The Beaver wife

A man tests various female animals to find a clever wife, finally choosing the whisky-jack, then the beaver under a bond to bridge every creek. Neglecting this, she flees to her river-home, and he learns to live underwater as her mate. Years later his brother, guided by dreams, traps the beaver, rescues him from near-total transformation, and restores him to human life.

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

Transformation: The man gradually adopts beaver traits and even becomes nearly indistinguishable from them.

Prophecy and Fate: Both the beaver wife and his brother learn of coming events through dreams that shape the story’s outcome.

Journey to the Otherworld: The man dives into an underwater beaver lodge—a hidden realm ruled by his aquatic wife.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Cree Lore

Learn more about the Cree people

There was a man in the olden days who tried every female animal to see who was the smartest to work that he might keep her to live with him. He tried the deer (caribou) first, but she did not please him, so he sent her away. He next tried the wolf. She did not please him, as she was too wicked and greedy. He then came across the moose and did not like her. Then he tried the fisher but she did not please him either. He tried the marten and she did not please him. He tried the lynx and lived with her a while. She was smart but still she did not please him. He went off and lived with Otter but she was too funny and made too much noise. Then he thought he would try some of the flying animals. He tried the owls, but they did not care for his tent properly when he was away hunting, and besides they ate too much.

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As the whisky-jack (wiskatcak, Canada jay) was always about him, he asked her if she could look after his tent. She said she could try it. She staid for a while; she was very cleanly and kept the tent decent.

One day, he told her he would go and hunt caribou and chisel beaver. She had everything ready, water and wood, when she expected him back. He came home in the evening and threw down his game (three or four beaver tied together) at the tent door. He came in without his game, as is customary among the Cree, and hearing the bundle fall she ran out to get it. It was so heavy that it broke her legs when she tried to lift it. She couldn’t rise so she told her husband and he brought in the beaver. He said he would get his bowstring and bind up her legs so that they would get well. He did so and she recovered. Ever afterwards, however, one can see the marks of the wrapping on the whisky-jack’s legs. He continued to live with her until she got well, then he told her she could leave as the work was too hard for her.

One day, when he was walking about, he met Beaver cutting down a tree. She left her dwelling and came to him. She was very attentive and a good worker. She could do anything a man might wish; she could wash and dress fur well. When the man found she was so pleasing he asked her if she would become his wife and live with him.

Before she would promise she said to him, “It will be hard for me to do what you ask me, and hard for you too. There is only one condition under which I will live with you. As I live in the water and you on the dry land, you must never forget when crossing a little valley or creek to break down a stick and lay it across the water or else it will become a big river. You must promise never to forget this even when you are tired and in a great hurry, or the river will appear and we will be separated.”

He lived with her for a while. At last, he became careless. One time, towards the spring (it was not yet summer) he was leading the way through the forest. She followed, hauling the tent utensils. At last, he crossed a valley that did not look as though water would ever run through it. He thought “Surely this can never become a river,” and put nothing there. He went on, found a suitable camping place, left his sled for his beaver wife to pitch the camp and went off hunting. “When he returned he found his sled still there, and there was no sign of his wife. At once, he remembered his neglect to put the stick across the valley, but he could not believe this to be the cause of her absence. When she did not return he went back to the place where the omission occurred and there he found a great river and saw his wife swimming about in it building a beaver house. She had it already finished.

He began to cry for he was very fond of his wife and now he knew he had lost her. He begged her to come to see him but she would not come ashore and acted as though she was afraid of him. She told him to come to her. He did not know what to do, as he feared to drown. She said, “At first you’ll find it hard, but if you dive down and come up inside the house, it is dry there.”

At last, he thought to himself that he would try, although he was rather afraid. He swam out and she came to meet him. She told him where to dive and he followed her into the door, and came up on the inside where it was dry. He lived with her for a long time. He had to eat what she ate, willows and bark of trees. It was not very nice for him after eating meat and men’s food. After a time, he began to become able to swim about and act like a beaver. Occasionally he went ashore and walked about. He learned to build beaver houses, but could not cut down a tree with his teeth as they did. For this, he used his ax which he brought with him. He lived with the beavers a good many years.

This man had a brother who missed him as the years went by. At last he dreamt what had become of his brother and went to look for him. Right enough, he found different signs where the beaver lived. Trees had been cut with an ax, etc. The brother could not find him, as he only came out at night when the beaver did and slept all day. The brother had to wait till winter, when he declared he would find him. When the middle of the winter arrived, the brother went off to find the lost man. The beaver man dreamed that his brother was coming and told his wife that this would happen and that they would soon be separated.

