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.

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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.

Story of the water-man

Villagers are terrorized by a malevolent water-man residing in a lake. An orphan boy, mistreated by his uncle and his uncle’s younger wife, secretly breaks the water-man’s external organ, weakening him. When the villagers confront the creature, the uncle is killed, but the boy slays the water-man, earning leadership and marrying the elder wife, while rejecting the younger.

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: The water-man uses cunning to deceive and consume people.

Hero’s Journey: The orphaned boy embarks on a transformative quest, leading to personal and communal change.

Revenge and Justice: The boy avenges his uncle’s death and brings justice by eliminating the water-man.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

Some people who lived near a lake were troubled by a water-man who lived in the middle of the lake. He fooled and ate people. In the centre of the lake could be seen numerous very long strings, like weeds, on the surface of the water. This was his hair. On the edge of the lake was a thing growing, in substance like a stick, and in shape like a man’s penis. This was his penis. The people had tried many times to break it, but could not accomplish it. They practised bathing in cold water to make themselves strong, so that they might break it, but without avail. Among the people who were making medicine that they might attain power to break it was an orphan boy who lived with his uncle, who had two wives. His uncle and the younger wife treated him badly.

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Each succeeding night the boy tried to break the penis, and at last one night he accomplished the feat. He put it together again, and said nothing. Next morning his uncle, accompanied by many men, went to try again, and it broke easily. All were glad, and went back to camp rejoicing. They composed a song on the occasion. They thought they could now conquer the water-man.

Next morning they went in a large canoe to kill the water-man. The boy’s uncle stood in the prow of the canoe to do the killing. When they embarked, he had told the boy to go home, as he would be of no use; but the boy went, nevertheless, and sat in the stern of the canoe. His uncle seized the water-man by the hair, and was about to strike at him, when the latter moved his head; and he fell out of the canoe, and was at once killed by the water-man. The boy then arose, and, running forward to the bow of the canoe, seized the water-man’s hair and killed him. He struck off his head as easily as cutting fat. The people then returned, singing a song of victory and a death-chant together. The boy’s uncle’s wives heard the singing, and began to paint themselves, as they thought their husband was the victor. The elder was doubtful as she heard the two kinds of songs; but the younger one kept on painting herself, although the paint constantly scratched her face. The boy had made it do this.

When all the people learned of the boy’s victory, they made him chief, and he became renowned throughout the country. He took his uncle’s elder wife to be his wife, but would have nothing to do with the younger one.

The man who cohabited with his sister

A man becomes infatuated with his sister, neglecting his wives and children. He kills his sister’s husband, hoards food for her, and lets his family starve. Suspicious, his elder wife discovers the affair and the murder. She avenges by killing the sister and, with her co-wife, later kills their husband, ending his betrayal and restoring balance.

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 familial relationships, including a man living with his two wives (who are sisters) and his illicit relationship with his own sister.

Love and Betrayal: The man’s infatuation with his sister leads him to betray his family, resulting in deceit and treachery.

Revenge and Justice: The elder wife, upon discovering her husband’s actions, exacts revenge by killing his sister and, eventually, the man himself, restoring a sense of justice.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

A man lived in one place with his two wives, who were sisters. The elder had four children, and the younger none. In another place not far away lived his sister, who was married to a brother of his wives. The man always killed plenty of marmots, and the family were well provided for. After a time he brought home no marmots, and the family began to be hungry. He had become enamoured of his sister, who was a young girl, and he visited her constantly. He killed his sister’s husband (brother to his wives), cut his body open, and defecated inside. He brought all the meat to his sister, and none to his family, for he wished them to starve to death. He claimed that he had bad luck and could get no game.

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Sometimes he was away as long as five nights, and returned without anything. The women managed to live by snaring ground-squirrels. They noticed that their husband was always fat and contented-looking, and he never slept with them. They became suspicious, and one day the elder wife followed him. When he was out of sight, she ran; and when in sight, she lay and watched. She took advantage of the nature of the ground, and followed him until §he saw him enter his sister’s camp. She hid and watched until she saw him leave the camp for the purpose of visiting his marmot-traps. He was dressed in new clothes, while, when he came home to them, he always wore old ragged clothes. When he was out of sight, she approached the camp, and, in passing by the place where they got water, she saw the defiled body of her brother lying there. She entered the camp, and saw much meat there. She said to her sister-in-law, “Oh, you are well off! Your husband must be a good hunter, for you have plenty of meat on hand. Our husband cannot get anything, and we are starving.” Her sister-in-law then cooked some liver for her, although there was an abundance of good meat in the camp. After eating, she said to her sister-in-law, “I think you have many lice in your head. I will louse you before I go.” The girl accepted the service, and laid her head in the woman’s lap. After lousing her a little while, the woman took the two bone scratchers which were suspended by a string around the girl’s neck, and with one in each hand ran them into the girl’s ears and killed her. She pounded up some dried meat, and filled the girl’s mouth and nostrils with it. Then, taking a pack of the best meat and fat, she went home, and fed her children with fat. When the man returned to his sister’s camp, he found her dead, and was very sorry. He took his pack of marmots to his own camp, where he said to his wives, “I have had good luck this time, and have brought you some meat; but you must make a camp for me some distance away, as I want to be alone. If I sleep with you, my bad luck may return.” His real reason was that he might be alone, and thus be able to cry without being noticed. The women made a camp for him a little ways off, arranged everything nicely, and put a block of wood under his pillow. That evening they fed the children with some roots. One of them cried for fat; and the women, fearing their husband had heard it, said, “It is roots the child means. How could he know about fat? He has never been used to eating it.” Their husband went over to his camp, and they could hear him crying. After a while he fell asleep, and they could hear him snoring. The two women then went over and clubbed him to death on the head. Before he died he cried, “You have killed my sister, and now you kill me!” (This is why men sometimes take a fancy to their sisters, and even cohabit with them. Had not this man in mythological times become enamoured of his sister, men would not do so now.)

