The Snow Man

An Indian hunter endures a thawing winter’s slush and angrily blames the North Man. He meets the supernatural Snow Man, then spends spring and summer storing wood and animal grease. When the next winter’s cold arrives, he relies on his provisions and outlasts the Snow Man, who concedes defeat and restores balanced winters thereafter. The tale explains why winters aren’t extreme.

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

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The story explains why winters become balanced rather than too extreme.

Supernatural Beings: The Snow Man is a mystical figure who directly interacts with the hunter.

Conflict with Nature: The hunter struggles against harsh, unpredictable winter conditions.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Naskapi Lore

Learn more about the Naskapi people

An Indian was travelling in the winter-time; and the snow was soft and slushy, as the weather had grown warm. He was wading through the slush on his journey. The walking was so bad that he grew angrier as he proceeded. At last he came to a lake, and found that it was covered with water on the ice, and he had to wade through it. As he got wetter, he grew still angrier; and he exclaimed at last, “Why does the North Man do this? Why doesn’t he send good winter weather?”

At last he came to a portage at the other end of the lake. As he started on the portage, he saw a man all in white standing before him. At first he did not know who it could be; but as he came closer, he discovered that it was a Snow Man.

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He had been feeling very angry as he came along, and the Snow Man saw how cross he looked. When the hunter came close, the Snow Man said, “What is the matter?” Then the hunter replied, “Such terrible slush and melting weather! The North Man is no good.” Then the Snow Man said, “I can’t do anything for you now; but some time I will try to help you.” — “All right,” said the hunter. The Snow Man disappeared, and the hunter went on with his journey.

The spring came, and warm weather. The lake melted and broke up. Then the hunter thought to himself, “I wonder what the Snow Man meant when he said he would help me!” He began to hunt, and saved the grease from the animals he killed, and put it all in bladders. He made a big camp and cut lots of wood, and kept piling up wood and storing grease all summer and fall, for he thought the Snow Man had meant something serious by what he had said.

When fall was over, the weather began to grow cold, and the snow season commenced. It snowed and snowed, and drifted in great masses around his camp and over the wigwam. So the winter went on colder and colder, until one day the Snow Man came to the camp. He found the hunter sitting by his fire. “How do you find the weather now?” said the Snow Man. “All right,” replied the hunter. The Snow Man staid, and the cold increased and the snow drifted higher. The hunter kept putting wood on the fire, and pouring grease on it, to make it burn stronger. By and by the Snow Man again asked the hunter, “How do you like the weather now?” — “All right,” answered the hunter, as before. He had really had enough cold weather, but he would not give in. He stood the cold well, because he had plenty of provisions, wood, and grease. He used these and piled wood on his fire, making the wigwam hotter and hotter.

At last the Snow Man could stand it no longer, for he was commencing to melt. Soon he had to go away. But before he went, he told the hunter, “You are a stronger man than I am. You have conquered me, and now I will leave.” After that he departed, and the cold began to moderate. The winter continued not so cold, but just as it should be, — not too cold nor too warm. It was a good winter, and since then the winters have not been so extreme.

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The four wind brothers

Four elemental brothers—North, South, East, and West—live in a cavern and stand above a great hole to blow the world’s winds. The youngest, West, blows fiercest gusts, but the eldest, North, warns him to restrain his strength to protect their mother (the Earth) and the people. Together they balance their powers, ensuring the winds are strong enough to serve yet never so wild as to harm.

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

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: This tale explains the natural phenomenon of wind by personifying its four directional forces.

Family Dynamics: The story centers on sibling relationships, hierarchies of age, and mutual influence among the four brothers.

Guardian Figures: The eldest (North) moderates his younger brother’s power to protect “their mother” (the Earth) and its people.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Naskapi Lore

Learn more about the Naskapi people

There were four brothers in a family which lived in a great cave in the earth. Of these four brothers, one was the North, another was the South, another the West, and the other the East. These were the Wind brothers, who made the winds. The West was the youngest of them; the North was the oldest; the South was the next to the oldest; and the East was the next to the West, the youngest. To cause the winds they would stand up, so as to be head above the great hole, and blow. Then the wind would come according to which of the brothers made it, the north, south, east, or west. And so it continued. The West was very wild when he raised a wind. But the oldest, the North, said to him, “No, no! Don’t do that! You will raise such high winds that it will destroy the people, the Indians.”

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Then when the youngest, the West, jumped up again to blow a wind, the North would tell him, “No, no! Stop, you will kill our mother!” Well, so they lived, these brothers, causing and regulating the winds of the world.

It happened that the North wind was the softest, and the East wind a little stronger, harder. The South also came with gusts, strong, but not as bad as the West wind, the youngest brother, who was the worst. When these brothers made the winds, they were satisfied with doing just enough not to destroy the people, but tried to manage things rightly. They would say, all of them, “We must try to look after our people, not to destroy them with our winds!”

Ayas’i

Ayas’i, a cunning chief, is deceived by his younger wife into believing his eldest son assaulted her. Exiling him to an island, the boy endures trials—assisted by a gull, a catfish, and a fox—overcoming sky-hooks, monster dogs, and deadly women. Returning home, he reveals the truth, punishes his father by turning him into a frog, and restores his mother as the robin, explaining their origins.

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

► Themes of the story

Family Dynamics: The tale centers on jealousy, step-mother rivalry, and the fraught father-son relationship.

