Story of the ants

Two brothers married to two sisters hunt caribou daily. Overhearing a suspicious conversation between the sisters, the elder brother kills his wife by pushing her into a large ant nest. The younger sister, suspecting foul play, later kills both brothers. This story explains why ants have red heads and bite people.

Source:
Tahltan Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.32, No.124, pp.198-250
April-June, 1917
Vol.34, No.133, pp.223-253
July-September, 1921
Vol.34, No.134, pp.335-356
October-December, 1921

► Themes of the story

Love and Betrayal: The narrative involves marital relationships that are tested and ultimately broken through acts of betrayal.

Revenge and Justice: The story depicts acts of retribution following betrayal, leading to the demise of the offending parties.

Origin of Things: The myth explains the reason behind certain traits of ants, linking their current form to past events.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

Two brothers were married to two sisters. [It is not clear that these people were ants, but it would seem so.] The husbands hunted every day, and brought home plenty of caribou-meat. When they came home, they always listened before entering the lodge. One night, when they were listening, a squirrel made a noise, as squirrels do in the evening-time. The younger sister said, “He makes a noise just like the one I make.” The elder one said to her, “Don’t say that! Our husbands might become suspicious.” Next day they moved camp, the elder couple travelling some distance ahead. They came to a place where there was a very large ant’s nest in rotten wood. The man pushed his wife into the nest; and the ants went all through her, coming out at her ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. The man then went on and made camp. When the younger sister arrived, she inquired for her sister, but the man never answered.

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Then she thought that he must have killed her. On the following day the men went hunting, each going his own way. The brother who had killed his wife then came back to camp, and wanted to have connection with his sister-in-law, saying, “Let us go to a hidden place!” The woman hid a knife in her bosom and went with him. When they embraced, she said, “I must be on top: I always do that way.” He agreed, and she suddenly pulled out the knife and cut his throat. That night she killed her husband (the other brother) in the same way. This is why ants have red heads now, and bite people. [The connection is not clear; but probably their heads are red because they were beheaded, and their heads bloody]

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Story of Tcix’qa’; or, the hunter who could not kill game

A young man, mocked for his poor hunting skills, deceives a woman into marrying him by darkening his thumbs to appear as the best hunter. Unable to provide game, he resorts to a desperate act, leading to his death. The story explains why women often prefer skilled hunters and attributes the red tips of certain lichens to this event.

► Themes of the story

Tragic Flaw: The young man’s dishonesty and laziness prevent him from becoming a proficient hunter, leading to his downfall.

Origin of Things: The tale explains the behaviour of women toward hunters and the way the lichens are coloured.

Cultural Heroes: The story reflects societal values and serves as a cautionary tale within the Tahltan culture, highlighting the traits admired and admonished in their community.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

Tcix’qa’ is said to be the name for the camp or lodge which adolescent boys use.

A number of young men were living together in a camp or lodge such as young men use at the age of puberty. Nearly every day they went hunting. One of them never killed any game, and the others laughed at him. In the same place lived a wealthy man who had a young marriageable daughter. He thought it was time for her to marry; and one day he said to her, “Carry a dish of food to the young men’s lodge. Give it to the best hunter, and then sit down beside him [thus proposing marriage] and become his wife. You will be able to tell the best hunter by examining the young men’s hands. The one who has the darkest mark at the base of the thumbs is the best hunter.” [It is believed that good hunters have darker skin on the part of the thumb adjoining the palm than poor hunters] The young man who was an indifferent hunter happened to overhear these instructions. He went to the camp-fire and blackened the front part of his thumbs with charcoal. Then he sat down among the other young men and exposed his thumbs, that the girl might see them.