The elder sister now proposed that they should go to where their late husband’s brother lived, and tell him what had happened. He was unmarried and lived alone. The younger sister was afraid, saying that he would kill them; but at last she agreed to go. They gathered all their meat together, and took all the marmots from the traps, and made a cache of all. Then they burned the body of their husband and departed. When they drew near their brother-in-law’s camp, the elder sister said, “I am not afraid. I don’t care if he kills me. I shall go and see him.” She went into the camp, carrying her baby on her back, and told the man of the killing of his brother and sister, giving him full details. He said to her, “You have done right. My brother did evil, and acted like a dog.” The woman told him that her sister was afraid, and remained some distance away with the children. He said, “Tell her to come in. She need not be afraid. I do not blame you for what you have done.” She went into camp with the children, and the two sisters became the wives of their brother-in-law.

The sisters who married stars

Two sisters, enamored by a red and a white star, wish to marry them. Their wish is granted, and they find themselves in the sky, each with a star-husband. Longing for Earth, they craft a rope from skins and descend. Encountering Wolverene, they cleverly escape his advances and return home. This story highlights themes of desire, ingenuity, and resilience.

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

Forbidden Knowledge: The sisters’ discovery of a way to return to Earth from the sky-world involves uncovering hidden truths and crafting a plan to escape their celestial confines.

Cunning and Deception: The sisters employ cleverness to deceive their star-husbands and later the wolverine, orchestrating their return to Earth and evading unwanted advances.

Journey to the Otherworld: Their initial ascent to the sky represents a voyage to a realm beyond human experience, exploring the unknown and interacting with otherworldly beings.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

Once two sisters made camp together, and before retiring looked up at the stars. They saw two particularly brilliant stars, — a red and a white one. One sister said to the other, “I shall take that red one for my husband, and you may take the white one.” That night, when asleep, they went up to the stars, and awoke next morning in the sky, each with a man by her side. The sister who had chosen the red star was covered with a red blanket belonging to the man with whom she slept, and the man of the other sister had a white blanket. The women lived with these men in the sky-world, as they knew no way of getting back. Their husbands hunted every day, and killed plenty of game. Thus they had an abundance of food.

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The women decided to try and get back to earth. They cut up skins and made a very long rope. When their husbands were away hunting, they worked at digging a hole in a hidden place in the timber. At last they dug through, and could see the earth beneath. They tied a stone to the end of the rope and let it down, but the rope was too short. By adding rope to rope they at last found that the stone reached the earth. They made many pairs of gloves to wear while sliding down the rope, to prevent friction on the hands and to guard against the rope getting worn out. One day when their husbands were away, the younger girl slid down and reached the earth, and the elder followed her.

When the men returned from hunting, they searched for the women, and, finding the hole and rope, they threw the latter down. The sisters found they had alighted on the top of a large tree near a main trail where people were constantly passing. They saw the Moose, Wolf, and many others pass. As each one passed, he called, “My brother-in-law is coming behind!” At last the Wolverene came in sight, carrying his snare on his back. (This is why the wolverene now has the peculiar marks on his back like a snare.) When he arrived under the tree, the women whistled, and he looked up. When he saw the women there, he was glad, and climbed the tree. When he reached them, he wanted to have connection with them; but they said, “Take us down first!” He carried one of them down, and then wished to have connection with her; but she said, “Bring my sister down first.” He ascended and brought down the other woman. Then he wanted to have connection with both; but they told him, “You must provide us with food first, for we are hungry.” Wolverene went off and stole dried meat from somebody’s cache. When they had eaten, he demanded again to have connection with them. They told him, “Our father advised us never to have a man unless he was able first to provide fat caribou-meat. You cannot expect to have a woman until it is certain you are able to kill fat caribou.” He went off hunting, and the sisters fled. They ran until they came to the canyon of a river, which they were unable to pass. They sat down, and before long they saw Wolverene coming. He was carrying a heavy pack of fat caribou meat. As soon as he arrived, he wanted to have connection with the women, without even waiting to take his pack off. The sisters knew what he would do when he reached them, and had arranged that one of them would pretend to let him have connection, and the other one would then kick him over the cliff. One woman lay down near the edge of the cliff, and he went to have connection with her. She told him the right way to do was first close his eyes and fold his arms. The other sister then kicked him over the cliff into the river below. The women then ran along the canyon to a narrow place, where a large man (who was a kind of snipe) aided people in crossing. There was very bad water (rapids) in the river at this place. They called on the man to help them cross; and he stretched his long legs across, and they walked over on them. They said to him, “We will pay you porcupine quill garters if you will let Wolverene drop into the river. When he comes, just stretch one leg across, and turn it when he is half way over.” He agreed, and they gave him the garters. Wolverene came along, carrying his pack. He said to the man, “Where did you get my garters? I will kill you if you do not help me to cross at once.” The bird man stretched one leg across for him to walk on. When he was half way over, he turned his leg, and Wolverene fell into the river and was drowned.