Revenge and Justice: After surviving exile, the son exacts retribution on his deceitful father and vindicates his mother.

Origin of Things: The narrative explains how the robin and the frog came to be, grounding a cultural origin‐myth.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Naskapi Lore

Learn more about the Naskapi people

Ayas’i was a great chief and trickster. He was an old man and had two wives, — an older one, his first wife; and a younger one, his second. By the older one he had a grown-up son, and several younger ones by the other wife. Now, the young woman was very jealous of the older wife, because she thought that Ayas’i would give the chieftainship to his son by his first wife; in other words, to his oldest son. She tried in different ways to invent stories against the son to poison Ayas’i’s mind against him. She kept telling Ayas’i that the oldest son was trying to seduce her. Although Ayas’i liked his oldest son, he came at last to believe the younger woman’s stories, and began to suspect the boy. But the stories he heard were not proved. The boy was very quiet and well-behaved.

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One day the young woman was out in the bush and saw a partridge, and then she thought of a plan to trap the boy. She hurried back to the camp, and told the son to come and shoot the bird for her. “Oh, no!” said he, “there are plenty of younger boys here. Get some of them to go and kill the partridge.” But she coaxed him to come, saying that he was so much more able. At last he consented, and went with her and killed the partridge. Then the young wife pulled up her dresses, took the dying bird, and made it scratch her between the legs until she was lacerated around her lower parts. Then she went back to the camp. That night Ayas’i lay beside her and desired to cohabit. “No, no!” she said, “I’m too sore. I’m all cut up from my struggles with your oldest son.” Ayas’i was surprised. Then she showed him the scratches and wounds, and told him how he had struggled with her in the woods and raped her. So Ayas’i grew bitter against the boy.

The next day a big canoe crowd arrived at the camp, as Ayas’i was a great man and often had visitors from far away. He got the crowd together, and said to them, “Now, tomorrow we will all go to the islands and collect eggs for a great feast for my son, as he wants eggs from the islands.” Ayas’i was a great chief, so whatever he said had to be done. The next morning he told his son, “You must come too.” — “No,” said the son, “I don’t want any eggs, anyway.” But Ayas’i made him go too. So he got his canoe; and they embarked, and paddled toward a big island, Ayas’i at the stern, and the son paddling at the bow. When they saw a big island, the son asked, “Is that the island?” — “Yes,” said Ayas’i. Then he blew his breath and blew the island farther ahead. The son could not see his father blowing, and wondered why the island could not be approached.

At last, however, they reached the island when Ayas’i thought they were far enough from home. “Now, go ashore and gather eggs,” said Ayas’i. His son began gathering eggs near the shore. “Now go farther up. There are some fine eggs over yon rise. Don’t stop so near the shore,” said Ayas’i. Every time the son would look behind to see how far he was from the shore, Ayas’i would send him farther inland. Then, when the boy was some distance in, Ayas’i jumped into the canoe and paddled away home. The son called after him, “Father, father, you are leaving me!” — “Well, you have been making a wife of your step-mother,” cried Ayas’i; and away he went, leaving his son behind. So the boy was left on the island, and wandered about, crying.

One day the boy met a Gull. “O grandchild! what are you doing here alone?” asked the Gull. “My father left me,” said the boy. “You won’t ever see the mainland again,” said the Gull; “but I’ll try to take you myself. Get on my back, and I will try.” So the boy got on his back, and the Gull tried to fly up. But the boy was too heavy, and the Gull had to turn back. “But go over to the other end of the island, and there you will find your grandfather [merely a term used in addressing older people]. Maybe he can help you,” said the Gull.

So the boy wandered on, crying, and soon came to the other end of the island. There he saw a big Catfish (?). “What are you doing here?” said the Catfish. “My father left me,” said the boy. “What do you want?” said the Catfish. “To get ashore to the mainland,” said the boy. “Well,” said the Catfish, “maybe I can take you over. Is it clear?” (The great Catfish was afraid of the thunder.) — “Yes,” said the boy. “Are there no clouds?” asked the Fish. “No,” said the boy. “Are you sure? Well, then take a stone in your hand and get on my back. Hold on tight to my horns (the Catfish had two horns on his head); and when you find me going too slowly, hammer with the stone, and I’ll hurry faster, especially if it begins to look cloudy. Are you sure there are no clouds? Well, hold on tight, now!” And with this they started like the wind. Every little while the boy would hit the Fish a rap with the stone, and he would go still faster. Soon it began clouding up. “Is it clouding up yet?” asked the Fish. “No,” answered the boy, even though he heard thunder. “What’s that I hear? Is it thunder?” asked the Fish. “Oh, no!” cried the boy, and hit him harder with the stone.

Just then they reached the mainland; and the boy just had time to jump ashore, when a thunder-bolt came and smashed the Fish to pieces. But the boy got safely ashore, and began wandering about until at last he came to a small wigwam. He walked up and lifted the door-cover. There inside he saw a Fox sitting before a small kettle over the fire. When the Fox saw him, she said, “Well, grandchild, what are you doing here?” — “My father left me,” the boy told her. Said the Fox, “I don’t think you will ever succeed in getting home, as your father is very tricky and strong. Nevertheless I will try to help you.”

In the mean time the boy’s mother, the first wife of Ayas’i, felt very bad over the loss of her son. She cried all the time. She would go away in the woods by herself all day and cry; and every night, when she came home, Ayas’i would meet her outside the door and throw embers from the fire on her and burn her. So this went on day after day.