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In the evening the girl came, peered in through the brush of the lodge, and looked at the hands of the young men. She noticed that Tcix’qa’s thumbs were much darker than any of the others: therefore she entered the lodge, gave him the food, and sat down beside him. On the following day all the young men went hunting. They staid out two days; but, as usual, Tcix’qa’ had no game. They all laughed at him, and said that marrying had not changed his luck. [It is believed that marrying often changes a person’s luck.] After his marriage he left the young men’s camp and went to live with his wife and father-in-law. He went hunting with the latter, but never killed anything. His father-in-law thought this was strange for a man chosen as the best hunter of all the young men. He resolved to watch him, to learn why the youth did not kill any game. He saw him going after a caribou. He just ran a short distance, then stopped and walked on with long strides, to make people believe by his track that he had been running. The father-in-law went home, and said to his daughter, “Now I see what your husband does. He is no good. He cannot run, and therefore he never gets any game.” At last Tcix’qa’ felt bad because he could get no game. He cut his anus and pulled out about a yard of his intestines, cut them off, and put them in a bag. Then he plugged the hole with moss and went home. When he reached there, he threw down the bag beside his wife, and told her to cook the contents. His wife said, “He has killed game at last,” and hurried to cook it. Her father stopped her, saying, “It smells bad. Let him cook it himself! There is something wrong.” He hung the intestines on a stick above the fire to cook. When he reached up, the plug fell out of his anus, followed by his entrails and blood, and he died right there. This is why today women always fancy the best hunters, but some choose and marry men who are very poor hunters. Also this is why lichens (Cladonia hellidiflora) have red tips, for the man used them as a plug. The red are the blood-stains.

Xe’nda; or, the man whom the wolves helped

An elderly hunter named Xe’nda encounters mysterious beings who assist him in hunting caribou. Upon awakening, he finds only wolf tracks, realizing the wolves had aided him. They also teach him to craft shovel-nosed snowshoes, enhancing his hunting efficiency. This story explains the origin of the Tahltan’s “Wolf snowshoes.”

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The narrative explains the origin of the “Wolf snowshoes” used by the Tahltan people.

Cunning and Deception: The wolves disguise themselves as humans to communicate with Xe’nda, imparting valuable knowledge.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts lessons on humility, the importance of accepting help, and the value of adapting to new methods for survival.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

An old man called Xe’nda, and many people, were hunting caribou, but they could not kill any. They were starving, and became weak. Xe’nda went hunting one day, although he could hardly walk. He came on a long trail of fresh caribou-tracks, and followed it. After a while he came to where a number of snowshoe-tracks followed behind the caribou. He saw where the caribou had begun to jump, and the people had run after them. Soon he came on a dead caribou, then on another and another. He thought some of the people had killed them. He pressed on, and soon heard talking, and then saw a number of strange people beside some dead caribou. They called out in the Kaska language, “A man is coming!” and then invited him to come nearer. He asked them who had killed the game. They answered that they had. They lighted a fire, and cooked and ate the two caribou there.

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They said to Xe’nda, “Your snowshoes are too narrow. You cannot run fast with them, and the caribou get away. If you use snowshoes like those we have, you will be able to travel better and get game.” They showed their snowshoes to Xe’nda, and further told him he could have all the caribou they had killed. Xe’nda thought he must have slept; and when he woke up, the fire was out, and two caribou-skins were lying there. He looked for tracks, and saw only wolf-tracks. He returned to camp, and on the way came to the caribou-carcasses he had first seen. He cut out some meat and took it along. He told the people that he had killed caribou, and the people went out at once to carry in the meat. When they got to the carcasses, they saw that the caribou had been killed by wolves, and they knew that the wolves had helped Xe’nda. After this, the people made snowshoes like those the Wolves had shown to Xe’nda, and they obtained more game. In this way did the Tahltan learn how to make the shovel-nosed snowshoes they now use; and this is why snowshoes of this kind are called “Wolf snowshoes”. The kind used by the Kaska are named “Moose snowshoes”. Both tribes used the same type of snowshoe formerly, but discarded them, and adopted each a different style.

Wolverene and the brothers

Wolverene, known for his thievery, steals meat from his brothers-in-law, leading them to starvation. Suspecting Wolverene, they devise a plan, eventually injuring him by burning his privates and beating him. Wolverene escapes but is left with lasting injuries, resulting in his distinctive halting gait and reddish loin hair. Ashamed and unable to be with women, he retreats into the woods permanently.

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The narrative highlights the wolverine’s deceitful actions, such as stealing meat and sabotaging the family’s food supply.

Revenge and Justice: The brothers’ retaliation against the wolverine serves as a form of justice for his misdeeds.

