Tag: 07. Quest

A journey undertaken to achieve a goal

The giant carried off by the eagle

A hundred-foot Beaver lived on a lakeside rock, hunted by a giant man who feared a monstrous eagle. After the giant killed the Beaver and carried it away, the eagle intercepted him, fed his prize to its young, and trapped him in its lofty nest. The giant tricked and killed the eagle, hid inside its carcass, and plunged safely to earth, later returning home unharmed.

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


Quest: The story centers on the giant’s perilous journey to hunt the colossal beaver.

Supernatural Beings: The narrative highlights struggles against two formidable natural creatures: the giant beaver and the monstrous eagle.

Revenge and Justice: After the eagle feeds his prize to its young, the giant avenges himself by killing the bird.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Naskapi people

There was once a giant Beaver who had his house on the top of a great big rock on the shore of a lake. This Beaver was about one hundred feet long, and his cabin was very large. Near him lived a giant man who used to hunt the Beaver, but lived in fear of a monster Eagle who was watching all the time to carry him off. This Eagle was so large that he could pick up the giant as easily as an ordinary eagle could carry off a rat, even though the giant was taller than the largest tree, and broad to suit his height.

At last the giant’s family grew so hungry, that he was compelled to go and hunt: so he took his ice-chisel and went to chisel for the giant Beaver. [The ice-chisel is made by attaching a bone, or nowadays a metal blade, to a pole of sufficient length.]

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He drove the Beaver from his nest, and at last cornered him and killed him. Then he packed him on his back and started for home. On the way the Eagle saw him coming, swooped down, and picked up both the hunter and his beaver as easily as he would two rabbits. Far up on a rocky mountain he flew with them to where he had his nest, thousands of feet above the valley. His nest was very large and had young eagles in it. When he got there, he began picking the beaver to pieces to feed it to his young eagles. Now, he kept the giant safe in the nest until the beaver was all gone.

In a few days there was nothing left of the beaver, and the Eagle got ready to kill the giant hunter. He rose high in the air, and swooped down to strike the giant with his wings and claws. Then the giant took his chisel and held it blade up, with the hind end braced against the ledge, so that when the Eagle swooped he would strike upon it. There it held fast; so that every time the Eagle swooped to strike the giant, he struck upon the chisel and cut his breast. After several trials the Eagle fell over dead into the nest.

Now, the giant was free from his captor, but could not get down from the nest on the cliff. He killed the young eagles. At last an idea came to him as to how to save himself. He cut the Eagle open down the breast and crawled inside. The idea came to him to shove off the cliff, and that the Eagle’s wings and body would break his fall. So he pushed off, and down they went a mile through the air. He landed heavily, but was not hurt. He looked around to see where he was, and soon started for home. He had a long way to go, the Eagle had carried him so far.

In the mean time, when the giant’s family found that he did not return the day he went for beaver, they started out to track him. They trailed him to where he had killed the Beaver, and farther, soon coming to a place where his tracks ended suddenly, as though he had been picked up. Here they gave up and went back to their camp. Said one of the old men, “Our son must have been carried away by some creature. We must help him all we can by our thoughts.” So they waited and “wished” for his safe return. At last, after a few days, the giant arrived, and told his adventures; but the old man said, “It was not your cunning or strength that saved you, but the strength of our thoughts.”

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The starving wolverene

Facing starvation, a wolverene seeks aid from his wolf brothers on a journey filled with trials. The wolves conjure tents, fires, and meals, then trick him into eating harmful fat until he falls ill. Armed with the secret of fire-making, he tries to return home, but his greed and disobedience—discarding flint and looking back—lead the wolves to ruin his provisions, teaching harsh lessons of trust.

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


Quest: The wolverene embarks on a perilous journey to find his wolf brothers and secure food for his family.

Trials and Tribulations: He faces repeated tests, from gathering firewood to resisting the wolves’ mysterious hospitality.

Cunning and Deception: The wolves repeatedly trick him with bark, hidden tents, and a sabotaged sled.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Naskapi people

On the approach of winter a wolverene, which had been so idle during the summer that he had failed to store up a supply of provisions for himself, his wife, and children, began to feel the pangs of hunger. The cold days and snowstorms were now at hand. The father one day told his wife that he would go and try to discover the place where his brothers, the wolves, were passing the winter and from them he would endeavor to procure some food. The wife desired him not to remain away long, else the children would starve to death. He assured her that he would be gone no longer than four days, and made preparations to start early on the succeeding morning. In the morning he started and continued his journey until near nightfall, when he came to the bank of a river.

