims in the hole for a time after they were dead. His brothers-in-law followed close behind him. When he went into the hole to see if his wife was there, they hid close to the edge. When he stuck his head up to come out, they hit him and killed him.

Wolverene

Wolverene, a skilled beaver hunter, uses his penis as an ice chisel to set nets quickly. When his brothers-in-law discover his method and mock him, he withholds food from them. They eventually hunt a moose, leading to a conflict where they kill Wolverene and his family, except for the youngest child, who transforms into a wolverene, vowing to steal from people’s caches and traps.

Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917

► Themes of the story

Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on complex relationships within a family, highlighting tensions between Wolverene, his wives, children, mother-in-law, and brothers-in-law.

Revenge and Justice: After Wolverene’s mistreatment and deceit, his family exacts retribution, culminating in his demise.

Cunning and Deception: The story features acts of deceit, such as Wolverene’s trick with the beaver and the family’s strategy to punish him.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

Wolverene had two wives and several children. His wives’ mother, and two brothers of his wives who were yet boys, lived with them. He always caught many beavers, and gave plenty of meat to his mother-in-law and brothers-in-law as well as to his own family. He was very quick at setting beaver-nets, for he used his penis as an ice-chisel. The boys tried to find out how he managed to set the nets so quickly, but he always managed to conceal himself when making holes in the ice. One day, however, they happened to see him, and made remarks about the shape of his ice-chisel. One of his own sons told him of these remarks. He became angry, and said he would starve them.

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After that he fed his own wives and children, as usual, but gave nothing to his mother-in-law and brothers-in-law. He allowed them a fire, however, but he gave orders to his wives not to give them any food.

When Wolverene’s daughter saw that her grandmother was starving, she went to her mother, saying she was very hungry, and asked her for some beaver-meat. Pretending to eat the meat, she passed it down her dress, and carried it to her grandmother and the boys. The latter now began to hunt, for they were very hungry. One day they chased a moose by the place where Wolverene was working beaver on the ice. They asked him if the moose was far ahead; and he answered, “Just a little ways.” The lads chased the moose a very long way before they caught up with it and killed it. They brought back some meat and fat to their camp. That night they broke some bones to extract the marrow, and Wolverene heard them. He called out, “Oh, you have some meat! You are eating marrow-bones.” The old woman was angry, and answered back, “No, you are mistaken. We are breaking old bones. Where should we get meat? We are starving.”

That night, when Wolverene was asleep, the old woman and boys shifted camp to where the moose was. Next morning Wolverene noticed that there was no fire at their camp, and sent one of his sons over to find out the reason. He came back and told his father that there were no people there. Wolverene knew now that the lads had killed the moose. He made up his mind to follow them, and told his wives to go ahead. He would stay behind and finish catching beavers, and then overtake them. He killed a number of beavers, and, taking one of them on his back, he set out. Before long he passed his wife, who was pregnant, and therefore walking very slowly.

When he reached the people’s camp, he said, “I have brought you some good meat;” and he gave the beaver to his mother-in-law. He had defecated inside the beaver. The old woman threw it away, saying, “We do not eat your dirt.” Wolverene said, “How nice the moose-fat smells!” The people said, “We will feed you fat; sit down and close your eyes.” He was not particular now about concealing his privates, but sat down before the fire and lifted up his apron (or shirt?), exposing himself to view. When he shut his eyes, the people poured hot grease on his privates. He began to scratch at the burnt place; and while he was doing this, they clubbed and killed him. They then went out and met the wife who had the children and was pregnant, killed her, and cut open her belly. They also killed all the children excepting the youngest, who managed to escape and climbed a tree. Here he became a wolverene, and said, “Henceforth I shall break into people’s caches, and steal out of their marten-traps.”

Rabbit-Man

Rabbit-Man, a clever shaman, discovers his brothers are mistreated by their brother-in-law, Bear-Man. To avenge them, Rabbit-Man tricks and kills Bear-Man and his sister. When Bear-Man’s allies seek revenge, Rabbit-Man transforms himself and his brothers into feathers to escape. He then provides for his brothers and plans to confront their remaining enemies.

Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917

► Themes of the story

Trickster: Rabbit-Man is portrayed as a cunning figure who uses his wit to outsmart Bear-Man, reflecting the classic trickster archetype.

Revenge and Justice: The narrative involves Rabbit-Man seeking justice for his brothers’ mistreatment by Bear-Man, leading to acts of retribution.

Family Dynamics: Complex relationships are depicted, particularly between Rabbit-Man, his sister, and Bear-Man, highlighting familial tensions and alliances.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

Rabbit-Man was very clever. He was a shaman and next in power to Beaver. He had two brothers and a sister. The latter was married to Bear-Man, and the two brothers lived with them. Rabbit lived alone in another place.

Bear became angry because his young brothers-in-law were lazy, and he made up his mind to starve them. He made them always camp behind himself and his wife, in a different place, and gave them raw liver. Rabbit-Man knew that his brothers were badly treated, and went to see them. He saw that his brothers had no fire and no good food to eat. After making a big fire for them, he asked where Bear-Man was camped.

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They said, “On ahead,” and indicated the spot. Rabbit went to Bear’s camp, and found only his sister (Bear’s wife) there. He saw much fat meat there. Without saying a word, he helped himself to the meat, and went back and fed his brothers. When Bear came home, he missed the meat, but said nothing. As he changed his moccasins, he thought of Rabbit. He knew that he had come, and he knew that he was a very clever man. Soon afterwards Rabbit appeared, and asked Bear if he had seen any moose or buffalo when hunting, and Bear replied that he had seen three. Rabbit proposed that they should go after them at once; but Bear said that he was too tired, and could not go until morning. At last Rabbit persuaded him to go that night. They chased the moose (or buffalo) and killed two. One ran off, and Rabbit went after it. He ran it down, killed it, and cached the meat in the snow.

On returning to Bear, he told him that he had failed to catch the runaway. Bear prepared to pack the two animals they had killed by tying them together, while Rabbit was to go ahead and break a trail for him to follow. Bear said, “My load is very heavy; break a good trail for me, and pick good easy ground.” Rabbit made a trail through bad places and straight up steep places. At last he went up a very steep place, and Bear became angry. He said to himself, “I will fix him when I get to camp!” When Bear reached the top of the declivity with his heavy load, his head was bent down, and he was out of breath. Rabbit hit him on the head with a club and killed him. He rolled over backwards with his heavy pack. Rabbit then returned to camp, and told his sister, “Your husband wants you to meet him. He is tired.” She answered, “No, my husband never yet asked me to meet him.” Rabbit persisted in the truth of his statement, and at last she went. He killed her at the same spot where he had killed her husband.

Rabbit now returned to his brothers, and took them to the place where he had cached the meat. There they camped, and cooked and ate much. Now, Bear-Man had many friends, and they came to take revenge. Rabbit gave each of his brothers a feather. He told them, if they were attacked, never to move or to say anything, but just to watch his eyes. He said, “While I sit, you sit; and when I get up, you get up.” The Bear people came and attacked the camp. Rabbit got up; his brothers did the same, and all changed into feathers. They blew away on the wind, and came down a long ways off, where they changed back to their natural forms and camped. Rabbit hunted and killed many moose, so they had plenty to eat. He said to his brothers, “Live here until I return. I am going to kill our enemies.”

Rabbit arrived at the camp of an old Bear-Man, who was sharpening sticks. He said to him, “Why are you making these sharp sticks?” and Bear answered, “To kill Rabbit-Man.” (Bear did not recognize Rabbit, for he had changed his appearance.) Rabbit asked old Bear-Man how he used the sticks, and the latter showed him. Rabbit took up the stick, and, pointing it at Bear’s head, said, “Oh, this way!” and then pierced him with it, killing him.

