Story of Beaver

Beaver, a great transformer, encounters various monsters along a well-traveled trail. He first confronts Wolverene, who kills travelers using a slippery glacier and a hidden spear. Feigning death, Beaver tricks and kills Wolverene and his family. Continuing his journey, Beaver outwits Sheep-Man, who pushes people off cliffs, by reversing the trap and causing Sheep-Man’s demise. Beaver’s cunning leads to the downfall of these malevolent beings.

Source: 
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917


► Themes of the story


Hero’s Journey: Beaver embarks on a transformative adventure, confronting and overcoming various challenges and adversaries.

Trickster: Beaver employs cunning and deception to outsmart his enemies, such as pretending to be dead to deceive Wolverene.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts lessons about bravery, intelligence, and the triumph of good over evil through Beaver’s actions and decisions.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Kaska people


A long time ago, when all the animals were people, Beaver was a great transformer. He travelled along a wide trail that was much used. Along the trail were many monsters that preyed on people. He came to a place where people always disappeared. Wolverene killed them. His house was at the foot of a glacier, between two rocky bluffs. The glacier was very slippery, and people crossing it slid down to the bottom, where they were transfixed on a spear placed there by Wolverene. As soon as something touched the spear, Wolverene knew it, and came out at once. If they were dead, he carried the bodies home; if they were only wounded, he killed them. His house was full of peoples’ bones. Beaver went down this slide, and, cutting his lips with the spear so that they bled, pretended to be dead.

► Continue reading…

Wolverene knew something had been caught, and came out smiling and very happy. When he saw Beaver, he said, “What a large beaver!” Then he laughed, and said, “I have caught this clever man.” He carried the body home and put it down in his house. He had four flensing-knives. He used one after another, but they would not cut Beaver’s skin. Then he searched for the fourth knife. Beaver knew that this knife would cut him, so he opened his eyes to see where he might find a stick. One of Wolverene’s children noticed him, and called out, “Father, the Beaver has opened his eyes!” Wolverene answered, “You are mistaken. How can a dead man open his eyes?” Beaver jumped up and seized a stick, with which he broke Wolverene’s arms and legs. He killed him, and put his body before the fire to roast. He also killed all Wolverene’s children, and treated their bodies likewise.

Beaver went on, and came to a bluff overlooking a deep creek. He heard a dog barking below the cliff. He listened, and approached cautiously. Presently he saw a man on the top of the cliff, and went to him. This was Sheep-Man, who killed people by pushing them over the cliff. His wife attracted them by barking like a dog, and any who were not killed outright by the fall were clubbed by her at the bottom of the cliff. When Beaver reached Sheep-Man, the latter said, “Look at the sheep down below!” Beaver said, “You look first, you saw them first.” They quarrelled as to who should look over the brink first. At last Sheep-Man looked, and Beaver at once pushed him over. He was killed by the fall. When Sheep-Man’s wife heard the thud of something falling at the base of the cliff, she ran out quickly, and began to club the man before she noticed that it was her own husband. She then looked up and saw Beaver, who threw a rock at her head and killed her. This is why the head of the mountain-sheep is so small between the horns; and the tongues of sheep are black because they once ate men.

Beaver travelled on, and came to a large camp of Sheep people. The women were good, and called to him, “Why do you come this way?” He answered, “I am looking for friends who have passed along this trail.” The Sheep men followed him, and he ran among bluffs and rocks. It became dark; but they pursued him, just the same, by scenting him. He went down a steep place, and the Sheep did not know exactly which way he had gone. There his trail was a sheer cliff. They called out, “How did you get down?” and Beaver directed them to the sheer cliff. The Sheep then all ran over the cliff and were killed.

In the morning an old woman and girl arrived there. The woman proposed to marry Beaver, and had told the girl that when she slept with him, she (the girl) must club Beaver while he was asleep. Beaver refused the request of the women, and killed them both.