Sure enough, the brother came, and staked in the river on both sides of the houses. (The beavers had a lot of holes besides their houses; the beavers ran out and were caught. The beaver man who now had much of the nature of the beaver, told his wife to be careful, as he knew all about the nets having himself taken beaver in this way. He showed the beaver how to make holes in the bank which they never knew about before.)

At last, the brother found the holes in the bank and killed the beaver wife in one of them. Later still, he found her husband. He was almost changed to a beaver with hair all over his body, like one. His brother knew him, however, and told him he had come for him and brought clothes for him to wear. So the man dressed up and went home with his brother. When they got there, the brother gave him something to eat.

The beaver man told him never to give him any of the meat of the female beaver to eat, for said he, “As sure as I eat a piece of the flesh of a female beaver, I’ll turn into a beaver again, and you will never be able to get me back to a man again.” After this he lived with mankind until he died.

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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.

The two sisters

Two squabbling sisters call upon the stars as husbands and are whisked to the sky—one to a gentle young star, the other to a cruel red-eyed giant. Fleeing back to earth with the help of a wise woman, they face further trials as the shape-changing wolverine (carcajou) and drake demand marriage through trickery. With cunning and courage—and a few sleeping roots—they finally outwit their supernatural pursuers and return home.

Source:
History and Folklore of
the Cowichan Indians
by Martha Douglas Harris
The Colonist
Printing and Publishing Company
Victoria, British Columbia, 1901
(Chapter: “Folklore of the Cree Indians”)

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The stars become human husbands and the carcajou and drake repeatedly shape-shift to trick the sisters.

Forbidden Knowledge: The elder sister’s curiosity leads her to look during descent, dooming them to the carcajou’s grasp.

Illusion vs. Reality: They’re fooled by a false baby, and later by logs dressed as women to escape the drake.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Cree Lore

Learn more about the Cree people

In the days of old, when the stars came down on earth and talked with men, two young girls lived. The eldest was a silly girl and a regular torment to her younger sister, who was her opposite in everything.

One summer evening they went down to the riverside, and, after bathing, lay down under a large tree and talked about many things. At last they spoke about the stars, and the elder began to say how she would like to marry that big shining star, and in fun the younger one chose the smallest star. Well, they fell asleep, and by and by awoke to find that the stars had come down as their husbands. The big star was a very old red-eyed man, but the small star was young and handsome.

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So they were carried up to the sky, and the younger sister was very happy. The elder sister, however, was very miserable, and kept teasing her sister to find a way to escape. At last, after a great deal of trouble, the younger sister consented to leave her star husband; so off they went to find some way of getting back to earth. They found a wise woman, who gave them a large basket, and, after tying them in and cautioning them not to open their eyes when she let them down to earth, she bound their eyes, and, taking a long rope, opened a door in the sky and let them down. Now, the eldest sister, whose great fault was curiosity, wished to know why they were not to look as they were going down. Her sister begged her to keep quiet, or they might get into trouble. She, however, insisted on seeing where they were going. As she looked they struck a tall tree, and there the basket stuck.

“Now, just see what you have done, you stupid girl. How are we going to get down?”

They could not move. They called to the animals that passed below, “Come and help us get down.” They all refused but the carcajou. Before he came up he wanted them to promise that they would marry him. After a long time they consented to the proposition. He clambered up the tree and wished to take the younger sister down first.

“Oh, no; you must take my eldest sister, or I won’t marry you.” So he was forced to take the elder down first. Then the young sister took her hair-string and wound it round and round the tree, and knotted it many times. Then the carcajou came to take her down. So they went on to his lodge, but before they reached the place the younger sister exclaimed that she had lost her hair-string, and that she must have it.

“Where did you lose it?”

“How do I know? Please go and look for it.”

Carcajou went to look for it, and after a long hunt he found it tied at the top of the tree. In the meantime the two sisters ran as quickly as they could, so as to escape from the carcajou, or wolverine. Towards evening they sat down to rest, and they heard a baby crying in the woods.

“Hist! There is a child crying,” said the elder. “I must go and find it.”

“No, no, please don’t go; perhaps it is only a trick of Carcajou.”

But this silly girl went off to look for the child. In a little while she came back with a child tied in a beautiful cradle, and she sang to it and kissed it, and made a great to do over it, when all at once she saw it change to Carcajou, who laughed heartily at them for trying to run away from him.