Now, the Fox agreed to help the boy. She transformed herself into a person and guided him along the trail. Soon they came to a place where a lot of hooks (like fish-hooks) were hanging down from the sky. There was no way of getting past without being impaled. Then the Fox turned herself into a small animal, and went up into the sky where the hooks were hung, and jerked them up. She told the boy to jump by when she jerked them up; and he did so, and got safely by.

As they went along farther, they soon came to a place where two monster-dogs were guarding the path. It was very narrow, and there were a lot of rocks. The Fox turned herself into a weasel, and turned the boy into another small animal. Then she wriggled in and out among the rocks, and the dogs began barking fiercely. “I’m barking at Ayas’i’s son!” cried the dogs. The Fox in her weasel form popped up here and there among the rocks until the dogs were frantic. They barked so much, that their master got angry at them, and came out and killed them for making such a noise about nothing; for every time he looked to see what caused them to bark, he could not see anything. When the dogs were dead, the Fox led the boy through safely. Now, these obstacles were all put along the trail by Ayas’i to prevent his son from getting back.

As the boy and his guide, the Fox, passed on, they soon came to a place where there was a flint stone, rounded on the end, and three-cornered on its sides. Then the Fox-Woman said, “Carry that stone with you, you may need it.” So the boy took the stone. Soon they came to a wigwam where lived two women who guarded the way. These women had sharp teeth set in their vulva, with which they killed anybody who cohabited with them. This every one had to do before he could pass them. The Fox-Woman told the boy that he would have to cohabit with these women, but to use the stone. So that night, when they intended to kill him, he used the long stone on them, and broke all the teeth in their vulvas. Then he cohabited with them, and afterward passed safely on. So they started on again.

In the mean time the boy’s mother continued her mourning. When she went into the woods, she would hear the little birds singing about her where she lay down. Their song would say, “Mother, I’m coming back.” When she first heard it, she thought it was her son returning, and she would look up to meet him; but when she saw it was only little birds, she would cry all the harder. Then, when she would go back to camp at night, Ayas’i would burn her again. At last she became so down-hearted that she would pay no attention to the birds, who said, “Mother, I’m coming back.”

At last one day the boy, after passing all the trials, did come back; and the Fox-Woman guided him to where his mother lay crying. When he saw her, he cried, “Mother, I’m coming!” but she would not look up, thinking it was only the birds mocking her grief. Then the boy went up to her, and she saw him. He beheld her face, all burnt and scorched. “What has caused your face to be burnt?” he asked. “Your father did it. He says my son will never come back,” she replied. “Well,” said the son, “Go to camp, and tell Ayas’i that I am back.”

So they went along back to the camp. When Ayas’i heard the woman coming again, he jumped up to get coals of fire to throw on her, as usual. “Your son will never come back!” he cried. “Yes, he is back now!” Ayas’i was so surprised that he dropped the fire; and when he looked, there stood his son. So the son said to his father, “You have been cruel to me and to my mother, all for nothing. You left me on an island, and I am back. Now I will be cruel to you. You shall creep all the days of your life.” So he turned Ayas’i into a frog. He then said to his mother, “You shall be the best-looking bird in the world. People will never kill you. You shall be the robin.” And he turned his mother into a robin, the handsomest bird in the world. That is the origin of the frog and the robin. That is the end.

Origin of the whitish spot on the throat of the marten

A cunning marten enamored of a man’s wife repeatedly tries to lure her away during her husband’s absences. Discovering its deceit, the husband sets a boiling kettle trap, dousing the marten when it visits. Scalded, the creature flees into the woods, its burned breast driving it into the densest forests, thus explaining why martens remain elusive and shy of humans.

Source:
Ethnology of the Ungava District,
Hudson Bay Territory
by Lucien M. Turner
Smithsonian Institution
Bureau of American Ethnology
Annual Report 11, 1889-1890
Washington, 1894

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The tale explains why martens avoid humans, attributing their shy behavior to the scalding the marten endured.

Love and Betrayal: The story centers on the marten’s attempt to betray the marital bond.

Cunning and Deception: Repeated attempts by the marten to deceive the wife highlight this theme.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Naskapi Lore

Learn more about the Naskapi people

A man had a wife whom a marten fell in love with and endeavored to possess. Whenever the man would go away from his home the marten would enter, sit by the woman’s side, and endeavor to entice her to leave her husband and go to live with him. One day the man returned unexpectedly and caught the marten sitting by the side of his wife. The marten ran out. The man inquired of his wife what the marten wanted there. The woman replied that the marten was striving to induce her to desert him and become his own wife. The next time the man went off he told his wife to till a kettle with water and put it on the fire to boil. The man went outside and secreted himself near the house. He soon saw the marten go into the house.

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The man stole quietly to the door of the house and listened to the marten, which was talking to his wife. The man sprang into the house and said: “Marten, what are you doing here, what are you trying to do?” The man seized the kettle of hot water and dashed it on the breast of the animal. The marten began to scratch his burning bosom and ran out into the woods; and because he was so severely hurt he now keeps in the densest forests, away from the sight of man.

Creation of people by the wolverene and the muskrat

A wolverene encounters a muskrat-woman at a riverbank, woos her to live on land, and together they raise five children. Each child—born by a unique means—is proclaimed by the wolverene to be the ancestor of a major human group (whites, Indians, Eskimos, Iroquois, and Negroes). When grown, their mother sends them to different lands, advising them to turn to white people whenever in need.