Beaver proceeded on his journey, and, after crossing a mountain, sat down on the trail. He saw a man coming, carrying a stick with a hook at the end. This was Marten-Man, who killed people (by hooking them between the legs). Beaver placed a piece of sheep’s flesh between his legs and sat still. Marten asked many questions of Beaver. They conversed together and told stories to each other. Meanwhile Marten pushed his stick underneath the snow and hooked the meat. Beaver ran away, and Marten chased him. As he ran, Beaver dropped pieces of sheep’s fat. Marten could not catch him, and turned back to his camp. He said to his wife, “I have lost some very fat game. The fat kept dropping from him as he ran. We will shift camp, and I will track him.” Next morning Marten tracked Beaver, and his wife and children followed behind. Beaver lay in wait for Marten, and killed him. He cut off one arm, and covered the rest of the body with snow. Then, making a camp, he scattered pieces of sheep’s fat about, and put Marten’s arm on a hook to roast. He had just hidden himself when Marten’s family appeared. The children were delighted, saying, “Father has killed some fat game. See the camp, and the arm roasting, and the pieces of fat scattered about!” They ran around on their snowshoes, laughing, and gathering up the pieces of fat. When Beaver appeared, the eldest boy was going to shoot him with an arrow; but Beaver called out, “Don’t! I am going to marry your sister.” His mother took hold of his arm, and said, “Don’t shoot! He will be your sister’s husband.” Beaver said, “I will make a big fire, so that the meat will roast quickly.” They did not know that it was Marten’s arm. Beaver brought in some wood covered with snow and put it on the fire, which now became smoky and nearly went out. He asked the mother and children to get down on their hands and knees and blow on the fire. When they did so, Beaver clubbed them, and killed them all excepting the youngest child, who ran away and climbed a tree. Beaver could not catch him, so he transformed him into the animal marten, saying, “Henceforth you shall be an ordinary marten, and shall eat rabbits and mice. You shall never again eat men.”

Beaver continued his journey along the trail. When near a small, round lake, he saw that a giant was following him. He went around the lake, and the giant chased him. Beaver ran round and round the lake, the giant behind him. The latter could not catch him, and began to slacken his pace. He said to Beaver, “How can I catch you?” Beaver answered, “Make ready everything required for frying and cooking my meat, then make a snare, set it, and catch me.” The giant did as advised. Beaver put a large tree-stump in the snare and hid in the brush. The giant felt something in his snare, and began to pull on the line. It was very heavy, and he gave a mighty tug. The stump gave way, and, flying up, struck him on the forehead. The wound bled much, and the giant licked and swallowed the blood as it ran down his face. He was very tired and hungry, for he had chased Beaver all day. He sat down, and thought, “What shall I eat?” He thought of eating his ears, but said, “No! if I eat my ears, I shall spoil my hearing.” He thought of his nose, and said, “No! if I eat my nose, I shall no longer be able to smell.” He thought of all the different parts of his body, and at last of his privates. He could not think of their being of much use, so he cut them off and ate them. He felt sick, and said to himself, “I am getting very sleepy.” He was dying, but did not know it. He lay down and died.

Beaver continued his travels, and came to the edge of a large river. Happening to look round, he saw another giant coming. He took off his clothes, and painted himself with the white powdery substance that covers the outside bark of cottonwood-trees. He looked like a ghost. He put little sticks in his eyes to keep the eyelids open, and stood rigid and immovable alongside the trail. As the giant approached, he said, “That game looks very strange.” He took his axe and made as if he would strike; but Beaver never moved, or winked an eye. The giant said, “This cannot be game.” The giant tickled him in different parts of the body, but Beaver neither moved nor laughed. The giant said again, “This is funny.” He poked his finger in Beaver’s anus, and then smelled of it, saying, “Well, this smells like game, but the body does not act or look like game. This is very strange.” He departed wondering. Beaver ran away and climbed a tree. The giant changed his mind, and returned to examine him again. When he arrived at the place and found that he was gone, he said, “I am very sorry I did not hit him with my axe. It was surely game.” He followed the tracks to the bottom of a tree near the water-edge, but never looked up into the tree. He saw Beaver’s reflection in the river, and said, “There he is!” He struck at the reflection with his axe. Then he moved to the side and struck again. The giant kept this up for a long time, and was completely soaked with the splashing of the water. He had about made up his mind that he could not kill him, when Beaver laughed. The giant looked up into the tree and saw him. He said, “I will shoot you,” and he put an arrow on his bow. Beaver called, “Don’t! If you shoot me, I shall fall into the river, and you will lose me.” The giant said, “I will fire the tree;” and Beaver answered, “You mustn’t. If you do that, you will burn me up, and lose all my fat.” The giant said, “I will chop down the tree;” and Beaver answered, “No! if you do that, the tree will fall into the water, and you will lose me.” The giant said, “Then how shall I get you?” Beaver answered, “Get a long pole and put a noose at the end and catch me.” The giant agreed to this. Beaver said, “Go up on yonder hill and cut a pole.” The giant went up, and, seeing a good-looking pole, called out to Beaver, “Will this one do?” Beaver answered, “No, go farther! that is not the right kind.” Beaver kept on urging the giant to go farther, until he reached the top of the mountain. The giant showed a pole from there; and Beaver called out, “That one will do, now put a noose on it and get everything ready.” Beaver then came down out of the tree, and swam across the river. When the giant came back, he missed Beaver, and said, “He has got away. I am very sorry I did not shoot him.” Beaver talked to him from across the river. The giant asked him, “How did you get across there?” and Beaver answered, “I made my blanket into a canoe by tying it up and putting a board in the bottom.” The giant did this, and when nearly across began to sink. He called out, “Help! I am sinking!” and pushed out the pole he had cut for Beaver to catch it and pull him out. Beaver took hold of the pole and pushed the giant under water and drowned him.