“So you thought you could deceive me, but I tell you that I can turn myself into anything, and you can’t escape me. Here, take your hair-string, and get my supper ready.”

The sisters went to work cooking the supper, and the younger one put in some roots that caused sleep. The carcajou liked his supper, and then rolled off into a deep sleep.

“Come, sister, let us be quick, for he will sleep for a very long time, and let us run away.”

How fast they ran, scarcely stopping to take breath. At last they came to a large river. Now, how could they cross? They called to the fish to come and help them, but they all refused. Just then a large drake flew down and swam towards them, and asked them what they wanted.

“Oh, brother, would you be so kind as to take us across the river?”

“Well, I don’t know; what will you give me? Will you marry me?”

They promised to be his wives. Then he crossed first one and then the other—he carried them on his back. He took them to his favourite swamp, and there gave them roots to eat.

“Now, this evening I am going to a big dance, but I won’t be away long, so keep up the fire and go to sleep.”

They promised faithfully. Then he bathed himself and plumed each feather till he shone, and put his song on his back, and off he flew.

Then the young sister hunted for two rotten logs, so she might dress them as women. At last she found what she wanted, and dressed them, and lay them down, and off they ran. By and by the drake came home and snuggled down between his wives. First one would pinch him, and then the other, and so on, till he woke. “Stop pinching me, I say!” Then he would sleep, but at last the pinching became so hard that he awoke, and found that instead of women he was lying between logs, just full of ants. The women escaped and got home safely.

Chis-Tapistaquhn, or the Rolling Head

A father provides for winter, but his lazy wife wastes meat and meets serpent companions at a tree stump. Discovering her secret, he destroys the snakes, provoking her wrath. After a fierce battle, he decapitates her, but her head pursues their children. They thwart it with enchanted objects and escape by a pelican. One child is later taken as a husband, the other transformed into a wolf.

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The story features multiple physical metamorphoses, notably the wife’s serpent companions, her decapitated head becoming a sturgeon, and the younger son turning into a wolf.

Trials and Tribulations: The children endure a harrowing escape, overcoming successive obstacles thrown up by their vengeful mother’s head.

Mythical Creatures: The narrative abounds with creatures of legend: serpents, a sturgeon-born head, a talking crow, eagle, and pelican.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Cree Lore

Learn more about the Cree people

A man, his wife and two little sons went into the forest to hunt and fish, so as to get sufficient food for the winter, the winter being very long and cold. The father was very fortunate in his hunting. Many moose had he killed, also ducks and geese in plenty; he had trapped plenty of beaver, otter and marten; their furs were for clothing. His wife, however, was a very lazy woman, and let much of the meat spoil. One day he asked his little children: “What does your mother do when I am away?”

“Oh, father, she leaves us and will not let us follow her. She goes far away, and does not come back till it is nearly time for yon to come home.”

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The father was very sad, and could not rest till he found out what his wife did during his absence. So the next morning he went off to see his traps, etc., but only went a little way, and then waited for his wife.

Presently she came out, dressed in her best, and went towards the river. He followed her, and saw her stop at a very large stump and knock at it and say: “I am here my friends; come out now and let us play.”

Then the stump became alive with snakes, large and small. Then she laid down and let them crawl all over her, and kept singing and playing with them. The poor man was almost overcome with terror, but tore himself away and made his plan how he was going to destroy this monster of a woman. So he shot many deer and left them and marked the places where they were hid, and went home. He had killed some heaver and had taken their teeth with him, but left them in the swamps. In the evening he told his wife that she must get up early next day and go into the woods and bring back the meat and beaver. How cross she was! She scolded her children and behaved quite rudely. Next day she went off, and not long afterwards he went to find the stump, and when he found it he took a stick and beat on it and said: “Come out, my friends; I am here now; come and play.”

Then the snakes all came out, and he began cutting them to pieces. He killed all of them except one little snake that managed to escape into its hole. He gathered all the blood of the snakes and took it home. At dusk the wife returned, very tired and cross. He had cooked the beavers’ tails, which are most delicious and a great dainty, and afterwards gave her to drink, but it was blood. She did not know it. He had told his children that he had killed their mother’s friends, and that when she found out she would kill them all. “Now, listen, my children. You must run away from here as quickly as you can; and if you see your mother coming after you, you must throw this comb behind you.” Then he gave them a wooden comb, flint and beaver’s teeth. “Always remember and throw these things behind you and never in front,” Then he lifted up the flap of the skin tent at the back, and told them to go that way. The poor little fellows went off crying bitterly.