Origin of Things: The wolverine undergoes a physical change due to his punishment, resulting in his distinctive gait and coloration.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

Wolverene was married to a woman. Her two brothers and her mother lived near them. When the brothers killed game, Wolverene used to go back at night to the place and cache all the meat in a hidden spot for himself. He was a great thief. When the people went to carry in their meat the next day, they found nothing there. On this account they were reduced to starvation. The brothers suspected Wolverene. They killed a moose, and cached all the meat themselves excepting a little that they packed home. That night Wolverene and his wife heard the breaking of bones in the other lodges, as if the people were extracting marrow. He said to his wife, “They are breaking fresh bones.” He sent his wife to see. She questioned her mother, who answered, “How could we have marrow-bones? I was just breaking up a bone skin-scraper to make soup. Your brothers are starving.”

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Wolverene knew better, however, and went out and found their cache. He urinated and defecated on all the meat, and made it unfit to eat. The brothers said, “We shall beat him.” They went out hunting, and killed a young fat moose. Wolverene was also hunting near by; so they called him, saying, “Brother-in-law, will you help us pack some meat home?” He came. They had lighted a fire near the carcass, and were cooking the web of fat from the inside of the moose. They said to Wolverene, “Sit down on the other side of the fire. The fat will be cooked soon. We shall eat something before we carry the meat to camp.” Wolverene was sitting warming himself, and had his knees outspread in front of the fire. One of the brothers took the cooking-stick with the hot fat on the end of it, and threw the fat against Wolverene’s privates, burning him. He scratched the sore place; and while he was thus engaged, they clubbed him. He managed to get away, and as he ran he kept scratching at the sore spot. The brothers chased him, and kept hitting him on the rump. Wolverene reached some smooth ice, and got away from them. Because the wolverene’s rump-hone was broken, he has a halting gait at the present day. Because he was burnt, the hair of his loins is reddish, and he has a burnt smell. Wolverene’s privates were much too sore to have connection with women. He took to the woods, and never lived with people again.

The dog

In ancient times, dogs could speak and often lied about hunters’ success. Frustrated by their deceit, a hunter filled his dog’s mouth with excrement, declaring that dogs would no longer speak. This act silenced dogs forever.

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The tale provides an explanation for why dogs cannot speak, attributing it to their past behavior.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts a lesson about the consequences of dishonesty, illustrating that constant lying can lead to severe repercussions.

Divine Punishment: Although the punishment is administered by a human, it carries a sense of finality and serves as a retribution for the dogs’ transgressions, aligning with the theme of divine or ultimate punishment.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

In early times dogs used to talk. When a hunter went home, his dog would run ahead and tell the people that he had killed game. When the hunter arrived, the people learned that he had killed nothing. When hunters killed game, the dogs always said they had killed nothing. Thus they lied all the time. Once upon a time some people could find no game, and were starving. One of the men who had a dog went out hunting. He travelled all day, but could find no game. On his way home the dog ran ahead and told the people his master had killed some very fat game. The people were delighted, and made ready to cook some of it. When the hunter arrived, they learned that he had killed nothing. The people were disappointed. The man went out and stuffed excrement in the dog’s mouth, saying, “Henceforth you shall not be able to lie. You will be unable to speak.” This is how dogs lost the power of speaking like people.

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Beaver and Muskrat

Beaver and Muskrat live together until a quarrel leads Beaver to destroy their shared home. Beaver takes the ridge-pole and builds a new, superior house, refusing Muskrat’s pleas to return the stolen piece or share the new dwelling. Consequently, beavers are known for their well-constructed homes, while muskrats inhabit inferior shelters.

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The narrative provides an explanation for the current living conditions of muskrats and beavers, detailing how their habitats came to be.

Cunning and Deception: Beaver’s actions in defeating Muskrat and taking over his resources involve elements of cunning behavior.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts lessons about the consequences of conflict and the importance of cooperation.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

Beaver and Muskrat lived together in Muskrat’s house.

One day they had a quarrel; and Beaver, being the stronger and possessed of the better teeth, defeated Muskrat.

In the struggle the house was torn down, Beaver now stole the ridge-pole and went off to another place, where he built a good house just like Muskrat’s former house.