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On looking at the ice which covered its surface he descried a pack of wolves ascending the river at a rapid rate. Behind these were four others, which were running at a leisurely gait. He soon overtook the latter group, and was perceived by one of these old wolves, which remarked to the others, “There is our brother, the wolverene, coming.” The animal soon joined the wolves and told them that he was starving, and asked for food. The wolves replied that they had none, but that the wolves in advance were on the track of some deer and would soon have some. The wolverene inquired where they would camp for the night. They told him to continue with them on the track of the others until they came to a mark on the river bank. The wolves, accompanied by the wolverene, continued their way until one of the old wolves called attention to the sign on the bank and proposed they should go up to it and await the return of the others. They went up and began to gather green twigs to make a clean floor in the bottom of the tent. This was no sooner done than the young wolves (the hunters) returned and began to put up the tent poles. The old wolves said they themselves would soon have the tent covering in place. The wolverene was astonished at what he saw and wondered whence they would procure the tenting and tire. The old wolves laughed as they observed his curiosity, and one of them remarked, “Our brother wonders where you will get the tent cover from.” The wolverene replied, “I did not say that; I only said my brothers will soon have up a nice and comfortable tent for me.” The wolves then sent him off to collect some dry brush with which to make a fire. When he returned the tent was already on the poles. He stood outside holding the brush in his arms. One of the wolves told him to bring the wood inside the tent. He entered and gave the brush to one of the young wolves (the leader of the hunters). The leader placed the brush in position to create a good fire, and while that was being done the wolverene wondered how they would start the fire. One of the old wolves remarked, “Our brother wonders where and how you will get the fire.” He made no reply, as one of the young wolves (the leader) took up a kettle and went outside to get some snow to melt for water, and returned with it full of snow. He set the kettle down and sprang quickly over the pile of brush and it started into a blaze in an instant. It was now an opportunity for the wolverene to wonder whence should come the supply of meat to boil. One of the old wolves said, “Our brother wonders where you will get some meat to cook for supper.” One of the young wolves went out and brought in a brisket of deer’s meat. As soon as the wolverene saw the meat he asserted that he did not wonder about the source of the supply of meat, but that he only wished there was some meat ready for cooking. The meat was cut up and placed in the kettle and when it was ready it was served out. The choicest portions were selected for the wolverene and placed before him with the injunction to eat all of it. He endeavored to consume it, but the quantity was too great even for him. He, having finished his meal, was about to place the remainder on one of the poles when a wolf, observing his action, told him not to place it there or else the meat would change into bark. He then laid it down on a piece of clean brushwood and when he suspected the eyes of the wolves were not turned toward him he stealthily inserted the portion of meat between the tenting and the pole. The wolves saw his action and in a few minutes the wolverene became very sleepy and soon retired. One of the wolves carefully displaced the meat from the pole, where the wolverene had put it, and thrust in its stead a piece of bark. In the morning when the wolverene awakened his first thought was of the remnant of food. He reached up for it and found nothing but the piece of bark. The wolves were on the alert and one of them said, “Did I not tell you it would change into bark if you put the meat in that place?” The wolverene hung his head and answered, “Yes,” and again laid down to sleep. By the time he awakened the wolves had a second kettle of meat cooked. They desired the wolverene to arise and eat his breakfast. The leader told him to hasten with his meal, as he had discovered some fresh deer tracks. The wolverene thought he would watch how they broke camp and see where they put the tentings. He went off a few steps and while his back was turned the tent disappeared and he failed to discover where it was secreted. The animals then started off, the young ones taking the lead while the four old ones and the wolverene followed leisurely behind. After they had crossed the river the wolverene began to wonder where they would halt for the night. One of the old wolves told him they must follow the track of the leader and they would come to the sign made for the site of the camp. They continued for the entire day, but just before sundown they came across the bones of a freshly killed deer from which every vestige of meat had been removed, apparently eaten by wolves; so the wolverene thought he would stand a poor chance of getting a supper if that was the way they were going to act. The party continued on the track and soon came upon the mark for the tent site. The wolverene was glad to rest, but sat down and began to look ahead in the distance for the returning hunters. After a few minutes he looked around and saw the tent standing there. The wolves then sent the wolverene for dry brush, while they gathered green branches for the tent floor. He brought so small a quantity that it would not suffice. The young wolves returned at the same time and they directed him to again procure some brush. When he returned he found they had stripped all the fat off of the deer meat, although, he had not seen them bring any when they returned, and placed it around the inside edges of the tent. The brush was put down and again the leader jumped over it and a bright, crackling fire started up. The wolves then said to themselves in a low tone of voice: “Let us go outside and see what our brother will do when he is left alone with the fat.” They went outside and immediately the wolverene selected the nicest and largest piece of fat and began to swallow it. The wolves at the same moment inquired of him: “Brother, are there any holes in the tent cover?” His mouth was so full, in his haste to swallow the fat, that it nearly choked him. They repeated their inquiry and the wolverene gasped out the answer, “yes.” The wolves then said: “Let us go inside.” The wolverene sprang away from the fat and sat down by the tire. They put on a large kettle of meat and soon had their supper ready. They gave the wolverene all the fattest portions they could find. Having eaten so much of the frozen fat he became so violently ill, when the hot food melted the cold fat in his stomach, that he vomited a long time, and was so weak that he became chilly and shivered so much that he could not sleep. He asked for a blanket, but one of the wolves placed his own bushy tail on the body of the wolverene to keep him warm. The wolverene shook it off and exclaimed: “I do not want your foul-smelling tail for a blanket.” So the wolf gave him a nice and soft skin blanket to sleep under. When he awakened he announced his intention to return to his family, as they would soon be dead from hunger. One of the old wolves directed the younger ones to make up a sledload of meat for the wolverene to take home with him. The wolf did so, but made the load so large and long that the wolverene could not see the rear end of the sled. When it was ready they told him of it, and, as he was about to start, he requested they would give him some fire, as he could not make any without. The leader asked how many nights he would be on the journey homeward. He answered, three nights. The wolf told him to lie down in the snow. He did so and the wolf jumped over his body three times, but strictly enjoined upon him not to look back at the sled as he was going along. The wolverene promised he would comply with his instructions. After the animal had started and got some little distance from the camp of the wolves he thought of the peculiarly strange things he had witnessed while among those animals; and, to test himself, he concluded to try the method of making a fire. He stopped, gathered a quantity of dry brush and placed it as he had seen the wolves arrange it. He then sprang over it and a huge blaze gave evidence of the power within him. He was so astonished that he resolved to camp there. He melted some snow and drank the water and retired to rest, without having looked at the sled. The next morning he started early and made his camp before sunset, as he was very tired. He gathered some brush and made the fire by jumping over the pile of fuel. His supper was only some melted snow which he drank and retired. In the morning he started to continue his journey homeward and still had not seen the sled which he was dragging. As he was ready to start he was so confident of his ability to create fire that he threw away his flint and steel. He traveled all day until toward sunset he was so fatigued that he concluded to make his camp for the night. He was so elated with his newly acquired faculty of making fire that he eagerly gathered a great quantity of dried twigs and branches, until a large heap was before him. He jumped over it, and turned round to see the flames creep up and watch the sparks fly. There was not a sign of a blaze or a spark to meet his gaze. He again jumped over it, and again, until he was so exhausted that he could not clear the top of the pile, and at last he knocked the top of it over, as his failing strength did not enable him to avoid it. The only thing left for him to do was to return for his flint and steel, which he had so exultingly thrown aside. The animal berated himself soundly for having done such a silly trick. Not having seen the sled he was surprised to find how quickly he regained the site of the camp of the previous night. Having recovered his flint and steel he returned, and soon had a fire started; but it was now near daylight. He resolved to start on his journey as soon as he had some water melted for a drink. He began to think how quickly he had made the trip for his flint and steel, and concluded that the great length of the sled had been purposely made to cause him unnecessary fatigue, as it could not be so very heavy, or else that he must be extraordinarily strong. He determined to examine it, and did so. He could not see the farther end of the load. He flattered himself that he was so very strong, and concluded to continue his journey. He attempted to start the sled, and found he could not move it in the least. He upbraided himself for permitting his curiosity to get the better of his sense. He removed a portion of dry meat and a bundle of fat, and made them into a load to carry on his back. He placed the remainder on a stage, and was about ready to start homeward to his wife and children, whom he believed must be by this time nearly dead from starvation.