Now, the mother, after eating and feeling hotter, asked where the children were.

Oh, they are watching for the stars, and will be in soon, so go to sleep. The next day he left early, but went only a little war, when he saw his wife go out. Presently she came back, raging. She had gone to the stump and found all her friends dead, and only one little one left alive, who told her that her husband had killed all his relations. When he heard her raging he returned and prepared for the death struggle. Words cannot describe the awful conflict. At last he cut off her head and fled, with the body after him and the head rolling about looking for the children, and calling for them. At last she saw a crow, and asked the bird if he had seen which way the children had gone.

“Oh, yes,” said he; “lift up the tent at the back and you will find their trail.”

So he flew down and picked up the tent, and out the head rolled. It went on and on till it nearly reached the children, who were terribly frightened. They threw the comb behind, and an immense forest sprang up. Now the head was in despair, and asked everybody she met to help her. At last the fire helped her and made a path for her through the forest. She then rolled on and nearly came up to the children, when they threw the flint, and a great mountain rose up. Again she asked the birds and animals to help her. An eagle picked her up and carried her over and dropped her, and she went rolling on.

At last the poor children saw her coming, and in their haste they threw the beaver’s teeth before them, and a broad river appeared. Poor children, how could they cross this wide river? They cried so bitterly that at last a pelican that was fishing near by, said: “Come, my poor little children; get on my back and I will cross you.”

“Oh, grandfather, how kind you are.”

On the broad back of the pelican they mounted, and he took them across the river. The head saw the children get on the pelican’s back, but was too late to catch them. So when the pelican came back, she begged him to cross her too. At first he would not, but at last consented, and after a good deal of trouble she got on the pelican’s back. Just when they were in the middle of the river he made a dive after a fish, and the poor Chis-tapistaquhn rolled into the water, where she became a sturgeon. The Indians won’t eat the flesh of the sturgeon just where the head joins the body, for that is, they say, Chis-tapistaquhn’s flesh. The poor children remained on the river bank, living as best they could, when one day a temanhous man came and carried away the eldest boy for his daughter’s husband. The poor little boy was heartbroken at parting with his brother, but the temanhous man turned the younger into a wolf.

The enchanted bear

After their parents’ death, a twelve-year-old girl cares for her baby sister. Forbidden from playing the “Bear!” game, the younger accidentally compels her sister to transform into an enchanted bear. Mocked by villagers, the bear destroys them in anger. When forced to reveal where her heart is hidden, the sisters’ secret leads hunters to fatally trap her on poisoned stakes, leaving the child sister bereft.

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The elder sister is magically changed into a bear, driving the entire narrative through this metamorphosis.

Forbidden Knowledge: The villagers coerce the younger sister into revealing the enchanted bear’s hidden heart, a secret meant to protect her.

Revenge and Justice: The bear avenges her unjust treatment of both sisters by attacking the mockers, and the villagers’ plotted revenge leads to her tragic end.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Cree Lore

Learn more about the Cree people

In a very large village there lived two sisters. They had lost their parents when the younger child was but a babe and the eldest a child of about twelve years of age. This good girl took entire charge of her little sister, and also worked for the women of the village, and they gave her food in return for her help. When the little girl was old enough to play with the other children, her sister begged her never to play the game that the children were fondest of, and that was calling out, “Bear! Bear!” and frightening themselves with pretending that they were being chased. So the little girl was very careful to obey her sister, as she loved her greatly; and when the game was to be played, she would run back to her sister. At length the children noticed it, and said: “Now, it is your turn to be bear.” She begged them not to ask her to play it.

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Children are sometimes cruel, and they insisted on her taking her turn, so she had to submit or be cruelly used. Well, she went into the hiding place, and when the children shouted “Bear! Bear!” out she came, growling at them, and chased them and then ran home to tell her sister what she had been compelled to do. There, owing to this unfortunate game, when she reached home she found that her poor sister had been transformed into a bear. The poor bear was crying at this horrid change, and asked her sister to go with her to the river side and live in a cave in the bank. They both wept together, and then they went to find this cave and make it their home. Then the people heard of the sister being changed into a bear, and came and mocked the little sister, and out rushed the bear and destroyed many of the people. The rest got very much alarmed, and tried in many ways to kill the bear, but all their efforts were in vain. At last they tried making a fire before the cave’s mouth, but she only rushed out and attacked them. They could not kill this enchanted bear. They waylaid the poor sister and asked her where the bear kept her heart.