The sisters went back to their parents, and lived with them. They told their parents, “When we travel, you must go ahead and make bridges for us over every creek, and even over every swampy place and wet spot.” Their father always did this. At last one time, feeling tired, he neglected to bridge one little spot. The sisters never came to camp, and their mother went back to look for them. She found that they had turned into beavers, and had already built a house. After this they were beavers.

The deserted woman

A woman is unjustly accused of infidelity by her husband after finding a ball of fat. He burns her belongings and abandons her to die. Resourcefully, she survives by catching rabbits and crafting necessities. Eventually, two brothers discover her, and she becomes their wife, creating fine clothing and living contentedly. Later, her former husband returns.

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 protagonist undergoes significant personal growth, evolving from a deserted wife to a self-reliant individual who crafts her own survival tools and garments.

Family Dynamics: The narrative delves into complex relationships, highlighting her initial betrayal by her husband and eventual integration into a new family structure.

Loss and Renewal: Experiencing the loss of her former life, she rebuilds and finds new beginnings with her subsequent partners.

► 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 with other people. The woman had a heavy load, and was following behind. She came to a hill where the people had slid down with their toboggans on the snow. Here she found a ball of fat which must have been lost from one of the toboggans. When she reached camp, she showed the fat to her husband. He became angry, and accused her of having a sweetheart, which she denied. He said, “Your sweetheart must have paid you in fat.” (This is why some married people are now suspicious of each other, and accuse each other of infidelity without sufficient reason.) In the morning the husband burned his wife’s clothes and tools, the people extinguished the fires, and all of them deserted the place, leaving the woman to die of cold and starvation.

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Only her sister-in-law had pity on her, and told her she had left a little fire for her in one place.

As soon as the people were out of sight, the woman blew on the embers left by her sister-in-law, and made a small fire. Numbers of rabbits began to come to the deserted camp. She found some scraps of sinew at a place where the men had been making arrows. She made a snare with these, and caught a rabbit. She took the sinews of its legs and made another snare. Thus she continued catching and living on rabbits. She made needles and awls of their bones, thread of their sinews, and clothing and blankets of their skins. She took great care not to let the lire go out, as she had no axe or any tools for making fire. She collected whatever fire-wood she could find. She had no snowshoes, and could not go very far, for the snow was deep in that place.

At last March came, and spring was near. There was a hard, thick crust on the snow. One day she tapped on her knee, and said, “I wish some of you people would come this way!” She said this almost without thinking, as if in fun. Soon afterwards a moose ran past the camp, and a man on snowshoes in pursuit on the crust. Seeing the moose had passed near the camp, the man asked the woman how long since it has passed or how far ahead it was. She pointed out to him the branches of a tree still moving which it had touched in passing, and made a sign that it had just gone out of sight. The man went on, after telling her that his brother was following and would camp there that night. The brother came along, following the tracks, and, seeing the camp, left his blankets there with the woman. The first brother killed the moose, and that night both brothers returned to the woman’s camp heavily laden with moose-meat. They cooked meat and gave some of it to the woman. During the course of the evening they asked the woman why she was alone, and why she wore only rabbitskin clothing, and she told them all. They said, “When we return to our camp, we shall tell our mother.” They told their mother, who said, “I am almost blind now, and I am very glad you have found this woman. She will be a wife for you, and will sew your clothes.” They took the woman to wife, and she made for them fancy clothes of moose and caribou skin, embroidered richly with quill-work, and feather head-dresses. (This is why men are now jealous of a good wife, who looks after them well and makes fancy clothes for them.) She also made good clothes for herself. (This is why men now like a woman who dresses neatly and well.)

The woman staid with her husbands and mother-in-law in one place. After a time her former husband arrived, and, finding tracks, he followed them to the camp. He was surprised to find his former wife there, finely dressed, well provided with meat, and having two husbands. He offered to buy her back with a stone axe and arrows. The woman took the axe and threw it into deep water, and threw the arrows into the fire. She said to him, “Don’t you remember how you left me to starve? I shall never go with you now!” He departed crying. (This is why, when a good woman separates from a bad man, she becomes better off, and never returns to him.)