He put the pack of meat on his back and set out. That evening he arrived at his home, and as soon as his wife heard him her heart was glad. He entered and informed the family that he had brought home a quantity of meat and fat, and had procured so much as to be unable to carry it all at once. His wife begged him to fetch her a piece of meat, as she was nearly starved. He went out and brought in a large piece of fat. The wife devoured such a quantity of it that she became very ill, and suffered all through the night. In the morning the wolverene stated he would return for the meat which he had stored away the previous day. He started in the early morning, so as to return by daylight.

As soon as the wolverene looked upon the sled loaded with meat the spell was broken. One of the old wolves ordered the young wolves to go and destroy the meat and fat which the wolverene had left on the stage. They eagerly set out on the track of the sled, and soon saw the staging where the wolverene had stored the remainder of the food. When they came up to it they fell to and devoured all but a few scraps of it. The wolves then went away, and in a few hours the wolverene returned. He saw what had happened and exclaimed: “My brothers have ruined me! My brothers have ruined me!” He knew it had been done because he had looked back at the sled, although strictly enjoined upon not to do so under any circumstance. He gathered up the fragments which the wolves had left and returned home. When he arrived there he informed his wife that his brothers had ruined him, because they had eaten all the meat which he had stored away while out hunting.

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The venturesome hare

A young hare, determined to feed his infirm grandmother, nets a bountiful haul of fish and promises to fetch fire. Commanding whales to bridge a wide river, he reaches the Indians’ camp, only to be trapped in their kettle. Ingeniously igniting his net from above, he escapes their grasp and, with a mighty leap, clears the river—returning home triumphant with both fish and fire.

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


Quest: The hare undertakes the challenging journey of fishing to secure food and fire for his grandmother.

Trickster: He uses his wit to outsmart both nature and the Indians, turning desperate circumstances to his advantage.

Family Dynamics: His actions are driven by loyalty and duty to his elderly, impoverished grandmother.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Naskapi people

A hare, which had lost his parents, lived with his grandmother. One day, feeling very hungry, for they were extremely poor, he asked his grandmother if he could set a net to catch fish. The old woman laughed at the idea of a hare catching fish, but to humor him, she consented, for she was indulgent to him because he was her only charge and looked forward to the time when he should be able to support her by his own exertions, and not to rely on the scanty supplies which she was able to obtain. These were very meager, as she was infirm, and dreaded exposure. She then told him to go and set the net, but added that she had no fire to cook them with, even if he should catch any. The hare promised to procure fire if he caught the fish. He went to set the net in a lake where he knew fish to be plentiful.

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The next morning he went to the net and found it to be so full of fish that he was unable to take it up. He lifted one end and saw there was a fish in every mesh of the net. He shook out some of the fish and then drew out the net. Part of the fish were buried, and a large load taken home. He put the fish down outside of the tent, and went in. He told the old woman to clean the fish and that he would go across the river to the Indians’ tent and get the fire with which to cook them. The old woman was speechless at such proposed rashness, but as he had been able to catch so many fish she refrained remarking on his contemplated project of obtaining fire in the face of such danger. While the old woman was cleaning the fish he went back after the net which he had put out to dry on the shore of the lake.

He folded it up, placed it under his arm, and ran to the edge of the river which was far too wide to jump over. He used his cunning and assembled a number of whales. These animals came puffing up the stream in obedience to his command. He ordered them to arrange themselves side by side across the stream so that he could walk across on their backs. He most dreaded the Indians, but jumped into the water to wet his fur. This being done he sprang from one whale to another until he was safe on the opposite shore. He then laid down in the sand and bade the whales to disperse. Some Indian children soon came playing along the sandy bank and saw the hare lying there. One of the children picked up the hare and started home with it. When the boy arrived and told how he had obtained the hare he was directed to put it in the iron tent (kettle) where there was a bright fire crackling.

The child put down the hare, upon which an old man told the boy to kill the hare. The hare was terribly frightened, but opened a part of one eye to ascertain whether there was any place of exit beside the door. In the top of the tent he observed a large round hole. He then said to himself: “I wish a spark of fire would fall on my net.” Instantly the brands rolled and a great spark fell on the net and began to burn it. The hare was afraid of the fire, so he sprang out of the hole in the apex of the tent. The Indians saw they had been outwitted by a hare, and began to shout and pursue the animal, which attained such speed that when he came to the bank of the river he had not time to recall the whales. He gave an extraordinary leap and cleared the entire expanse of the water. He examined the net and found the fire smouldering. On arrival at his own home he said to his grandmother: “Did I not tell you I would get the fire?” The old woman ventured to inquire how he had crossed the river. He coolly informed her that he had jumped across.

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The Indian and his beaver wife

A hunter spares a talking beaver who beckons him to live underwater as her spouse. Unaware, he marries her in her submerged lodge until his brother’s prophetic dream prompts a rescue mission. The brother dam’s the stream, slays the beaver family, and frees his sibling. Forced to eat beaver meat, the husband’s grief summons his slain wife back to life as they swim together down the river.

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


Quest: The brother’s determined journey to find and rescue his sibling drives the narrative’s central action.

Journey to the Otherworld: The hunter’s immersion into the beaver’s underwater home represents a venture into a realm beyond human experience.