“Oh, I don’t know; indeed I don’t,” she would say. At last they insisted on her asking the bear where her heart was. So one evening she began asking questions, and at last came to ask where the bear’s heart was kept. “Now, my sister, the people have told you to ask me.”

“No, sister, they have not.”

At last she told where her heart was. It was in her forepaw, in the little toe of it. So the next day when the little sister went to draw water, she was waylaid and compelled to tell where the bear’s heart was.

For many days the men were very busy making little sticks, pointed at both ends, and when they had finished they went towards the bear’s cave, and stuck these sharp points into the ground, as closely together as they could. Then they shouted to the bear to come out, and roused the bear at once, who came rushing out, right on these sharp sticks. One pricked her little toe, and she fell dead, to the bitter grief of her younger sister.

The wolverine

A hunter leaves his wife at home to tend marten traps despite her warnings. While he’s away, a mysterious man visits, gifts the wife a beautiful bead necklace, and vanishes. The husband returns, smashes the beads in anger, and the wife weeps outside. In moonlight, the stranger restores the necklace whole and takes her away. Distraught, the husband burns his possessions and turns into a wolverine.

Source:
Athapascan Traditions
from the Lower Yukon
by J.W. Chapman
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.16, No.62, pp. 180-185
July-September, 1903

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The story explains the origin of the wolverine through the husband’s transformation.

Transformation: The husband is physically transformed into a wolverine after his wife is taken.

Love and Betrayal: The wife’s divided loyalty between her mortal husband and the mysterious visitor highlights betrayal.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Athabaskan Lore

Learn more about the Athabaskan people

There was once a couple who lived by themselves. They had a house and a cache and the man occupied himself in hunting. He hunted martens both with traps and with the arrow.

One day he said, “I believe I will go to my marten traps;” but the woman did not want to let him go. “No,” said she, “please don’t. Stay here today; there may be strangers coming.” But the man answered, “Who is there to come? There’s nobody at all. There are no tracks but mine;” and he put on his gear and left the house. Meanwhile the woman wept as she sat sewing at home.

At noon, yonder, outside the door, she heard some one knocking the snow from his boots, and a man came in, but it was not her husband.

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The woman drew her hair down over her face so as to cover it, then put food into a bowl, meat and fat, and handed it to him. “Have something to eat,” she said. “I am not hungry,” said he; “it is for you that I came here; go with me.” And when she refused he gave her a beautiful necklace of seed beads, and hung them about her neck and went out.

Meanwhile she had made a fire and cooked food, expecting her husband; for she thought, “When he comes he will be hungry.” At length he returned, and after they had eaten he fixed the curtain over the smoke-hole and they went to bed. When she undressed, her husband saw the great necklace of beads. He broke out in anger, “Who gave them to you, if no one has been here?” And taking a great maul, he broke them to pieces, and putting them upon a shovel he threw them out at the smoke-hole, and lay down again.

Thereupon the woman began to cry. “Come,” said her husband, “go outside and cry; there is no sleep to be had here;” and she went out crying. The moon was shining, but she stood where no light fell upon her, and where the moon shone she looked for (him). See! There in the moonlight is that man. He laughs as he stands looking at her in the moonlight. Then he went to her and came close to her. “What say you?” said he. “Why,” she said, “he pounded up the beads and threw them out at the smoke-hole.”

So up to the top of the house went the man, and took up the beautiful beads whole, as they were before, and put them upon the woman’s neck, and took her and went out into the moonlight.

Meanwhile, her husband roused himself up, and went out to find that his wife was gone. All around the place he went, but found only his own tracks, for the stranger had left none. He kindled a fire, and burned his parka and his own hair and his back, and went away as a wolverine.

Origin of amphibians

A young paddler repeatedly hears a mysterious woman’s song on the shore, only to catch illusions that transform into a birch, a rabbit, and geese. Frustrated, he next discovers a group of spirit-people playing ball who vanish as birds. At a pond, he confronts a shaman who dives in as an otter and, with all others morphing into aquatic creatures, the hero soars off as a hawk.

Source:
Athapascan Traditions
from the Lower Yukon
by J.W. Chapman
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.16, No.62, pp. 180-185
July-September, 1903

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The repeated physical changes of the women into a birch, a rabbit, geese, and finally the shaman into an otter, and the hero into a hawk, underscore the theme of transformation.

Quest: The young man’s persistent journey from one shore to another in search of a true woman drives the narrative as a quest.