Source:
Ethnology of the Ungava District,
Hudson Bay Territory
by Lucien M. Turner
Smithsonian Institution
Bureau of American Ethnology
Annual Report 11, 1889-1890
Washington, 1894

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The story provides a mythic explanation for the origins of different human peoples.

Prophecy and Fate: The wolverene foretells the identity and destiny of each child before their birth.

Cultural Heroes: Each child is decreed to become the founding ancestor of a distinct human group.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Naskapi Lore

Learn more about the Naskapi people

As a wolverene was wandering along the bank of a river he saw a muskrat swimming in the edge of the water. He accosted the latter animal with the inquiry, “Who are you? Are you a man or a woman?” The muskrat answered, “I am a woman.” The wolverene informed her that he would take her for a wife. The muskrat replied, “I live in the water; how can I be your wife?” The wolverene told her that she could live on the land as well as in the water. The muskrat went up on the bank to where the wolverene was standing. They selected a place and she began to prepare a home for them. They ate their suppers and retired. Soon after, a child was born. The wolverene informed his wife that it would be a white man and father of all the white people.

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When this child was born it made a natural exit. In due time a second child was born which the wolverene decreed should be an Indian and the father of their kind. This child was born from its mother’s mouth. After a time a third child was born, and the wolverene announced it to be an Eskimo and father of its kind. This child was born ab ano. In the natural course of events a fourth child was born, and the wolverene decided it to be an Iroquois and father of its kind. This child was born from its mother’s nose. After a time a fifth child was born and the wolverene decreed it should be a Negro and father of its kind. This child was born from its mother’s ears. These children remained with their parents until they grew up. Their mother then called them together and announced to them that they must separate. She sent them to different places of the land, and, in parting, directed them to go to the white men whenever they were in need of anything, as the whites would have everything ready for them.

The wolverene and the rock

The wolverene unexpectedly taunts a rock into chasing him by rolling, only to be trapped and injured when the rock crushes him. Calling his animal kin fails, so he summons lightning to shatter the rock, stripping his own pelt. He then seeks his sisters, the frog and mouse, to mend his torn coat; the mouse succeeds, teaching the origin of his protective fur’s design.

Source:
Ethnology of the Ungava District,
Hudson Bay Territory
by Lucien M. Turner
Smithsonian Institution
Bureau of American Ethnology
Annual Report 11, 1889-1890
Washington, 1894

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: Explains the origin of the wolverene’s distinctive, patched coat after it’s torn and resewn.

Trickster: The wolverene uses cunning to provoke the inert rock into chasing him.

Revenge and Justice: The rock punishes the wolverene for tormenting it, and lightning avenges both.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Naskapi Lore

Learn more about the Naskapi people

A wolverene was out walking on the hillside and came upon a large rock. The animal inquired of the rock, “Was that you who was walking just now?” The rock replied, “No, I can not move; hence I cannot walk.” The wolverene retorted that he had seen it walking. The rock quickly informed the wolverene that he uttered a falsehood. The wolverene remarked, “You need not speak in that manner for I have seen you walking.” The wolverene ran off a little distance and taunted the rock, challenging it to catch him. The wolverene then approached the rock and having struck it with his paw, said, “See if you can catch me.” The rock answered, “I can not run but I can roll.” The wolverene began to laugh and said, “That is what I want.” The wolverene ran away and the rock rolled after him, keeping just at his heels.

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The animal finally began to tire and commenced to jump over sticks and stones until at last the rock was touching his heels. At last the wolverene tripped over a stick and fell. The rock rolled over on him and ceased to move when it came upon the hind parts of the wolverene. The animal screamed, “Get off, go away, you are hurting me; you are breaking my bones.” The rock remained motionless and replied, “You tormented me and had me run after you, so now I shall not stir until, some one takes me off.”

The wolverene replied, “I have many brothers and I shall call them.” He called to the wolves and the foxes to come and remove the rock. These animals soon came up to where the rock was lying on the wolverene and they asked him, “How came you to get under the rock?” The wolverene replied, “I challenged the rock to catch me and it rolled on me.” The wolves and foxes then told him that it served him right to be under the rock. They endeavored, after a time, to displace the rock but could not move it in the least. The wolverene then said, “Well, if you cannot get me out I shall call my other brother, the lightning and thunder.” So he began to call for the lightning to come to his aid. In a few moments a huge dark cloud came rushing from the southwest, and as it hurried up it made so much noise that it frightened the wolves and foxes, but they asked the lightning to take off the coat of the wolverene but not to harm his flesh. They then ran away. The lightning darted back to gather force and struck the rock, knocking it into small pieces and also completely stripped the skin from the back of the wolverene, tearing the skin into small pieces. The wolverene stood naked, but soon began to pick up the pieces of his coat and told the lightning, “You need not have torn my coat when you had only the rock to strike.”

The wolverene gathered up his pieces of coat and said he would go to his sister, the frog, to have her sew them together. He repaired to the swamp where his sister dwelt and asked her to sew them. She did so. The wolverene took it up and told her she had not put it together properly and struck her on the head and knocked her flying into the water. Ho took up the coat and went to his younger sister, the mouse. He directed her to sew his coat as it should be done. The mouse began to sew the pieces together and when it was done the wolverene carefully examined every seam and said, “You have sewed it very well; you will live in the tall green grass in the summer and in grass houses in the winter.” The wolverene put on his coat and went away.