Resurrection: After her death and skinning, the beaver wife miraculously reappears swimming alongside her husband, symbolizing a return from death.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Naskapi people

One day an Indian was hunting along the bank of a stream and in the distance saw a beaver’s house. In a moment he perceived a beaver swimming toward him, he drew up and was on the point of shooting it when the animal exclaimed, “Do not shoot, I have something to say to you.” The Indian inquired, “What is it you have to say?” The beaver asked him, “Would you have me for a wife?” The Indian replied, “I can not live in the water with you.” The beaver answered, “You will not know you are living in the water, if you will follow me.” The Indian further remarked that he could not live on willows and other woods like a beaver. The beaver assured him that when eating them he would not think them to be willows. She added, “I have a nice house to live in.”

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The man replied, “My brother will be looking for me if I come in and he will not know where I am. The beaver directed the man to take off his clothing and leave them on the bank and to follow her. The Indian did as he was instructed. As he was wading through the water he did not feel the water touching him; so they presently began to swim and soon reached the home of the beaver. The beaver told him as she pointed ahead, “There is my home, and you will find it as good and comfortable as your own tent.” They both entered and she soon set before him some food which he did not recognize as willow bark. After they had slept two nights his brother became alarmed and went to search for him, and soon found his track. In following it up his brother came to where he had left his clothing on the bank of the stream.

The brother was distressed at finding such things, so went sorrowfully back to the tent thinking that his brother had been drowned, and so told the other Indians when he arrived. With a heavy heart he went to bed and in the morning he awakened and told his wife that he had dreamed his brother was living with a beaver. He told his wife to make some new clothing for the lost brother as he would go and seek the haunts of the beavers to discover his brother. The man occupied himself in making a pair of snowshoes, while the wife prepared the clothing. The next day she had the clothing done and he directed her to make them into a small bundle as he would start on the search early the next morning. Other young men desired to accompany him on the search, but were advised to remain at home as their presence would prevent him from reaching the beaver’s retreat. Early in the morning he started off, taking the clothes and snowshoes with him. After some time he found the place where the beaver had her house and in which he suspected his brother to be living. He went to work to make a dam across the stream so as to decrease the depth of water around the beaver’s house. The wife had borne two children to the husband by this time, and when the father had seen the water going from their house he told the children: “Your uncle is coming and he is certain to kill you.” The water had soon gone down sufficiently to enable the man to cross the stream to where the house was situated.

On arriving there he began pounding at the mud walls. The father told the children to go out or else the house would fall on them. The man outside quickly killed the two young ones. The wife knew she would soon be killed also, and after they had heard the deathblows given to their children she said to her husband, “If you are sorry that I am killed and ever want to see me again, keep the right hand and arm of my body; take off the skin and keep it about you.” In a few minutes the brother had begun again to tear out the sides of the lodge. The husband told her to go out, and that his love for her would make him keep her right hand. She then went out and was quickly killed with a stick. When this was done and the husband had heard it all he was very sorry for his wife. Again the man began to destroy the rest of the house and soon had a large hole in the wall of one side. The husband then said to him, “What are you doing? You are making me very cold.” The brother replied, “I have brought some warm clothing for you and you will not feel cold.” “Throw them in,” said the husband, “for I am freezing.” He put on the clothes, and while he was doing it the brother noticed the hairs which had grown on the other’s back, but said nothing about it. The husband then sat in his house until the other was near freezing to death. The brother then said to him, “Come with me; you can not stay here.” The husband demanded, as a condition of returning, that the brother should never say anything to him to make him angry if he went back. The brother promised him not to do so. They then Started to return, the brother taking the bodies of the children and mother on his back, the husband walking ahead. They soon arrived at the home of their people. The brother threw down the beavers and directed his wife to skin them. The husband of the beaver asked for the right hand and arm of the beaver who had been his wife. It was given to him. He got one of the other women to skin it, and told her to dry the skin and return it to him. Three nights after their return to their people a great many beavers were killed and a large kettle full of flesh was boiled for food. The people pressed the runaway brother to eat of the flesh of the beavers. He informed them that if it was the flesh of a female beaver he would not eat it. They told him that the flesh of the male beavers was all finished long ago. They forced him to eat a large piece of meat, and when he had swallowed it they gave him more of it. The second piece was no sooner down his throat than a large river gushed from his side. The Indian jumped into the river, while the rest ran away in terror and, as these latter looked down the river, they saw the man swimming by the side of his wife who had been a beaver.

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The wolfs daughter going to seek her lover

A wolf mother sends her daughter to claim the otter as husband to save the family from starvation. The clever otter tests the wolf, then agrees to provide fish and slays deer with remarkable skill. The wolf rescues her starving kin, but after her brothers mock the otter, he abandons his wolf wife, dives back into the lake, and vanishes forever.

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


Quest: The wolf daughter undertakes a perilous journey to find her destined lover to save her starving family.

Cunning and Deception: The otter outwits his would-be captor and uses clever tricks both in escaping and in procuring food.

Love and Betrayal: A bond formed under duress ultimately unravels when mockery and mistrust lead the otter to abandon his wolf wife.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Naskapi people

An old mother wolf one morning said to her daughter, “You must go and look for your lover or else we shall all starve to death, as your brothers can not kill any deer.” The daughter inquired of her mother, “Who is my lover?” The mother replied, “The otter is your lover. He lives in the water. If you go to the narrows of the lake you will find him.” The daughter said she would go. So early in the morning she started off, and as she was going along the shore of the lake she saw an open hole in the ice, and in the water the otter was sitting. The wolf went up to the otter, but the otter swam away and was going to dive, when the wolf said, “Do not dive and go away. My mother says you are my lover.” The otter asked, “How can I be your lover when I live in the water!” The wolf replied, “You can live on the land as well as in the water.”