Supernatural Beings: All the figures he encounters are non-human spirits who interact directly with the mortal hero.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Athabaskan Lore

Learn more about the Athabaskan people

A young man was once paddling along and it seemed as though he were listening for something. He turned his head this way and that, and listened. “Surely, some one is singing; I believe it is a woman singing.” “Y-xa-n-na,” she said, as the story goes. He quickly went ashore.

A beautiful woman, with long hair, stood upon the beach. She was washing her hair in the swift water and singing. Going up unperceived, he caught her by the waist. “I’m not human, I’m not human,” she shrieked. The man shut his eyes as she struggled, and opened them only to find that he was holding a Birch which had fallen toward the water with its branches in the current.

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In a passion he paddled off in his canoe. Again he paddles as though listening, and turns his head this way and that. “Surely,” he thinks, “there is some one singing again. It sounds like a woman. The same thing over again. Good enough,” he thinks. “I wonder whether it is a sure-enough woman this time, that’s making this noise.” Peeking under the bushes, again he saw some one who was singing. “A-ha-yu-ha-ha,” she said, so they say. He went ashore. Such a beautiful woman, girded with a deer-tooth belt, stripping off willow bark. He caught her by the waist. “I’m not human, I’m not human,” she screamed. He gave her a push. “You act as if you were human, making so much noise with your songs,” said he, while she bounded away in the shape of a rabbit. Angrily he went off. Again he listened, and heard a sound of people shouting at play. Going toward them and getting out of his canoe, he went under the bushes. What a crowd of people playing ball upon the beach! What fine men and women both! He crouched down in the grass and looked out. Thinks he, “If they throw a woman upon me I will catch her.” They pushed one upon him, and he quickly jumped up and caught her. “I’m not human, I’m not human,” said the woman, struggling to get away. He pushed her away. It was only a Brant that ran off, screaming. The players, too, turned into geese, and off they flew. Angrily the man went off again in his canoe, and again he listened. He heard a chattering of men’s voices, and went ashore. Keeping back from the open, he went toward the speakers, under the bushes. There was a pond, where there were many men in the water, one of whom was shamaning. The shaman was a huge old fellow, in a parka made of otter skin. He was saying: “It seems that this is the place where you will perish.” But they replied, “We choose to live here in spite of what you tell us.”

The young man leaped out, and leaving the shelter of the grass he rushed to the side of the shaman. The shaman became an otter and dived into the pond and swam away, and all the rest took to the water in the form of animals: mink, muskrat, divers, and loons, and swam to the bottom, where they remained, while the hero of the story became a hawk and flew away.

The one who tells the story concludes with “Utduhondluon.” One of his hearers answers, “Yuk!”

The crow’s disappointment

A man who was once a crow paddles along a lake, harvesting fish from magic nets until he discovers a deserted house and follows a path atop the mountain. There he seizes a beautiful berry-picking woman and forces her to accompany him, demanding she dance. She tricks him—shapeshifting into a squirrel to flee to her home—and punishes him by pouring hot ashes through the smoke-hole, blinding him.

Source:
Athapascan Traditions
from the Lower Yukon
by J.W. Chapman
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.16, No.62, pp. 180-185
July-September, 1903

► Themes of the story

Transformation: Both the man-crow and the berry-picking woman undergo physical shape-shifting, highlighting metamorphosis as a core motif.

Trickster: The woman uses wit and deception—transforming into a squirrel—to outsmart and escape her captor.

Revenge and Justice: The woman exacts poetic retribution by scalding the crow-man’s eyes after he oversteps.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Athabaskan Lore

Learn more about the Athabaskan people

Once upon a time, when the crow was a man, he was paddling along abreast of a mountain, with his stomach calling for dinner. As he paddled, suddenly he saw a stake set at the edge of the water. He paddled alongside to examine it. There was a fishnet tied to it. Surely enough it was full of fish, and he put them into his canoe. In front of him and at his back they lay. Those in front of him he eats raw, and fills himself. “A-ha-ha,” he thinks, “I am satisfied; thanks,” thinks he, “I am satisfied;” and he took his paddle and went on. All day he paddled. All at once he saw another stake set. Surely enough, there was another net tied. Again he examined it, and was surprised to find it full of fish. Taking these he put them into his canoe, in front of him, and behind him, and part of those in front of him he ate raw. “A-ha-ha,” thinks he; “thanks, I am satisfied.”