Rabbit went on to a camp of many people near a lake. Changing himself into a young rabbit, he sat down near the hole in the ice where the people got water. Some women carrying water saw him and caught him. They took him to camp and showed him to the other people, who thought it strange that there should be a young rabbit in the middle of winter. They all examined him, passing him from hand to hand. Wolverene was the last one to examine him. After looking at him very closely, he said, “Perhaps this is Rabbit-Man,” and threw him into the fire. Rabbit jumped out of the fire, and ran away as if lame. The people followed him, trying to catch him. He ran out in the middle of the lake, chased by the people. He made a gale of wind come and blow all the snow off the ice, which became so smooth and slippery that the people could not stand up. He then took a stick and killed one after another.

Wolverene had not followed him. He thought himself smart, and sat in the camp smiling to himself. Rabbit entered, and, striking him across the arms and legs, broke them. He put his body on a spit and set it up before the fire to bake. He then gathered all the children together, chinked up the brush lodge, and set fire to it. When all were burned up, he went home. This is how wars started among the Indians. At one time war was unknown. Rabbit introduced war, and the Indians imitated him. Since then there has been war among tribes and families. Had Rabbit not introduced war, people would know nothing of war now.

The fog-man

Two sisters, scolded by their mother for consuming scarce food, flee to the mountains and encounter Fog-Man. He replaces his malevolent wives, Porcupine and Beaver, with the sisters, turning the former into animals. Fog-Man’s hunting skills provide abundance, but after a dispute, he conceals his meat cache under a mountain. Later, he reveals it, teaching the people to store food, though his mother-in-law’s gluttony leads to her demise.

Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917

► Themes of the story

Divine Punishment: Fog-Man transforms his two malicious wives, Porcupine and Beaver, into their respective animal forms as punishment for their malevolent behavior.

Conflict with Nature: The human characters face challenges in securing food, highlighting their struggle against natural scarcity.

Cunning and Deception: Fog-Man conceals his meat cache beneath a mountain to prevent access by those who quarreled with him, demonstrating strategic cunning.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

A man and his wife were out hunting. They had two daughters who staid in camp. There was little to eat; and the girls, being hungry, ate about half of the back-fat that remained in the camp. Their mother was angry when she returned and found that they had eaten so much fat.

She said to them, “Go up in the mountains and marry Fog-Man. He is a good hunter, and always has plenty of fat.” The girls ran away from home, and, going up in the mountains, came to the place where the Fog people draw water. They met a woman there who was the mother of Fog-Man. The girls told her their story, and she said she would tell her son.

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Fog-Man had two wives, Porcupine and Beaver. They were bad women. They ate people, and they were always angry and cross. As soon as Fog-Man learned of the girls from his mother, without saying anything, he arose and hit Porcupine with his axe, and drove her from the house. He said, “Go up to the timber-line among the balsam and become a porcupine. People will eat you.” Then he hit Beaver with a stick, and drove her, too, from the house. He said, “Go down to the river and become a beaver. People will eat you also.” He brought the girls in, and now had two good wives. He hunted and put up a great quantity of meat of caribou, sheep, etc., and fat groundhog. He made a very big cache of meat in the mountains. Then he went to visit his parents-in-law, taking his wives with him, and plenty of meat. He staid a long time with his wives’ people; and while he remained there, the people always had plenty to eat, for Fog-Man was a good hunter. His chief food was sheep’s horns, which he called fat, and cut just like back-fat.

Each of his wives bore him a son. One day some of the people quarrelled with him, and he left them. On his way home he put a mountain on the top of his meat-cache, so that the people could not get at it. They could find no game, and were starving. They went to the cache to get meat, but were unable to remove the mountain which covered it. The woman (viz., mother-in-law) sent Fog-Man’s sons to look for their father. She said to them, “When you see your father’s tracks and follow them, paint the soles of your feet with red paint, and never look back.” They did as directed, and found their father. Many Fog people were living there. When they went in, they gave the lads sheep’s horns to eat.