Beaver now made a canoe and went down the river. He saw smoke and a camp, and put ashore and tied up his canoe. This was the camp of Woodchuck, who ate men. He said to Beaver, “I am a good man, and treat my guests well. I shall cook, that you may eat, for you must be hungry.” He cooked a mixture of human and other flesh. Beaver knew the human flesh and would not eat it. Woodchuck became angry, jumped on him, and scratched him. They fought a long time; and Beaver killed Woodchuck and threw his body into the river. He then burned his lodge and all his belongings.

Continuing down the river, Beaver reached the camp of Bushtail-Rat, who was also a cannibal. He said to Beaver, “Be my guest; I am a good man, and will treat you well. I will cook food for you.” He cooked a kettleful of flesh, which when done he served on a dish. He put the human flesh on the side of the dish next to Beaver, who did not touch it, but ate only from the other side of the dish. Rat was very angry, and he and his wife jumped on Beaver. They fought a long time and nearly killed Beaver, who in the end succeeded in killing both. When nearly dead, Rat-Man called out, “I have two caches! The good meat is in the eastern one, and the poor meat in the western one.” Beaver went to the eastern cache, and saw that it contained dried human flesh. He burned up the two caches and also Rat’s lodge, and all the implements which he used for killing people.

Beaver continued his journey down the river, and came to the place where Kingfisher lived. He lived by spearing fish, and did not kill people. Beaver hid his canoe, changed himself into a large salmon, and swam to the place where Kingfisher used to draw water. Kingfisher saw him, and ran back to get his spear. He returned quickly and speared the salmon; but his spear-point broke off, and the fish swam away with it. Kingfisher was very sorry to lose his spear-head. He went back and sat down. Soon Beaver came along in his canoe. He had the spear-head hidden in a box in the canoe, where it could not be seen. Kingfisher said, “O my friend! I have just lost a big fish that went off with my spear-head. Had I caught the fish, we should have eaten together. I should have cooked it for you.” Beaver went up to Kingfisher’s lodge, where his host made him fall asleep and then read his thoughts. He found out that the spear-head was in Beaver’s canoe, and went to search for it; but he broke up the whole canoe before he succeeded in finding it. When Beaver awoke, he went down to the canoe and found it broken. He reproached Kingfisher, saying, “I thought you said you were a good man and always treated your guests well. Now you have broken my canoe.” Kingfisher said, “I wanted to get my spear-head, so that I may be sure to get food. If you are not satisfied, I will throw a sleep on you again.” Beaver did not kill Kingfisher, because he was not a cannibal. He lived entirely by killing fish.

When Beaver was leaving, Kingfisher said to him, “You will find Otter-Man living lower down; he is a bad man, and eats people. Look out for him! He has a rope stretched across the river a little above the surface of the water, and any canoe which hits it is cut to pieces.”