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Then he looked around, and upward as well, and saw a house; a beautiful house. Outside the house were hanging dried whitefish. Then he went into the house and looked around, but saw nobody. Inside the house there were dried whitefish, too, and berries. But see! on this side is somebody’s place; there are beautiful parkas too, and fine mats and workbags. “Where is she?” thought he, and crossed the room again to go out. From over at the door he took a look outside. He looked, and saw a path going up the mountain. He started off, and rushed eagerly upward. He reached the top and looked around. There beside the path were berries in plenty, and baskets with berries in them. He went here and there looking for the owner. All at once there was a beautiful woman picking berries. He went to her and caught her by the shoulder. “Come,” said he,” come along; let’s go to your house,” said he. But she was not willing. “You see I’m picking berries. By and by I will do as you say,” said she; but he held her shoulder fast. “Come along now,” said he. Then she grew angry. “What a brute! You better go down to my house by yourself,” said she. Finally the woman said, angrily, “Very well, live with me down at my house.” She tied up her berries, and they put them on their backs; the woman as well as the crow. “Come now,” said the woman, “take off your load and put it down where you are, and I will dance for you.” Then she sung:

Ikna, ikna, akcaito
Akcai tcugun hugu
Unu yavwugan he
m-m-m.

“Now it is your turn,” said she. “I want to see you. You dance for me, too,” said she. “Yes,” said he. He hopped about, singing:

Tlikin gaqahl, tlik, tlik;
Tlikin gaqahl, tlik, tlik.

“Your song doesn’t suit me,” said she. “Shut your eyes;” and with a “Ctiq” she dived down between his legs, having turned into a squirrel. She reached her house and slammed to the door, while he climbed upon the roof and peered down through the smoke-hole. The woman angrily threw up a ladleful of hot ashes into his eyes, so that they were scalded and turned white.

Why the wolverine became a thief

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

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

► Themes of the story

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

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

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

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Slavey Lore

Learn more about the Slavey people

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

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

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Little Hairy Man

A mysterious Little Hairy Man kills a polar bear that raided the tribe’s cache, then joins two brothers on a quest filled with trials—slaying multi-headed monsters and saving captive sisters. Betrayed and stranded, he’s aided by enchanted animal allies and shapeshifts to escape. Later he returns, exposes the brothers, exacts vengeance, and ultimately marries a woman after defeating her supernatural husband.

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

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The Little Hairy Man shapeshifts into a woodpecker, a wasp, and a worm to navigate the lake and infiltrate the brothers’ camp.

Quest: He embarks on a journey with two brothers, undertaking a series of tasks from hunting the bear to exploring underground chambers.

Magic and Enchantment: His knife grants him power, and he receives a magical ring and the ability to transform thanks to grateful animal spirits.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Gwichʼin Lore

Learn more about the Gwichʼin (Loucheux) people

Told by a Loucheux woman at McPherson, the northernmost Hudson’s Bay trading post, to Captain J. W. Mills.

The Loucheux Indians once cached a quantity of meat, which the Polar Bear (So’) discovered and began to eat. The people were unable to kill the animal themselves, so they called upon the Little Hairy Man. The bear came to rob the cache (tsi) at night, and the Little Man concealed himself in a tree to await the coming of the thief. The people were to give the Little Man a big knife if he killed the bear; he took this knife with him into the tree, and when the bear appeared he jumped down upon and easily killed it, thus gaining possession of the knife. The Little Man left the place, and continued his wanderings as usual. As he went along, he came upon two brothers who were separated from the rest of the tribe, so he asked them what they were doing. They replied that they were just travelling about, and in turn they asked the Little Man what he was doing. “I am wandering about also; let us journey together.” The Little Man called one of his companions “Breaking Mountain” and the other “Breaking Sticks”.