Story of the wolverene and the brant

Disguised as a brant, a wolverene summons waterfowl, dons their feathers, and joins their spring migration flight. Warned not to peer below over a point of land, he obeys once but looks down a second time upon hearing cries of Indians, tumbling to earth. Mistaken for a rotten goose by natives who strip his feathers, the creature is revealed dead and the lesson of curiosity forever marked.

Source:
Ethnology of the Ungava District,
Hudson Bay Territory
by Lucien M. Turner
Smithsonian Institution
Bureau of American Ethnology
Annual Report 11, 1889-1890
Washington, 1894

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The tale explains why brant geese fall when frightened by the clamor of Indians during spring migrations.

Trickster: The wolverene uses cunning disguise to infiltrate the flock of birds for its own aims.

Illusion vs. Reality: The animals and later the Indians are deceived by the wolverene’s outward appearance as a brant.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Naskapi Lore

Learn more about the Naskapi people

A wolverene calling all the birds together addressed them thus: “Do you not know that I am your brother? Come to me and I will dress you in feathers.” After having dressed them up he made wings for himself and said: “Now, brothers, let us fly.” The brant told the wolverene, “You must not look below while we are flying over the point of land when you hear a noise below. Take a turn when we take a turn.”

The first turn they took the wolverene did not look below, but at the second turn they took, when they came over the point of land, the animal looked below when he heard the noise of the shouting Indians and down he came like a bundle of rags.

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When the Indians perceive a flock of these brant they make a loud clamor, which frightens the birds so much that they lose their senses, fall to the ground and are thus killed. These birds are only seen in the spring migrations and then in great multitudes, while in the fall it is rare to see even a single individual, as they have a different return route than in spring.

All the Indians ran up to him and exclaimed “There is a brant fallen down.” One of the old Indian women got hold of him and began to pluck his feathers off, then to disembowel him. She of course smelled the horrible stench and exclaimed, “This goose is not fit to eat as it is already rotten!” She gave the carcass to one of the children to throw away. Another old woman came up and inquired, “Where did you throw the brant goose to? How could it be rotten? It is not long since it was killed.” The former old woman replied to her, “Go and see, if you do not believe.” She went and found nothing but the dead wolverene.

Omishus

A skilled hunter discovers his wife’s affair with a tree-spirit and slays them both, unleashing her vengeful head. His two sons flee as it pursues them, only to stall it with magical tokens and a swan’s aid. The head drowns, becomes a sturgeon, and later feeds them. Their treacherous grandfather then tries to sacrifice their father to gulls, snakes, and eagles, but each plot backfires until the young man escapes home.

Source:
Notes on the Eastern Cree
and Northern Saulteaux
by Alanson Skinner
The American Museum
of Natural History
Anthropological Papers
Volume IX, Part 1
New York, 1911

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: This tale explains why the sturgeon has fleshy cheeks, attributing it to the mother’s head turning into that fish after drowning.

Love and Betrayal: The wife’s secret liaison with the tree-spirit constitutes a central act of marital betrayal.

Revenge and Justice: The husband metes out violent retribution on both his unfaithful wife and her supernatural paramour.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Salteaux Lore

Learn more about the Salteaux people

The Northern Saulteaux form the most isolated band of the Ojibway. They occupy the region north of Lake Superior and east of Lake Winnipeg. They call themselves “Otcipweo”. The number of the Northern Saulteaux on the Government annuity rolls (for 1911) is: Lac Seul, 800; Fort Hope, [eighty died during the La Grippe epidemic of 1908-9] 550; Martens Falls, 112; English River, 65, making a total of 1527.

Myth obtained at Martens Falls Post on the Albany River.

There was once a man and his wife who had two children. They were both boys. The man was a great hunter and used to kill a good many deer. Often, when he came home from the chase he would find his children had been crying all day. He asked his wife, “What are our children crying about?” The woman replied, “When I leave them in the tent while I go to get firewood, they always start to cry.” But the man did not believe it and made up his mind that he would watch his wife and find out what she did to the little ones in his absence.

One day, he pretended to set out but he did not go very far. Then he returned. After he was gone, the woman dressed herself, combed her hair, and went out of the wigwam carrying her ax. The woman went over to a big tree. She pounded on the tree with the ax. Immediately, a man came out of the tree.

He took the woman in his arms, et longe cum ea concubit [and slept with her a long time] so that she did not go home to her children, for totem diem concubuit [because they slept together for the entire day]. After the man saw what his wife was doing he went away. He killed a deer, and returned to his lodge.

He told his wife to get the deer and bring it home. After she had gone, he put on her dress and took up her ax and went out. He went to the famous tree and pounded on it. The man came out again and he killed him, and cut off his head.

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He took a little blood. Then he started to cook the man’s blood mixed with deer’s blood.

After a time, his wife came home with the carcass of the deer he had killed. He gave her some of the man’s blood and vension to eat. After she had finished her meal, he inquired. “How did that blood taste?” She replied, “This is deer’s blood.” “No, that is your paramour’s blood you have been eating,” replied the husband! Then he killed her too.

He cut off her head, and went away, deserting his children. The younger child began to cry and continued to weep. Then he went to his mother’s body trying to get nourishment from her dead breasts. While he was doing this, the woman’s head began to move and her eyes opened. This frightened the children terribly and they ran away. As they ran, they heard something following. It was their mother’s head rolling after them. The head nearly caught up to them. Then the oldest boy threw a needle on the trail behind them. The head came to this and stopped for a while, so the children got a long start. At last, the head, all smeared with blood, caught up to them again. Then the oldest lad threw away his comb behind them.