Beaver repaired his canoe and continued his journey. He watched for the rope. When he was near it, he lifted it up with a stick which he had taken aboard, and passed underneath. Some distance below he saw smoke on a point, put ashore, and came to the camp of Otter-Woman, who had in her privates animals that bit and killed men. The woman ran down to meet him, and cried, “You must be my husband!” She hurriedly bundled his belongings into her game-bag, tied it up, and was about to carry it up to her lodge. Beaver said, “Stay! I want to drink some cold water. Will you fetch me some?” She hurriedly brought some water from near by; but Beaver said, “That is no good, it is too warm. Go up to the spring in the mountain and get some really cold water.” When she had gone, Beaver cut one of the strings of the bag. Otter-Woman at once knew, and turned back. Beaver beckoned her to go on; and when she was far away, he cut the other strings of the bag, took out his belongings, and embarked in the canoe. He went downstream to an island where he made up his mind to camp over night. Otter-Woman came back, jumped into the river, swam to the island, and went to his camp. Beaver killed two beavers at this place for food. Otter-Woman took the skins, tanned and dressed them, sewed them into mitts for Beaver, and laid them by his side. Beaver and Otter-Woman staid on opposite sides of the fire. When Beaver awoke, he found the mitts the woman had made, and, looking across the fire, he saw her lying naked with her legs apart, in a tempting attitude. Beaver heated a stone, and, instead of having connection with her, he pushed the stone into her vagina and killed her. A weasel and mink came out, and he killed them. These animals bit men who had connection with the woman, and killed them.