When Fog-Man heard that the people were starving, he was sorry. He went to the cache and took the mountain off the top. The people now had plenty to eat. Fog-Man’s mother-in-law ate so much fat, that she became too full, and, when reaching over to take some more, she broke in two. After this, people used caches and put up meat in caches. Fog-Man taught them. This is why the Indians now cache their meat and make caches.

Story of lynx-man

The story narrates the experiences of a man and his wife who, while hunting in the mountains, encounter the enigmatic Lynx-Man. This being abducts the wife, leading the husband on a journey aided by a benevolent Eagle to rescue her. The couple ultimately reunites and overcomes Lynx-Man.

Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The couple’s strategic planning and execution of Lynx-Man’s demise showcase the use of wit to achieve their objective.

Guardian Figures: The Eagle serves as a protector and guide, assisting the husband in locating and rescuing his wife.

Love and Betrayal: The narrative centers on the husband’s deep affection for his wife and the lengths he goes to in order to save her from abduction.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

Once a long time ago a man was hunting in the mountains with his wife. At that time there was no game in the low parts of the country. People lived on sheep, marmots, and ground-squirrels, all of which abounded in the mountains. The man wanted to procure some eagle feathers: so, taking a rope with him, and accompanied by his wife, he went to a cliff where there was an eagle’s nest. He tied the rope around his waist, and got his wife to lower him down. Just when he had reached the ledge where the nest was, Lynx-Man appeared at the brink of the cliff, and ordered the woman to let go the end of the rope. Being afraid, she did as directed. Lynx-Man then took her away to a place in the bottom-lands where the brush was very thick and there were many Jack pines.

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Here he set many snares, and always caught plenty of rabbits. He cooked and offered the woman rabbits, but she would not eat. On the way to this place the woman had carried some grouse that Lynx-Man had caught, and, as she went along through the brush, she plucked the birds and dropped the feathers along the way as a sign.

When the Mother-Eagle came back to the nest, she found the man there. She said, “What are you doing here?” and he answered, “I came here to get some eagle-feathers. My wife let me down, and I had barely reached the ledge when for some reason the rope fell down. Now I have no means of getting up or down.” Eagle said, “Why, Lynx has stolen your wife; that is why the rope fell down. Get on my back, and I will take you down and show you where to find your wife.” The man did not answer, as he was afraid, and Eagle knew it. She said, “There is no danger. I am able to carry you. Put that big stone on my back, and I will show you.” The man did as directed, and the Eagle flew away with the stone on her back, and threw it off on the opposite mountain. Returning, the man got on her back, and she flew down with him. Eagle then said, “Watch my flight. I will fly to where your wife is. When I circle four times, you will know she is directly below where I am.” Eagle flew off, and the man watched. After flying some distance, Eagle circled twice, and then went on. After a time she circled four times, and then returned. On arriving back, Eagle asked the man if he had noticed where she went, and he answered, “Yes.” Eagle then told him there was a large Caribou below where she had circled twice, and his wife’s camp was underneath where she had circled four times. Eagle plucked a number of feathers from her body and gave to the man, saying, “I will now leave you. My children are hungry, and I must go and feed them.”

The man went to where the Eagle had circled twice, and found a caribou there, which he killed. He then went on, and came to Lynx’s camp, where he found his wife alone. She was glad to see him, and said to him, “When Lynx comes, you must say you are my brother, and address him as brother-in-law.” Towards evening Lynx came to camp, carrying a load of rabbits. When he saw the man, he drew his bow and was about to shoot at him. The woman cried out, “This is my brother come to visit me. Don’t shoot at him!” Lynx said, “Oh, my brother-in-law indeed!” and came into camp. He cooked many rabbits for his supposed brother-in-law. That night, when Lynx-Man was asleep, the man and woman killed him. Then they shifted camp to where the carcass of the caribou was.