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The otter answered back, “I will not live on the land.” The wolf retorted, “You will have to live on the land, and if you do not come out I shall smother you in the water.” The otter said, “You can not smother me, for I have a number of holes made in the lake ice.” The otter dove into the water and disappeared. The wolf began to howl dismally when the otter vanished. The wind began to blow and drifted the snow furiously. The snow fell into the otter’s breathing holes and filled them with slushy snow, which soon froze and completely stopped all the holes in the ice but one where the wolf was sitting. This hole was kept clear of snow and ice by the wolf scraping it out as fast as it collected. Soon she heard the otter going to the holes for breath, but when he came near the hole where the wolf was sitting she could hear him snuffing for air, and she stood with open jaws ready to seize him when he should appear. The otter was nearly exhausted, so the wolf went off a little distance, and the otter came up to the surface of the water nearly out of breath. He crept out of the water and rolled himself in the dry snow to take the water off of his coat of fur and exclaimed to the wolf, “I will live with you; I will live with you.” The wolf then addressed her lover and said, “Did I not tell you I would smother you?” The otter did not reply to this, but asked her, “Have you got a piece of line? give it to me, and I will go to catch some fish for you if you will go and prepare a tent.” The wolf drew out a piece of fishing line and handed it to the otter. The otter went down into the same hole in the ice whence he had come. He was gone some time, and in the meantime the wolf was busy making the tent, which was completed before the otter returned. Soon after, however, the otter came back to the hole with a long string of fish which he had killed and had them all strung on the line. He left the string of fish in the hole in the ice with one end of it fastened to the ice. The otter rolled himself in the snow to remove the water from his fur, and then went to the tent to tell his wife to go and get the fish which he had left in the hole in the ice. The wolf went and hauled up the line, which was full of fish, and began to devour so many that soon she could scarcely move. She hauled the remainder of the fish home to the tent.

The otter was sleeping when she returned. She proceeded to clean the fish and put on a large kettle full of the fish to boil for supper. She then crept into bed with her husband, and the next morning she was delivered of a young otter and a young wolf. After the father and mother had taken their breakfast the latter sat with her head hanging down and seemed to be in a miserable mood. The otter inquired of the wife wolf, “What is the matter with you that you sit so quietly?” The wolf answered: “I wish I had some deerskins with which to make clothing for the children. How nicely I should dress them!” The otter replied: “Open the door and I will show you where I get the deer. “It was yet early, and the otter went away to seek the deer. The otter saw a band of thirty deer, but had no gun with which to kill them, so he frightened them, and as they were running away he sprang at them each, and jumped through them from end to end. He killed all of them in this manner and then rolled in the snow to cleanse himself. After that was done he wended his way home, and on arriving informed his wife (for it was then a little after sunset) that on the morrow she should go to bring home the deer he had killed, adding that she could follow his track, and thus find them. The wife had a big pot of fish cooked for him when he returned, and when he had finished his supper he went to bed. As soon as the wife suspected her husband to be asleep she went after the deer, and by hauling four at a time she soon had them all brought, and laid them before the tent. When that was finished she went to bed. In the morning the otter told her to get up and make a fire, as she would have to go for the carcasses of the deer which he had killed the day before. The wife replied: “I have already brought them all home.” The otter asked her: “How could you bring them home in the dark?” The wife answered: “Look out through the door if you do not believe me.” The otter looked and saw the thirty deer all piled up before the door. He turned and looked at his wife, but made no remark. The wolf asked him: “Why do you look at me, so hard?” The otter said: “I was wondering how you could get them home in such a short time.” The wolf said: “Come, and take your breakfast, for you will have to help me skin the deer.” After they had finished eating their breakfast they began to skin the deer, and soon had them done. The wolf told her husband to make a stage or scaffold for the meat, adding that she would clean the skins. The otter prepared the stage, which in a short time was completed. The meat was placed on the stage and the skins hung up to dry around the tent. They then went in to take their supper. The wife was not in a talkative mood, and soon went to bed. The next morning the wolf hung her head down, and the otter seeing her again in such mood, inquired what was the matter with her that she should be so quiet. The wolf replied: “I am thinking of my poor father and mother and brothers; I suppose they will all be starved to death. My old father told me to tell you to put a mark on the middle of the lake so they would know where I am.” The otter went to the middle of the lake and erected a pile as a mark by which the wolf’s relations should know it. The brothers of the otter’s wife were on the hill looking for the mark set up by their sister’s husband, and when they saw it they exclaimed: “Our sister has saved us! our sister has saved us!” and ran back to their old father’s home to give him the joyful intelligence that they had seen the mark put up by the husband of their sister. The old wolf then told his family that they would go and seek their sister and daughter to live with her and her husband. They all went to the hill by the lake, and from the top of it they saw the mark, and from it they followed the track of the otter until they saw the tent in the edge of the woods. They exclaimed: “There is our sister’s tent, for the deerskins are hanging outside.” They raised such a joyful shout at the prospect before them, that the noise frightened some young otters (for the family had now become larger) which were playing outside. The little ones scampered in and hid themselves behind their father’s back. The father inquired, “What is the matter, that you are so frightened!” The little ones replied: “We are running from the Hunger” (for that was the name they applied to the wolves). The mother replied: “Perhaps they see my father, mother, and brothers coming.” The otter told his wife to go out and see. She complied, and when she opened the door they saw a row of gaunt wolves; nothing but skin and bones. The newcomers immediately fell to, and began to devour the meat which was on the stage. The otter’s wife remonstrated, and said: “Do not be so greedy; my husband is not a stingy man. I take my meals when he is sleeping, and pretend not to eat much during the day.” They all went into the tent and the otter soon went to bed. When they thought he was asleep, they began to eat all the raw meat and fish, and soon finished it. In the morning when the otter had awakened, he remarked to his wife: “I think your brothers will make a fool of me.” The wife asked: “What makes you think so?” The otter replied: “They look at me so hard, that I do not know where to turn my eyes. “After breakfast the otter and his wolf brothers went away to look for deer. They soon came upon a band of them, and the otter told the wolves to go and kill them. The wolves ran after the deer, but got only one of them. After the deer were frightened by the wolves, the otter sprang after the deer and soon killed every one of them in the same manner he had killed the others. He then cleaned himself in the dry snow and returned home. The wolves had started for the tent before the otter, so when the latter returned they asked the otter: “How many deer did you kill?” The otter replied: “I killed all that were in the band,” adding, “In the morning you will have to go for the deer. “So everything was got ready for an early start and they all retired to bed. When they awakened in the morning, one of the wife’s brothers said to another: “Look at our otter brother; he has a white mouth.” The otter turned to his wife and said to her: “Did I not tell you that your brothers would make a fool of me?” The otter then took his two otter children in his arms, and told his wife that she would have to make her living as best she could, as he would not live with her any more, that he was going away to leave her. He darted off to the lake, and disappeared under the ice, and was never seen again.