Beaver continued his voyage down the river. He saw the smoke of a big camp, and put ashore. Here lived Shrew-Woman, who was very small and very wise. The smoke from her lodge rose out of the grass. She asked him where he was going and where he had come from. When he told her, she advised him not to go farther down the river. She said, “An evil being lives lower down. He is gifted with great magical power, and has many cannibal monsters under his control. Above his house are two huge snake-like monsters with hairy manes, that lie one on each side of the river. When they sleep, their eyes are wide open; and when awake, their eyes are shut. When anything comes down the river, they both dart out their heads and seize and devour it.” Beaver said he was hungry, and Shrew cooked a few salmon-eggs for him in a tiny kettle. Beaver thought to himself, “That is not enough.” Shrew read his thoughts, and said, “You will find there is enough.” As the eggs cooked, they and the kettle grew bigger, and Beaver found he could not eat all. When Beaver left, Shrew gave him two fish to throw, one on each side, to the snakes when he reached them. He came down midstream in his canoe; and as he approached the snakes, he saw that their eyes were shut. He then knew they were awake; and, as he passed between them, they darted out their heads to devour him. He threw a fish into the mouth of each; and while they were devouring the fish, he passed on out of reach. A short distance below this place he saw two girls, sisters, playing on the shore. He went ashore above them, and, changing into a bluebird, flew near them. The sisters thought the bird could not fly very well, and chased it. At last the younger girl caught it and carried it home. When they reached their lodge (they slept together, and apart from their parents), the elder sister offered to buy the bird from the younger one by paying her a silver spoon she owned. The younger one agreed, and they exchanged. The elder girl took the bluebird to bed with her, and placed it between herself and her sister. When she awoke, she found a young man lying between them, and the bird was gone. The girls began to cry, for they knew their father would kill the man. They left him and went to breakfast. Their father noticed tears in their eyes, and asked them why they were crying. At last they told him of the young man, and he told them he wanted to see him. They brought the man to him, and he at once seized him and put him into a large kettle that he had on the fire. He kept him in there for two days boiling, then he lifted the lid to see if he were properly cooked. Beaver had changed himself into a little bird; and when the lid was lifted, he flew out and escaped. The cannibal tried hard to catch him, but without avail. During the interval the sisters felt very sorry for the man and cried often. That night Beaver came to them and slept between them as a man. In the morning they cried again, for they knew that their father would try again to kill him. Their father heard them, and knew the man was there. When they went to breakfast, their father asked them, and they finally told him the man was there. He said to them, “All right, you may keep him as a husband, and he shall work for me.” He told his son-in-law, “You must finish my canoe for me,” and showed him a large, partly finished canoe, the sides of which were kept apart by a cross-stick. When Beaver went inside to work, the cannibal pulled out the stick, and the sides closed in and imprisoned Beaver. The cannibal went home and told his wife that the strange man was dead or a prisoner. Shortly afterwards he returned to the canoe, and found it split and his son-in-law gone. Beaver had burst the canoe by spreading his elbows. Next morning the cannibal heard his daughters crying again; for they knew the difficult tasks their father would give to their husband, and that if he failed in any of them, he would lose his life. That day the cannibal told his son-in-law that he wanted some eagle-feathers for his arrows, and directed him to a big tree where the Bald-Headed Eagle lived, who ate people. Beaver climbed the tree, and found only two young Eagles in the nest. He asked them when their parents would come home; and they answered, “Our mother will come with wind and rain at noon, carrying the legs of a man. Our father will come with wind and hail in the evening, carrying the upper part of a man. He eats the rest.” One of Eagle’s children always told his parents everything. He therefore could not be trusted, so Beaver killed him. Beaver said to the other, “When your mother comes, tell her your brother got sick in the head and died; and you are sick in the head now too, and will die by and by if you eat any more of that meat she brings. You must not eat any of the meat. If she asks what it is that smells like a man around here, tell her it is only the smell of the game she brought.” Beaver hid with a club outside the edge of the nest. When the Mother-Eagle arrived, she asked why her son was dead, and the boy told her all as directed by Beaver. He also refused to eat of the meat she had brought. The mother said, “Very well, I will eat the meat myself.” When she had eaten just a little, a piece stuck in her throat and threatened to choke her. She then knew there was something wrong. Beaver jumped up and clubbed her, and threw the body away. Beaver told the boy to tell the same story to his father, and, if the latter asked where his wife was, to tell him she had not yet come home. When the Father-Eagle arrived, he asked for his wife. When he was told that she had not yet come, he said, “That is strange, she always arrives here before me.” The boy refused to eat the meat he brought; so the father began to eat it himself, choked on it, and was killed by Beaver, who now descended, plucked the feathers out of the dead birds, and returned. The cannibal was much surprised that Beaver had returned alive. Next day he told his daughters that their husband had to get sinew for tying the feathers on his arrows. When they told Beaver, he sent one of them back to learn where he had to go; and her father told her he had to go to the hairy cannibal monster who lived beyond Shrew-Woman’s house. On the way Beaver called on the Shrew and told her of the task he had to perform. She said to him, “I will help you.” They went off together; and when near the monster’s place, she dug a hole for Beaver in which to conceal himself. The hair was worn off the monster’s haunches through sitting on the ground. When Shrew drew near, the monster asked her what she wanted. She said, “I want you to help me. I am cold, and I want some of the long hair from your body to weave a blanket for myself.” The monster told her to pluck some hair from his haunches. She pretended to pull the hair, and said, “The hair is too tough and coarse here, it will not pull out.” He told her to try another place. She did so, and said the same. Finally she said, “The hair under your arm seems to be the best. I will pluck some from there.” The monster said, “All right.” She pulled out much of the hair from under the arm over the heart, and left a bare spot. Beaver