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They asked him what his name was, and he replied that he had no name, but that anything that they asked of him would be granted. They decided to call him Little Hairy Man. As they went along together, they came upon two deserted houses, which they occupied for a time. Little Man and Breaking Mountain went off to hunt and cut wood, while Breaking Sticks stayed at home to attend to the cooking. When the hunters returned they found no dinner cooked, but Breaking Sticks was lying in his blanket groaning. The following day Little Man and Breaking Sticks went out, leaving Breaking Mountain to take care of the camp, but as he repeated his brother’s experience Little Man said, “You two go and cut wood and I will stay at home and get the dinner.” As soon as they were gone a strange pigmy entered the house and said, “What are you doing here? Who gave you permission to stop here?” The stranger tried to whip Little Hairy Man, but the latter was too quick for him, snatched the whip away and drove the fellow out and into a hole under the other house. When the two brothers returned a dinner was awaiting them, and the Little Man said, “So that is what troubled you two. The pigmy gave you a whipping. “You must have caught it yourself today,” they replied. “No, I whipped him and chased him into his burrow under the other building.” After they had dined they went to examine the retreat of the mysterious stranger. By means of a strong cord and an old kettle, Breaking Mountain was lowered into the hole. He came back saying that he had seen a door at the bottom of the pit. Breaking Sticks next went down and reported the finding of the corpse of the pigmy. Little Hairy Man then went down, taking his big knife with him. He knocked on the door which he found and a voice answered, “Come in!” On entering he was met by a two-headed individual, who asked, “Are you the person who killed my son?” “Yes,” replied the Little Hairy Man. At this the monster rushed upon him, and tried to kill him. Little Man succeeded in cutting off both the heads with his big knife. He then noticed another door to the apartment, on which he knocked, and received the invitation to enter as before. This time he was met by a creature with three heads, who asked the same question, and upon receiving an affirmative reply tried to kill him. Little Man overcame his opponent and chopped off his three heads. To this apartment there was a door, at which he knocked and entered to find a four-headed being, whom he killed after a severe struggle. Before him stood yet another door, through which he passed to find three pretty women. He was much pleased with the appearance of the prettiest one, who gave him a ring. He took them to the entrance, and sent them up one by one in the kettle. When it came the turn of the Little Man to be hauled out, Breaking Sticks, who thought Little Man would want all the women for his own wives, said, “Let us cut the line.” “No,” said Breaking Mountain, “he helps us very much, and does things which we cannot do.” But before he had finished speaking his brother had cut the line, allowing the kettle to fall with the Little Hairy Man to the bottom of the shaft. A small dog that had belonged to the pigmy came and licked the wounds of Little Man, brought him bread, and finally showed him the way to escape. Little Man found that the brothers and the women whom he had rescued were gone, so he took his big knife and set off after them. As he was passing through some thick woods, he heard the sounds of a struggle, and soon came upon the dead body of a moose, ting-ik, over which a woodpecker, a wasp, and a little wood-worm were fighting. Little Man wished to settle their differences for them, so he divided the carcass, giving the meat to the wasp, the fat to the woodpecker, and the bones to the woodworm. Then he started off, but the woodpecker flew after him, and called him back. They all thanked him, and told him if he ever got in trouble he might turn into a woodpecker, a wasp, or a little worm. He thanked them and went on his way. Little Man came to a big lake; to avoid the long journey around, he wished himself a woodpecker, and in that form flew out over the lake. When he was half way across he became very tired, and, seeing a stick of driftwood, wished to be a worm. He crawled into the stick, where he remained until he felt it strike against the shore. Then he came out and found a large quantity of fresh chips around him. He soon caught sight of a small house and wished to be transformed into a wasp. In this guise he entered the house and found the brothers and the three women inside. The girl whom he had chosen was cooking food. Little Man went back into the forest and resumed his natural shape, then he returned with his big knife to the house. He asked the girl what she was doing, and she said she was cooking. “May I help you?” “Yes,” said she, after consulting her master. Little Hairy Man helped her place the food, and he arranged it in six portions. “Why do you set six places?” said she; “the cooks do not eat with their masters.” But he replied, “We will eat with them this once to talk about old times.” Her master said, “Very well.” When they sat down to eat, he placed the ring she had given him beside the plate of his sweetheart, who recognized it at once, and turned pale as she concealed it. Breaking Mountain began to tell the story of their desertion of Little Man, and said he was sorry, because Little Man was so useful. Breaking Sticks laughed and said, “Well, I laughed when I heard the kettle rattling down, and the Little Man squealing.” At this the Little Man jumped up and killed them all. Little Man left the house and went on his way again.

He found a small house in the forest, and on entering discovered a pretty woman in it. He asked her to marry him, but she said that she was married and her husband was away. She was afraid of her husband, and dared not run away with Little Man. He said, “I will kill him,” but she declared that no one could do that. When the husband returned she asked him how any one could kill him, and he answered: “First, there is a mountain-lion; if you kill it, a bear will come from the carcass, then a wolf will come from the bear, a wolverine from the wolf, a rabbit from the wolverine, a partridge from the rabbit, an egg from the partridge: only by striking me on the forehead with that egg can you kill me.” The next day, when the man was away, the woman told Little Hairy Man how he could kill her husband. He killed the mountain-lion and all the other animals, and obtained the egg, which he took to the woman. When her husband came home she wanted to hunt lice in his head; while his head was in her lap she struck him with the egg and killed him. She and Little Hairy Man were married and lived [happily] together.