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Wisekejack

Wisekejack’s dream warns Wolf to throw a twig before crossing a creek, but Wolf ignores it and drowns. Discovering this, Wisekejack tracks the panthers responsible, kills Toad to steal his guise, and slays the wounded panther before retrieving Wolf’s pelt. Punished with a great flood, Wisekejack builds a raft, drowns and revives three animals to bring up mud, and forms new land—so vast even Wolf cannot run its circumference.

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: Wisekejack creates new land from the mud brought up by Muskrat, explaining how the world’s dry ground came to be.

Trickster: Wisekejack repeatedly uses his cunning—first advising Wolf, then donning Toad’s skin, deceiving the panthers, and reviving drowned animals.

Quest: Wisekejack undertakes a perilous journey to recover Wolf’s body, confront the panthers, and ultimately fashion land for all creatures.

► From the same Region or People

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.

Once Wisekejack was living with Wolf. Wolf was accustomed to hunt caribou every day. Wisekejack said to Wolf, “My nephew, I dreamed last night that if, when you are chasing caribou, you come to a creek, you need not jump across. Take a little twig and throw that ahead of you.”

When Wolf went hunting he got very close to the caribou. There was a creek between the caribou and Wolf. It was a very small creek, so narrow that Wolf could easily jump over. Wolf thought it was not worth while to throw the stick, and tried to jump. He fell in the middle of the creek and was drowned.

By and by, Wisekejack began to miss Wolf and tracked him to learn what had become of him. The trail lead to the creek. Wisekejack looked on both sides of the creek but he could only find Wolf’s tracks on the near side of the creek and not on the far side. When Wisekejack saw this, he sat down and began to cry, for he guessed what had happened.

As Wisekejack sat there crying, along came Kingfisher. He caught Kingfisher and rubbed the top of his head. This made Kingfisher cry out, “I want to tell you something, I am looking for Wisekejack.” Then Wisekejack said, “Come, tell me, and I will give you my handkerchief.” Wisekejack gave his handkerchief to Kingfisher and hung it around his neck.

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(This accounts for the white band of the belted Kingfisher, the crest of the same bird was caused by Wisekejack when he rubbed his head because the feathers were stroked the wrong way.)

Kingfisher told Wisekejack, “The panther took away your Wolf.” There were three panthers on that creek, they lived in the water and came out to bask when the sun was warm.

Wisekejack went to the edge of the water and stood there. Near by, there was a big spruce tree with a hollow inside. Wisekejack climbed into the hollow. While he was there, all of a sudden, a white panther came out of the water. The lion said, “Who is that standing there? That is surely Wisekejack.”

Then the panther came up to Wisekejack and put its tail around his waist and tried to pull Wisekejack into the water. He could not budge him at all. The panther said, “This seems to be no person, but a tree.” Then all three of the panthers tried to pull Wisekejack into the water, one after the other. The last panther was the biggest and Wisekejack had a hard time to avoid being overcome.

After this, the panther thought it was time to have a sleep on the rock. They used to sleep there all day, especially on hot days. Wisekejack decided to attack them while they slept. He took his bow and arrows with him and shot first at the big one. He hit the panther but he did not kill him, and all the panthers jumped into the water.

Then Wisekejack, who had been in the water, came out and went away from there. After he had been walking for some time he heard someone coming towards him singing:

Yiciwekwaki nishenawishkan.
Yiciwekwaki nishenawishkan.
Yiciwekwaki nishenawishkan.
“Then end of the world, when I rattle.

Very soon he saw some person approaching, so he went to meet him. This fellow had a drum on his back and a rattle in his hand, which he was using. Well, this person was Toad.

“Where are you going?” asked Wisekejack. “I heard Wisekejack fire at the panther. I’m going to see the wounded panther and cure him with my medicine,” replied Toad. “Let me see how you will cure him,” said Wisekejack. Toad put down his drum and began to sing. He sat down and raised his rattle before him, shaking it transversely before his body. Then Toad bowed his head on his breast and sang. While he was doing this, Wisekejack knocked him on the head and killed him. Then he skinned Toad and put on his skin. Then he started back to see Panther. When he got there he commenced walking around the place where he shot Panther. He heard someone talking there. “Hello,” said a lion. “I guess that is the man we wanted to come.” So Wisekejack went into Panther’s lodge. He saw the wounded panther lying down in his lodge. Panther was nearly dead, for Wisekejack’s arrow was sticking out of his side. Panther gave Wisekejack some food, for they thought he was Toad.

When Wisekejack had finished he found his assumed skin was drying and tightening. He was afraid that he might be discovered, so he told the two uninjured panthers to go out and leave him with the sick one. “I don’t like to have you see me make my medicine,” he said, so they went out.

Then Wisekejack went to the wounded panther and took him by the throat so he could not cry out. Then he took hold of the arrow and pushed it in until it. killed him. Then he skinned Panther and cut the hide into a long thong. He stretched the thong back and forth across the lodge. After he had done this, he saw the skin of his friend, Wolf, in the lodge. He took it and went away. Wisekejack told the other panther if they wanted to cure their comrade they must tap on the ground with a stick. It seems the panthers went into the sick room. When they saw the dead panther they cried out, “It seems Wisekejack has killed our brother I” The panthers decided to kill Wisekejack by making a flood. They caused the waters to rise until he had no place to go. Then Wisekejack set out to build a raft. All the animals came to see Wisekejack on his raft, and got on with him.