“Let this be a high mountain,” cried the child. Sure enough, a great mountain sprang up and crossed the trail. At last, the children came to a river, where they saw swans swimming. They wished to get across and begged the swans to save them as there was a Windigo (Cannibal) chasing them. A swan came over and took the boys across. He told them not to sit near his neck as they rode across for he had a scab there. After he had ferried the children over the swan continued to swim about the river.

At length, the head came to the river, and began to roll backward and forward along the shore seeking to get over. The head saw the swan and called out, “Take me across the river.” The swan said, “No.” Then the head said, “Those are my children that went across the river.” Then the swan said, “No, the children said that a Windigo was following them.” So the head repeated, “Those are my children, take me across, and when you have done so, licet mecum coire.” The swan replied, “Quo modo tecum coeam, cum corpus tibi absit?” Caput dixit, “Per foramen magnum.” [“How can I have intercourse with you, when you have no body?” The head said, “Through the large hole.”]

The swan agreed and started to take the head across. He told the head not to touch his neck on account of the scab, and started to ferry it across. The head started to rub the swan’s neck and this hurt him, he spread his wings and shook them until the head fell into the river and was drowned.

Although the river was very broad, the two children threw stones across from the other side. The little chap began to cry again, so the eldest brother found a nice round stone and gave it to him. They threw their stones at it. One of them hit it and it sank out of sight. While they were playing they saw a sturgeon leap out of the water. It seems the head had been turned into a sturgeon. That is why the sturgeon has fleshy cheeks unlike other fish.

While they were playing at the edge of the water, they saw someone approaching in a canoe. He came ashore and stood in the canoe looking at the boys for a little while. Then the man wished one of the stones would fall in his canoe. The next stone did fall in his canoe. It was the nice round stone which the oldest boy had given to the little one when he cried. The oldest one cried out to the man, “Bring us that stone, so that my little brother may have it to keep him from crying.” The man told the oldest brother to come over and get the stone himself. The boy came to get the stone, and the man tripped him with his paddle so that he fell in his canoe. Then, the old man whose name was Omishus, pounded on the bottom of his canoe with his paddle, and off it went without paddling.

The youngest boy began to cry because he had been left behind, but Omishus left him to his fate. Then Omishus came to his tent. He pulled his canoe ashore and turned it over. Then he went into his lodge. He had two daughters who were waiting for him. He said to the oldest one, “I have brought a man with me, you had better go and see him.” So the girl went out to see the young man. She looked under the canoe, but as soon as she saw him, she decided that he was too homely, and she wouldn’t marry him. When she returned to the wigwam, Omishus asked her, “What do you think of my guest?” “He is too ugly,” replied the girl. Then Omishus told his youngest daughter that she had better go and see his captive. “He was good looking when I took him in the canoe,” said he, “he has been crying a great deal, that is what makes him ugly.” The youngest daughter went down and washed away the tear marks from the young man’s face, dressed him up, and married him.

The young man stayed with Omishus for a long time and his wife became the mother of two children. One day, the young man said to his father-in-law, “I wonder where we could get some gulls’ eggs?” The old man replied that he would show him a fine place. They took their bows and arrows and off they started in the canoe. At last, they came to the place where the gulls were on an island. “There are the gulls,” cried the young man. “Well,” said Omishus, “go over across where the big ones are.” The young man at once took his bow and arrows and started over to get some eggs.

As soon as the young man was well ashore, the old man pounded on the canoe bottom with his paddle and off it went. “Here you are, gulls,” he cried, “I give you my son-in-law to eat.” The deserted son-in-law saw a very large gull flying towards him. It approached the young man meaning to kill him, but he cried out, “I’m not the right kind of food for gulls, fly over the old man’s canoe.”

The old man was lying back in his magic canoe looking at the sky, pounding on the canoe bottom all the time. “When you are directly over the old man, void your excrement full in his face,” cried the young chap. The old man jumped and cried, “Phew! that’s the kind of smell the excrement of the gulls has after they have eaten my son-in-law.”

Then the young man killed the great gull and cut off its head. He took it home with some gulls’ eggs. He gave each of his children an egg and he told them, “When your grandfather arrives, go down to meet him and eat your eggs at the same time.” At length, the old man came. The two children went down to meet him, eating their eggs, as they were told. When the old man saw them eating the eggs, he asked, “Where did you get those eggs?” “Our father brought them to us,” said they. “Poor children,” said the old man, “the gulls have long ago eaten up your father.”

When the old man had landed he went straight to his camp and there sat his son-in-law inside the wigwam with the head of the big gull beside him. The wicked old man was surprised, for the gull was the embodiment of one of his dreams. The oldest girl was now frightened and wished she had married her brother-in-law and cast many looks at him. The old man observed this, and said to her, “Why are you looking at your brother-in-law so hard? Go and sit by his side.” Now, the young man had two wives.