The dog-man and dog-children

A young woman marries a mysterious man who is actually a dog in human form. After giving birth to seven puppies, she is abandoned by her family. The puppies transform into children when alone, and the mother eventually burns their dog skins, making the transformation permanent. The children grow rapidly and become successful hunters due to their keen sense of smell inherited from their canine heritage.

Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The husband in the story possesses the ability to transform between human and dog forms, indicating interactions with beings beyond the ordinary.

Family Dynamics: The tale explores complex relationships within the family, including the mother’s reaction to her daughter’s unconventional offspring and the interactions among the siblings.

Cunning and Deception: The mother employs clever tactics to uncover the truth about her children’s transformations and the inappropriate relationship between her youngest son and his sister.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

The narrator said that he thought this story may have come from the Tahltan to the Kaska some time ago, as both tribes have the story localized in the Tahltan country.

A family consisting of parents and daughter lived together. They had an old dog who always lay at the entrance of the lodge. Whenever the girl went outside, she had to step over the dog. One day they moved camp, and as usual put a pack on the dog. When they reached the camping-place, the dog was missing. The parents sent the girl back to look for him. She met a good-looking man accompanied by a dog carrying a pack. He asked her where she was going, and she told him she was looking for their dog, who had gone astray with his pack. He answered, “This must be your missing dog. I found him, and am bringing him along.” The girl, becoming fascinated with the man, ran off with him, and camped in a different place. The man hunted, and always obtained plenty of game. He told his wife, “When you throw away bones, never throw them far.” The woman noticed that when her husband hunted, she always heard barking where he was. She asked him about this, and he answered that he knew nothing of the barking. She also noticed that the bones she threw out were always eaten up or gone in the morning.

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One night she pretended to sleep, and watched. Her husband arose, and soon afterwards she heard something eating the bones outside. She looked, and saw that it was an old dog. She now knew that her husband was a dog or dog-man, and, taking a club, she struck the old dog on the head and killed him. She then went back to her parents and told them she had been living with a man, and that she was pregnant. Her mother, thinking she would have a nice baby, prepared for it by making a fine marten-skin robe, and a nice bed for the baby to be born in. The girl gave birth to seven pups; and her mother became so angry and disgusted, that she snatched away the robe, took away all the food and everything in the lodge, and left the place. Her father and all the people also deserted her.

The girl lived by picking berries. When their mother was away gathering food, the pups turned into children and played together. There were six boys and a girl, and the girl always watched while the others played. The mother noticed, when she came home, that the brush on the floor of the lodge was disturbed and turned over, as if children had been playing; and she thought it strange that dogs should do this. She picked up some rags and made them roughly to resemble clothes, which she stuck up within view of the lodge one day when she was out. The girl watched this, thinking it was her mother. The latter crept around behind, seized the dog-skins the children had discarded, and threw them into the fire. The girl, however, managed to get on part of her skin, and thus remained half dog. Later the mother managed to get the rest of her skin, and she then became like her brothers.

The dogs were now really children, and they grew up fast. The young men hunted, and always brought back plenty of game. They had the power of scenting game, as dogs do, and therefore were very successful in hunting.

Now, the mother was suspicious that one of her sons slept with his sister, and she determined to find out which one it was. She smeared pitch all round where her daughter slept, and next morning she noticed the side of her youngest son marked with pitch. She was sorry about this, and began to travel with her family. When about to cross the Stikine River in the Tahltan country, she said to the girl, “Look at your brothers bathing in the river down below! “As soon as she looked, all were changed to stone, including the mother. Some were ashore at the time, and some were in the river. All of them are now rocks to be seen at this place.

The owl-woman

A mother, desiring her daughter’s husbands, tricks her into climbing a tree to collect owl feathers. The daughter transforms into an owl, and the mother impersonates her to seduce the sons-in-law. Upon discovering the deceit, they kill the mother. The transformed daughter refuses to return, choosing to remain an owl.

Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The daughter undergoes a physical change, turning into an owl after climbing the tree, highlighting themes of metamorphosis.