At last, you could see nothing but water. So Wisekejack thought to himself, “I wonder if I could make any land?” He took a string and tied it to Beaver’s tail and told him to swim down to the bottom and get some mud. “If you reach bottom pull the string like this,” said Wisekejack, giving it several short jerks. The beaver went down and soon began to pull on the string. Wisekejack pulled Beaver up hand over hand. When he got Beaver to the surface, he was drowned. So Wisekejack blew on Beaver and he came to life again. Then Wisekejack tried with Otter. Otter was also drowned, and Wisekejack brought him to life again also. Then he tried Muskrat. The rat went down further than either Beaver or Otter. When Wisekejack pulled him up he too was dead, but Wisekejack found he had mud on his head, mouth and hands, under his arms and between his legs. Wisekejack brought him to life in the same way that he did the others. Then he started to make land with the dirt Muskrat had brought up. He made it bigger and bigger all the time. At last, it was so big that there was room on it for all the animals. Then Wisekejack told Crow to “fly around this land I have made and see how big it is.” The crow went, but soon returned, saying it was too small. Then Wisekejack told the crow to fly around once more. The Crow did so and reported that the earth was pretty big. But Wisekejack still thought it was too small. Then he told Wolf, “Try to run around the earth and see how large it is.” So Wolf said, “I’ll go, but if I never come back, this land will be big enough.” Wolf never came back.

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The son of Aioswe

Jealous of his growing son, Aioswe abandons him on a rocky island, where the boy survives by deceiving a walrus and aided by his mother’s conjuring. Armed with a magical ermine skin and cryptic advice, he dispatches murderous hags and outwits hunting dogs before returning home. Confronting his father with power, he rescues his mother and they transform into birds, leaving the wicked man perished.

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


Family Dynamics: The story revolves around the fraught relationships between Aioswe, his two wives, and his son, highlighting jealousy and parental betrayal.

Cunning and Deception: The boy survives by lying to the walrus, tricking the witches into killing each other, and using a decoy ermine skin against the hunters.

Quest: At its heart, this is a journey story: the son must overcome supernatural and human obstacles to return safely to his mother’s arms.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Cree people

Rupert’s House Cree; also Moose Factory

Once there was an old man named Aioswe who had two wives. When his son by one of these women began to grow up, Aioswe became jealous of him. One day, he went off to hunt and when he came back, found marks on one of the women (the co-wife with his son’s mother) which proved to him that his son had been on terms of intimacy with her.

One day the old man and the boy went to a rocky island to hunt for eggs. Wishing to get rid of his son, the old man persuaded him to gather eggs farther and farther away from the shore. The young man did not suspect anything until he looked up and saw his father paddling off in the canoe.

“Why are you deserting me, father?” he cried. “Because you have played tricks on your stepmother,” answered the old man.

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When the boy found that he was really left behind, he sat there crying hour after hour. At last. Walrus appeared. He came near the island and stuck his head above the water. “What are you crying for, my son?” said Walrus. “My father has deserted me on this island and I want to get home to the mainland. Will you not help me to get ashore?” the boy replied. Walrus said that he would do so willingly. “Get on my back,” said Walrus, “and I will take you to the mainland.” Then Walrus asked Aioswe’s son if the sky was clear. The boy replied that it was, but this was a lie, for he saw many clouds. Aioswe’s son said this because he was afraid that Walrus would desert him if he knew it was cloudy. Walrus said, “If you think I am not going fast enough, strike on my horns (tusks) and let me know when you think it is shallow enough for you to get ashore, then you can jump off my back and walk to the land.”

As they went along, Walrus said to the boy, “Now my son, you must let me know if you hear it thunder, because as soon as it thunders, I must go right under the water.” The boy promised to let Walrus know. They had not gone far, when there came a peal of thunder. Walrus said, “My son, I hear thunder.” “Oh, no, you are mistaken,” said the boy who feared to be drowned, “what you think is thunder is only the noise your body makes going so quickly through the water.” Walrus believed the boy and thought he must have been wrong. Some time later, there came another peal of thunder and this time. Walrus knew he was not mistaken, he was sure it was thunder. He was very angry and said he would drop Aioswe’s son there, whether the water was shallow or not. He did so but the lad had duped Walrus with his lies so that he came where the water was very shallow and the boy escaped, but Walrus was killed by lightning before he could reach water deep enough to dive in. This thunderstorm was sent to destroy Walrus by Aioswe’s father, who conjured for it. Walrus, on the other hand, was the result of conjuring by his mother, who wished to save her son’s life. [One version of this tale says that Walrus dived and escaped, leaving the boy struggling in the water and that a gull pitied him and carried him ashore.]

When Aioswe’s son reached the shore, he started for home, but he had not gone far before he met an old woman, who had been sent as the result of a wish for his safety by his mother (or was a wish for his safety on his mother’s part, personified). The old woman instructed the lad how to conduct himself if he ever expected to reach his home and mother again. “Now you have come ashore there is still a lot of trouble for you to go through before you reach home,” said she, and she gave him the stuffed skin of an ermine (weasel in white winter coat). “This will be one of your weapons to use to protect yourself,” were her words as she tendered him this gift, and she told him what dangers he would encounter and what to do in each case.

Then the son of Aioswe started for his home once more. As he journeyed through the forest he came upon a solitary wigwam inhabited by two old blind hags, who were the result of an adverse conjuration by his father. Both of these old women had sharp bones like daggers protruding from the lower arm at the elbow. They were very savage and used to kill everybody they met. When Aioswe’s son approached the tent, although the witches could not see him, they knew from their magic powers that he was near. They asked him to come in and sit down, but he was suspicious, for he did not like the looks of their elbows.

He thought of a plan by which he might dupe the old women into killing each other. Instead of going himself and sitting between them he got a large parchment and fixing it to the end of a pole, he poked it in between them. The old women heard it rattle and thought it was the boy himself coming to sit between them. Then they both turned their backs to the skin and began to hit away at it with their elbows. Every time they stabbed the skin, they cried out, “I am hitting the son of Aioswe! I’ve hit him! I’ve hit him!” At last, they got so near each other that they began to hit one another, calling out all the time, “I am hitting the son of Aioswe!” They finally stabbed each other to death and the son of Aioswe escaped this danger also.