The young man said, one day, “I wonder where I could get a sturgeon to make glue?” “I’ll show you,” said the old man, so off they went together. “There is a sturgeon,” cried the young man. The old man said, “No, that is not a good one. He has not got good isinglass. We will go farther on.” At last, they came to a place where there were plenty of sturgeon. The old man said to his son-in-law, “You stand on the gunwales of the canoe with your bow and arrow to look for sturgeon.” At length, they came to very deep water, and the old man pounded hard on his canoe. The canoe jumped ahead so quickly that the young man was thrown into the water. Then the old man cried out to the great snakes that live in the water, “I feed you my little son.” The young man sank to the bottom and there he saw a great snake coming after him. “I am not the right food for snakes,” said he. “Take me ashore.” The snake had horns. The young man took hold of them and the snake ferried him ashore. “If you hear the thunder,” said the snake, “tell me.” The snake soon heard the thunder and he asked the young man about it, but the young man replied, “I see no clouds.” At length, it thundered very close to them, and the snake heard it certainly and saw the lightning as well. This made the snake drop his burden and turn back. He splashed the water away up as he fled. The young man struggled ashore and reached home. He first killed some sturgeon. When he got home he told his wives to cook some of the meat.

Then he told his children to go down to the water’s edge and meet their grandfather. “Eat some of the sturgeon meat before him,” he said. After a while, their grandfather came back. The two children went down to meet him, eating some of the sturgeon meat as they were told. When the old man saw them eating the sturgeon he asked, “Where did you get that sturgeon meat?” “Our father brought it to us,” said they. “Poor children, the great horned water snakes have long ago eaten up your father.” When the old man had landed he went straight to his camp, and there sat the young man inside the wigwam. The wicked old man was surprised for the horned water snake had been the embodiment of one of his dreams.

One day, the young man asked his father-in-law where they could get an eagle. They went off together. “There is an eagle,” cried the young man. “No, come farther on,” said the old man, “I know where there is a big nest.” At last the old man pointed out a nest, and left the young man there while he went over to it. The young man climbed the tree. When he was there the old man called out to the eaglets, “I feed you my son-in-law,” and went away. The young man asked the two eaglets that were in the nest what their names were. He asked the female first, “Owatci,” said she. The male bird said, “I am a tree as straight as you are when you stretch yourself.” So he killed them both, and took them home. Then the last of the old man’s dreams had failed. The young man had the eaglets cooked and gave one of each to his children. He told his children to go down to the water’s edge and meet their grandfather. “Eat the eaglets before him,” he said.

After a while their grandfather came back. The two children went down to meet him, eating the eaglets, as they were told. When the old man saw them eating the eaglets he asked, “Where did you get those eaglets?” “Our father brought them to us,” said they. “Poor children, the eagles have long ago eaten your father.” When the old man had landed he went straight to his camp and there sat the young man inside the wigwam. The wicked old man was surprised for the eaglets had been the embodiment of one of his dreams. “I wonder,” said the young man one day in the winter, “where we can kill a caribou?” “I know,” said the old man, “we will go tomorrow, I’ll go with you.” So off they went. They had to camp over night in a swamp. The old man told his son-in-law that the name of the swamp was (scorched-up-swamp, Jiteomuskeg). The young man, when he heard this thought, “Surely you want to burn my moccasins?”

Then they went to bed. The fire nearly went out, but the old man got up and took his son-in-law’s moccasins and leggings and burned them. Then the old man went back to bed and cried out, “Phoo! Your moccasins are burning.” Then the young man laughed, “Those were your own moccasins you burnt. I changed mine for yours when you slept, and I saw you when you put them in the fire.”

In the morning, the young man dressed himself and left Omishus and went home. He took his father-in-law’s canoe because one of his wives could make it go as well as her father. After they crossed the sea, they left the canoe tied to a tree near the shore. The old man started to heat a stone in the fire. When it was hot he tried to roll it through the snow to melt a path for his bare legs. It did not succeed. Then he rubbed charcoal on his legs. “I dreamt about caribou long ago, and I ought to be able to walk as they do on the snow without any trouble,” said he. At last he reached the sea. Then he was very angry because his canoe was gone. He started to shout, “My canoe, my canoe, my canoe!” His canoe heard and began to pull and move back and forth to get away. Then his son-in-law said to his wife, “You had better let the canoe go.” She did and it went off to the old man and they never saw him again.

The burning of the world

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

Source:
Notes on the Eastern Cree
and Northern Saulteaux
by Alanson Skinner
The American Museum
of Natural History
Anthropological Papers
Volume IX, Part 1
New York, 1911

► Themes of the story

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

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

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

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Cree Lore

Learn more about the Cree people

Collected at Rupert’s House

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The adventures of Tcikapis

Young Tcikapis, orphaned by the murderous Katci’tos, embarks on a quest to avenge his parents’ death, proving his skill by shattering a jackpine and slaying the beast. Gifted with shape-shifting powers, he braves astonishing trials—outwitting a giant fish, giant beaver hunters, and a cannibal mother—before ascending a magical tree to trap the sun, thus explaining day and night, and finally bringing his family into the sky to live.

Source:
Notes on the Eastern Cree
and Northern Saulteaux
by Alanson Skinner
The American Museum
of Natural History
Anthropological Papers
Volume IX, Part 1
New York, 1911

► Themes of the story

Hero’s Journey: Tcikapis undertakes a series of transformative trials, growing from an avenger of his slain parents into a powerful, clever hero.

Transformation: He wields the magical ability to change his size at will and even causes a tree to grow into the sky.

Origin of Things: By ensnaring the sun and creating alternating light and darkness, the tale explains the natural phenomenon of day and night.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Cree Lore

Learn more about the Cree people

Rupert’s House version
Narrated by Joe Iserhoff.