Muskrat went to see him, and asked for his ridge-pole; but Beaver would not give it up. He also would not allow him to live in his house.

For this reason muskrats now live in the water and have poor houses, and beavers have good houses.

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Mosquito and Woodworm

Mosquito returns home swollen with blood. When Woodworm inquires about its source, Mosquito claims to extract it from trees. Following this advice, Woodworm begins boring into wood, seeking blood. The story suggests that if Mosquito had admitted to feeding on human blood, Woodworm might have targeted humans instead.

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The story provides an explanation for the woodworm’s behavior of boring into wood.

Cunning and Deception: The tale involves Mosquito’s deceit, leading Woodworm to act based on false information.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts a lesson about the consequences of deception and the importance of truthfulness.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

Mosquito and Woodworm lived together.

The latter saw that Mosquito, when he came home, was swelled up with blood that he had eaten.

Woodworm asked him where he obtained it; and he answered, “I get it from the trees. I suck their blood.”

Woodworm then attacked the trees; and this is the reason why woodworms at the present day bore in wood.

They look for blood.

If Mosquito had told Woodworm that he sucked blood from the people, Woodworm would attack and kill man at the present day.

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War among the fishes

In a time long past, the fish of the Stikine and Taku rivers convened at their confluence for a monumental battle. King Salmon clashed with Steelhead, resulting in physical changes: King Salmon became thicker near the tail, while Steelhead lost ear ornaments, leaving red marks below their ears. Sucker fish were so severely beaten that their bones fragmented throughout their flesh. The battle concluded in a draw, leading to the separation of the rivers’ headwaters.

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The physical alterations in the fish species as a result of the battle highlight themes of change.

Origin of Things: The story portrays a struggle among natural beings, emphasizing the challenges inherent in the natural world.

Cosmic Order and Chaos: The battle and subsequent separation of the rivers reflect a movement from chaos to a reestablished order.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

A long time ago the waters of the Stikine and Taku met in the valley north of Telegraph Creek. The head waters of the two rivers joined south of New York Lake, near where Hyland’s horse-ranch is now situated. The remains of the shallow lake which connected the two streams may be discerned yet. The salmon and other fish from the two rivers always met and fought at this place. The Taku River fish and the Stikine River fish gathered to have a decisive battle. The two war-parties coming from opposite directions met at the head waters, and a big fight ensued. King-Salmon fought Steel-Head, and took his anklets away: therefore the king-salmon is thick around the root of the tail now, and the steel-head is thin. Steel-Head tore off King-Salmon’s ear-ornaments: therefore he has red marks now below the ears. Sucker was clubbed so badly, that his bones were all broken; and therefore his small bones are now all through his flesh. Some informants say that the result of the battle was a draw, and that it was then arranged that the head waters of the two rivers should be separated.

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The four ghost brothers; or, The origin of cremation

Four brothers set out on a canoe trip, promising to return in four days. Unbeknownst to them, they drowned and became spirits. Upon returning home, they found that the living couldn’t perceive them. Realizing their fate, they journeyed to a village of the dead. Desiring rebirth, they entered their sisters’ bodies, were reborn, and recounted their experiences. After dying again, they instructed their people to cremate them, leading to the practice of cremation.

► Themes of the story

Underworld Journey: The brothers venture into realms of the dead, exploring both an underground spirit world and a higher spirit land.

Ancestral Spirits: The brothers, after their deaths, continue to influence and communicate with the living, sharing knowledge about the afterlife.

Origin of Things: The narrative explains the origin of cremation practices within the Tahltan culture.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

Four brothers left in a canoe, intending to be back in four days. They never returned, and the people learned they had been drowned. The brothers themselves did not know that they were dead. Before the four days had expired, they returned home. They went into their houses, and talked with their wives and the people in the same manner as they would have done if alive; but the people did not seem to hear them. They shook their wives, but they did not appear to feel it. At night, when they came near the people, the latter dreamed of them, and in the morning they heard them tell their dreams. When they talked loud to the people, they noticed that the fire crackled and hissed. The eldest brother said, “There is something wrong with us.” They asked the people for food, but they paid no attention. The brothers said, “Let us leave!” They found a trail, which they followed, and reached a large village of dead people; but the brothers did not know that these people were dead, for they appeared natural in every way.