When the young man had vanquished the two old women he proceeded on his journey. He had not gone very far when he came to a row of dried human bones hung across the path so that no one could pass by without making them rattle. Not far away, there was a tent full of people and big dogs. Whenever they heard anyone disturb the bones, they would set upon him and kill him. The old woman who had advised Aioswe’s sons told him that when he came to this place he could escape by digging a tunnel in the path under the bones. When he arrived at the spot he began to follow her advice and burrow under. He was careless and when he was very nearly done and completely out of sight, he managed to rattle the bones. At once, the dogs heard and they cried out, “That must be Aioswe’s son.” All the people ran out at once, but since Aioswe’s son was under ground in the tunnel they could not see him, so after they had searched for a while they returned. The dogs said, “We are sure this is the son of Aioswe,” and they continued to search.

At length, they found the mouth of the hole Aioswe’s son had dug. The dogs came to the edge and began to bark till all the people ran out again with their weapons. Then Aioswe’s son took the stuffed ermine skin and poked its head up. All the people saw it and thought it was really Ermine. Then they were angry and killed the dogs for lying.

Aioswe’s son escaped again and this time he got home. When he drew near his father’s wigwam, he could hear his mother crying, and as he approached still closer he saw her. She looked up and saw him coming. She cried out to her husband and co-wife, “My son has come home again.” The old man did not believe it. “It is not possible,” he cried. But his wife insisted on it. Then the old man came out and when he saw it was really his son, he was very much frightened for his own safety. He called out to his other wife, “Bring some caribou skins and spread them out for my son to walk on.” But the boy kicked them away. “I have come a long way,” said he, “with only my bare feet to walk on.”

That night, the boy sang a song about the burning of the world and the old man sang against him but he was not strong enough. “I am going to set the world on fire,” said the boy to his father, “I shall make all the lakes and rivers boil.” He took up an arrow and said, “I am going to shoot this arrow into the woods, see if I don’t set them on fire.” He shot his arrow into the bush and a great blaze sprang up and all the woods began to burn.

“The forest is now on fire,” said the old man, “but the water is not yet burning.” “I’ll show you how I can make the water boil also,” said his son. He shot another arrow into the water, and it immediately began to boil. Then the old man who wished to escape said to his son, “How shall we escape?” The old man had been a great bear hunter and had a large quantity of bear’s grease preserved in a bark basket. “Go into your fat basket,” said his son, “you will be perfectly safe there.” Then he drew a circle on the ground and placed his mother there. The ground enclosed by the circle was not even scorched, but the wicked old man who had believed he would be safe in the grease baskets, was burned to death. Aioswe’s son said to his mother, “Let us become birds. What will you be?” “I’ll be a robin,” said she. “I’ll be a whisky jack (Canada jay),” he replied. They flew off together.

Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page

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

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!”

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The Great Beaver

Long ago a clan of giant beavers journeyed down the Mackenzie River, where one’s roasted flesh was stolen by a wolverine—prompting the first flame—then that thief was petrified in the cliffs. The beaver raced over rocks to form a swift rapid and outwitted a pursuing giant whose overturned canoe became an island. The beaver painted the giant’s likeness on the gorge walls before he departed.

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


Origin of Things: The story explains the creation of natural features like perpetual fires, rapids, islands, and stone formations along the Mackenzie River.

Quest: The beaver embarks on a long, purposeful journey downriver, encountering challenges and shaping the landscape.

Mythical Creatures: The anthropomorphic beaver, cunning wolverine, and giant frame the tale in a realm of legendary beings.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Slavey people

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

A family of very large beavers lived on the Great Slave Lake, long ago, and the lodge is still there. Well, they all started down the Mackenzie River, and when they had gone a long distance, one of them killed one of his companions and roasted the flesh, but left it hanging before the fire while he fell asleep. While he slept a wolverine came along and took the roasted beaver and left a roll of moss in its place. After a time the sleeping beaver awoke. When he found that the roasted flesh was gone he was vexed, so he took the bark dish that he had placed under the roasting meat to catch the fat and emptied it into the fire, saying, “Burn, and never go out.” And so the fire burns to this day.

[Beds of lignite along the banks of the Mackenzie a few miles above Bear River, have been burning for a century at least.]

► Continue reading…

Then he went down-stream until he came to some high rocks, where he met a wolverine, with whom he wished to fight; but the wolverine said, “No, I will not fight with you, and you cannot catch me.” He then tried to escape by running up the face of the cliff. Then the beaver said, “Stay there, and never come down.” And the wolverine was turned into stone, and can be seen there to this day. [Roche Carcajou, an anticlinal uplift of Devonian limestone, 1000 feet high.]

As he continued his journey down the river he went so fast at one place that he created the “Sans Sault” Rapid [the only rapid in the Mackenzie River of any consequence, and one that is easily passed by the steamers in any but the lowest stages of water]. As the beaver went on down the river he was discovered and pursued by a giant, to whom he said, “If you can clear all the rocks from the river, you may kill me, but if you cannot clear the river you will never kill me.” In his efforts to clear the channel the giant overturned his canoe, which turned into stone, and to this day forms an island in the bed of the stream. [An island at the Sans Sault Rapid divides the stream into an eastern and a western channel, the latter being “the steamboat channel”.] Failing to accomplish his task, the giant said, “I cannot kill you; but never mind, there will soon be plenty of men here who will always hunt you and all your tribe.” The beaver replied, “Since you cannot kill me, keep still a while, and I will paint your picture.” Then the beaver painted the picture of the giant on one side of the ramparts, where it may be seen to this day. [At the ramparts the Mackenzie, much contracted in width, flows between vertical cliffs of Devonian limestone varying from one hundred to two hundred and fifty feet in height. This gorge is but a few miles south of the Arctic Circle, and is one of the most interesting features of the great river] After this the giant left the country.

Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page

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

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”.

► Continue reading…

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.

Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page