Once there was a young boy named Tcikapis who lived alone with his sister. Their mother and father had been slain by an animal called “Katci’tos” before the boy could remember. One day, when he grew old enough to go out hunting he asked his sister what color the hair of his parents had been. She replied, “Our father was dark, and our mother was light.” He took his bow and arrows and went out singing a song, the gist of which was that he would like to meet the animal that killed his father and mother. The bear appeared, “Are you looking for me?” he asked. “Do you eat people,” asked Tcikapis, “when you meet them?” “Oh no,” said the bear, “I run away.” “Then I don’t want you,” said Tcikapis. Other animals came and answered his questions in the same manner. At last came the “Katci’tos.” “Are you looking for me?” he asked. “Do you eat people?” asked Tcikapis. “Yes,” answered the animal. “How strong are you?” asked Tcikapis. “As strong as that Jackpine,” said the animal pointing to a tree.

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Tcikapis turned around and fired his arrow at the tree to try his strength. He shivered it to splinters. This frightened the animal who started to run away. Tcikapis hastened and picked up his arrow. The animal was out of sight, but Tcikapis fired where it had disappeared. He ran to the spot and found it dead, split from head to tail by his arrow. In its belly he found the hair of his father and mother which he recognized by its color. He took it home to his sister.

One day Tcikapis told his sister to set some hooks for fish. She did so. Then Tcikapis took his bow, turned up, and got into it like a canoe, for he had the power to make himself very small or as large as a normal man. He went sailing along when up came a great fish. The fish was about to swallow Tcikapis, canoe and all, when he said, “Swallow me whole, don’t bite me.” The fish did so and went away. Tcikapis looked from the fish’s stomach out of his mouth and saw the hook his sister had set. “What is that over there?” he said to the fish. The fish went to see and took the bait. Later Tcikapis’ sister pulled in the line and caught the fish. When she gutted it, out stepped Tcikapis. His sister scolded him for this but he only laughed.

One time during the winter, Tcikapis heard someone out on the ice, chiseling beaver. He said to his sister, “I am going out to help those people catch beaver.” “Do not go,” said his sister, “they are Big Fellows’ (giants) and they are catching big beaver and they will get you to take hold of a beaver’s tail and you will only be pulled in so they will laugh at you.” “Never fear,” said Tcikapis, “I am going.”

Tcikapis made himself very small and went out to the river. The “Big Fellows” laughed at him and asked him to take hold of a beaver’s tail and pull it out, because they expected to see him pulled in so that they could laugh at him. Tcikapis took hold of a beaver’s tail and pulled it out without difficulty. He threw it over his shoulder and walked away to his lodge. When the “Big Fellows” saw this, they shouted, “Here, bring back our beaver,” Tcikapis replied, “It is my beaver, I caught it.”

When he reached home, his sister was frightened and said, “Tonight the Big Fellows’ will come and kill us.” Tcikapis only laughed and said, “I am not afraid of them.” That night he changed his wigwam into stone. The “Big Fellows” came and tried to break it in, but it was solid rock and Tcikapis only laughed at them.

One day Tcikapis heard some girls scraping skin. He said to his sister, “I am going to see those girls.” His sister said, “Do not do so, their mother eats people.” But Tcikapis was not afraid and went over where the girls were. There were two of them.

He began to make love to them, and very soon the old woman heard them talking and laughing. She came up, and Tcikapis said to the girls, “Do you mind if I kill your mother?” The girls said, “No,” for she killed all B their lovers. Tcikapis replied, “When she goes to cook me, tell her to sit close to the pot if she likes to see the grease come up.”

Tcikapis had a bladder full of grease under his coat, and when the old woman threw him in the pot he let it bubble up. It began to boil soon. After a time, the girls said, “Mother, if you like to see the grease come up, sit closer to the pot.” She did so, and Tcikapis leaped out and scalded her to death. Then Tcikapis went home and brought the girls with him. “Here are two girls, sister,” he said, “to keep you company so that you will not be lonely any more.” “What mischief have you been up to now? “ said his sister. “Nothing,” said Tcikapis, “I have only killed the old woman and the girls said that they were willing I should do it.”

Tcikapis climbed up a tree one day. When he got on the top of the tree he began to blow on it, and it began to grow. It grew until it reached the sky. Tcikapis got off, and there he found a beautiful path. (It was the road the sun traveled across the heavens every day.) Tcikapis wondered what made this fine path, so he lay down to wait. Presently, the sun came along. “Get out of my way,” said the sun to Tcikapis. “Come on, and step over me,” said Tcikapis rudely.

The sun refused, but after some argument, finding Tcikapis would not move, he came and stepped over him. It was so hot that it burned Tcikapis, caribou skin coat. This made Tcikapis very angry and be determined to be revenged so he set a snare for the sun. Next day, when the sun came along its path it was caught in the snare, and struggled to get loose. When it struggled there were great flashes of light and dark or day and night. This, of course, would not do, so Tcikapis tried to let the sun loose, but it was so hot that it burned him when he went near it. At length, Tcikapis persuaded the shrew who has a very long nose, to gnaw it loose.

After this, Tcikapis decided to go up above to live. He descended and got his two wives and his sister. They all climbed into the tree, and Tcikapis, began to blow on it. The tree grew higher and higher, so high that his sister and his two wives grew dizzy and they would fall off, but every time they fell off Tcikapis would catch them and put them back again.