Trickster: The mother deceives her daughter into climbing the tree, intending to transform her and take her place, showcasing cunning behavior.

Revenge and Justice: The sons-in-law, upon discovering the mother’s deceit and believing their wife is dead, exact retribution by killing the mother.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

A woman lived with her daughter, who had two husbands who were brothers. She was visited by two men who, she thought, were her sons-in-law. She made up her mind to get rid of her daughter and have her sons-in-law for herself. She told her daughter to climb up a tree where the owl lived, and get some owl-feathers for her. Her daughter refused, saying that she was afraid she might turn into an owl; but her mother persuaded her that there was no danger. When half way up the tree, the girl’s clothes dropped off, and feathers began to grow on her, and she became an owl. The old woman dressed in her daughter’s clothes, fixed up her face and hair to make herself look young, and then sat down in a new camp she had made to await the coming of her sons-in-law.

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After they came home, she remarked as she was eating, “I am young yet, see how sharp my teeth are!” and again, as she got up, “I am young yet, see how quickly I can get up! I am like a young woman.” The men noticed that she got up slowly like an old person; and this, with the remarks she had made, caused them to be suspicious. They pulled back her head and her hair, and recognized her as their mother-in-law. Thinking she had killed their wife, they killed her, and then went to their old camp. On the way they passed the tree where their wife was, and saw her.

They begged of her to come back to them; but she answered, “No, you have killed my mother, so I shall remain an owl.”

The deceitful wife

A woman with two husbands encounters a war party while retrieving a forgotten needle-case. After being assaulted, she returns with ptarmigan, lying about their origin. Her mother-in-law suspects deceit, and upon the husbands’ return, they confirm wrongdoing. They share a final meal, send their mother away, and then kill their wife for her betrayal. The war party arrives, but the brothers escape into the darkness.

Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917

► Themes of the story

Love and Betrayal: The woman’s infidelity and deception lead to a tragic outcome, highlighting the destructive consequences of betrayal within familial relationships.

Cunning and Deception: The woman’s attempt to conceal her actions demonstrates the use of deceit, and her mother-in-law’s suspicions showcase the dynamics of uncovering hidden truths.

Revenge and Justice: The brothers’ decision to kill their wife as retribution for her deceit reflects themes of justice and the lengths individuals may go to restore honor or balance.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

A woman had two husbands who were brothers, and their mother lived with them. [Notice the common reference to women with two husbands in Kaska. It appears also in Tahltan myths. This does not occur in any Salish stories that I have collected.] She and her mother-in-law shifted camp while her husbands went hunting. When about to make camp, she noticed that she had forgotten her needle-case in the last camp, and she went back for it. On her return she fell in with a war-party of many men, who intended to attack her people. They had connection with her until she became quite exhausted. They told her not to tell the people, gave her a lot of ptarmigan, and let her go. She carried the birds to camp and gave them to her mother-in-law.

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The latter asked her how she came by them, and she told her that she had killed them with stones. The old woman examined them, and saw that they had been killed with arrows. She said to her daughter-in-law, “Get some water for your husbands; they will be coming home soon.” When she had returned with the water, she immediately lay down and slept, for she was very tired. Just when the men were coming, the old woman spilled the water, then woke up her daughter-in-law and sent her for more water. She noticed that she was very lame. While she was gone, the woman showed the birds to her sons, who at once knew there was something wrong. They had brought home some fat caribou meat. They told their mother they would have a last big feed together, and that when the meal was finished she must go out and try to escape. They cooked and ate a hearty meal. When the repast was over, the old woman took the pails, pretending that she was going for water. She left the camp, and ran off into the woods. The men built up a huge fire so as to intensify the darkness surrounding it. They then attacked and killed their wife, because she had deceived them. The war-party heard her cries and rushed into the camp. The brothers ran out in the darkness and escaped. This is why since then women have been deceitful and hide their actions and wrong doings.