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They recognized there some people they had known and who had died. The eldest brother said, “We are dead, for we have found the place where these people are.” They talked with them, and the latter heard them and answered quite readily. The eldest brother said, “We can only converse with ghosts. Certainly, we are dead.” The village where these people lived was on the same level with the earth. The people inhabiting it were for the most part those whose bodies had been left on the ground unburned. They saw another trail leading underground. They followed it some little distance, and then returned. The eldest brother said, “Let us visit our people again!” They had four married sisters, and the eldest brother proposed that they should enter them. The eldest one entered the body of the eldest sister, and the youngest that of the youngest. The sisters became pregnant, for the souls of the brothers had entered them. In due course, and all on the same day, the sisters gave birth to four boys. The eldest brother was born first. The boys grew fast, and soon were able to talk. They told the people, “Now we have come back. Why did you not answer us when we came back from our trip?” The people said to them, “You were drowned.” The boys knew all the people, and could call them by name. They knew the women who were their wives, and spoke to them kindly. After a time they said, “We are going to leave you soon. We are going to explore the trail we saw leading underground to the spirit land. Burn us when we die.” They told the people all about the place they had visited, what the ghosts did, and whom they saw there. Shortly afterwards they died. The people burned their bodies, and the brothers went on the trail to the lower spirit-world. They saw some people there whom they had known on earth. They returned, and were born by their sisters in the same way as before. They grew rapidly; and when they became able to talk, they told the people about the ghost-land below the earth, and whom they saw there. They described it as a damp, dingy place, where people were starving. Now they said, “We shall soon depart again, and explore another trail that we saw leading above the earth. Burn our bodies as before. We shall come back to you again.” This time they followed a trail that led to the sky. They recognized some people there. The time arrived for the brothers to be born again, but they did not return. The people said, “They are lost, and cannot return.” At last the youngest sister gave birth to a boy. This was the youngest brother who had come back. When he was able to talk, he told the people all about the ghost-land in the sky. He said it was a good place, and the people were always happy. He said, “We saw there all the people killed in war. My brothers remained because it is such a nice place, and they asked me to come back and tell you about it. Tonight I shall die and go to join my brothers. I shall return no more. Burn my body as before. We have told you of all we have seen in the spirit-lands. When people die, burn them. People left on the ground or buried have a bad smell, and their ghosts smell also. The spirits of cremated people do not smell. They are purified by the fire.” Now the people know all about the spirit-lands, and since that time people have burned their dead.

Origin of the Death-Chant

Hunters passing through the Lava Beds at night heard an old woman urging someone to hurry, saying, “Nia’ma, the house is full now. We shall soon have no room. Hurry up!” They also heard many people singing a strange chant. All but one hunter fled in fear. The remaining hunter listened to the entire song and later taught it to his people. That night, all the men who had heard the song died, except for the one who had listened without fear. The community adopted this chant as a death-chant, one of four mourning songs still used today. The next morning, villagers found no trace of the singers, realizing the hunters had encountered ghosts.

► Themes of the story

Forbidden Knowledge: The lone hunter acquires a chant associated with death, knowledge that proves perilous.

Origin of Things: The hunters encounter what are believed to be ghosts singing the death-chant.

Ancestral Spirits: The chant is believed to originate from ancestral spirits, connecting the living with the deceased.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

Long ago some hunters were coming home from the hunt in the dark; and, as they passed the place now known as Lava Beds, they believed that they heard people talking and singing in a house. There seemed to be an old woman addressing some one else, and saying, “Nia’ma, the house is full now. We shall soon have no room. Hurry up!” Then they heard the voices of a great many people singing a strange chant. All the men were afraid and ran away, except one man, who listened until the song was finished, and thus learned it.

That night all the men who had heard the song died, except the man who was not afraid and who had heard the song through. He sang the song, and thus introduced it to the people, who adopted it, and used it afterwards as a death-chant. It is one of four mourning songs used at the present day.

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The next morning after the men who heard the song had died, a number of people went back to the place, but found not the slightest trace of people. They knew, therefore, that the men heard the ghosts speaking and singing.