then shot an arrow at this vital place and mortally wounded the beast, who immediately crawled into his hole or den. Shrew crawled in, and found he was dead. Shrew-Woman now had plenty of meat, and she cut out the sinew for Beaver, who went back with it. When Beaver brought home the sinew, the women were glad, and their father was very angry. Next morning he told his daughters to tell their husband to get glue to fasten the feathers and sinew on his arrows. He sent one of his wives back to ask where to get it. Her father said, “Down there in the lake.” There lived a monster-fish, probably a kind of pike or a sturgeon, that ate people as they went along the shore. Beaver took his spear and went to the lake and speared the fish, which moved the whole lake in his death struggles. When he was dead, Beaver cut out the part used for glue from behind the dorsal fin, and returned home. The cannibal was now very angry, and said to his wife, “This fellow has killed all my pets that kill men, and my arrows are not yet made.” Next day he sent him for paint to paint his arrows with, and sent word that it was up the river where he had passed. As Beaver went by, he called on Shrew-Woman for advice. She told him that the snake-monsters he had passed coming down the river lay on the paint. She said she would assist him. She made a man of clay to throw into the middle of the river. She said, “When they see him, they will pounce on him, and then you may steal the paint from underneath the tail of the one on this side of the river.” Beaver brought back the paint. The cannibal now transformed his daughters into grizzly bears, and put them on a side-hill across the river. He pointed out the bears to his son-in-law, and said, “Do you see those bears across the water? Let us go and kill them! You will go on the top of the hill, I shall drive them to you, and you will shoot them.” He gave his arrows to Beaver, who saw that none of them had heads. Beaver, however, was prepared for this, and had hidden two bone arrow-heads in his hair. When Beaver got to the top of the hill, he put the bone heads on two arrows. The cannibal drove the bears, and, when they came near the top, Beaver shot the headless arrows at them; but they all broke, and none of them penetrated. He then fired the arrows with heads, and killed both the bears. The cannibal was very angry, and chased him with a knife. As he could not run fast, he called on his wife, who was fleet of foot, to chase Beaver. When she had nearly caught up with Beaver, the latter made the ground crack behind him, and the woman fell down. Again she gained on him; but he reached a lake, jumped in, and changed himself into a beaver. The cannibal said to his wife, “You can run fast; go back and fetch my net, that I may catch him.” The woman brought the beaver-net, and they set it in the lake. They tried for several days, but could not catch Beaver. The cannibal then called for the man (bird) with a big stomach to come and drink up the lake. He came and drank the lake dry. Beaver then hid in the mud, and the cannibal and his wife probed all over for him. At last they felt him, and Beaver realized that he was in extreme danger. He called on Snipe, saying, “Quick! They have found me. Hurry and punch a hole in the stomach of that bad man (bird)!” Snipe approached the Bird-Man, who was sitting quite still on the edge of the basin where the lake had been. He was so full of water he could not move, and felt very heavy. He said to Snipe, “Don’t come near me!” Snipe answered, “I shall not harm you. I am just looking for food near you.” Snipe made a swift stroke with his bill, and punched a hole through Bird-Man’s stomach and belly; and the water gushed out, and soon filled the lake. Beaver began to swim about, and the cannibal and his wife rushed hurriedly away for fear of drowning. The woman told her husband to come home, saying he could not beat their son-in-law. On the way back they came to the bodies of their daughters, and began to cry. Beaver followed them, and, coming to the place, said, “Why do you cry? They are only sleeping.” He said to the bodies of the bears, “Wake up!” and they arose and changed into the women they had been. They went off with him as his wives. The cannibal man was now powerless to do harm, and consented fully to his daughters marrying Beaver. Before they parted, he gave each of them a feather, which he told them to put in the water wherever they got their drinking-water. He told them that the feathers, although in the water, would always be dry as long as their husband remained faithful to them and did not go with other women, but the moment he was unfaithful the feathers would become wet. They were then to leave their husband and return home. Beaver went back to his own country, [some say “in the sky”, others “to the east”] and took his wives with him. The women examined the feathers every day, and knew that their husband was faithful. A long time afterwards Beaver met his former wife, who made love to him. He was unable to resist, and had connection with her. On the following morning, when his wives went for water, they found the feathers wet. They said, “We will leave our husband, for our father told us to do this. Heat will come, and the people will suffer for this.” Soon great clouds appeared, and the women disappeared in them. [Some people say “they ascended to the sky”] Such a great heat came, that finally the water boiled. People jumped into the streams and lakes to cool themselves, and died. Beaver’s first wife was the first one to die of the heat. Beaver put his brothers in a shady place, and covered them thickly with brush and grass to keep them cool. All the people died excepting Beaver and his brothers. When the weather became cool again, Beaver made snowshoes for his brothers, and left them. He went off to search for his wives. He found their tracks and followed them. He found their old camps, with lynx-meat cooked by suspending it from a pole with hook and line before the fire. He did not touch any of the meat, and always camped off to the side. At last he came to a camp where the wood was still smoking. It was their last camp before reaching their parents. Beaver camped to the side of it. That night his father-in-law came into his camp and took up his place on the opposite side of the fire. Both men hung their trousers above the fire to dry. Neither of them spoke. In the night the cannibal interchanged the trousers, putting his own where Beaver’s had been. Beaver arose very early in the morning, threw the cannibal’s trousers into the fire, and put on his own. When the cannibal discovered that he had no trousers, he said it would be very bad for him if the sun got up and he were without trousers. Beaver had two pairs, and the cannibal begged Beaver to give him one pair. When the sun was about to get up, Beaver took pity on him and gave him a pair, which he at once put on. The cannibal then acknowledged that Beaver was more powerful than he, and left him, ascending towards the sky. [Some people say “to the sky,” for this cannibal was the Sun and lived there.] Beaver watched where he went, and, following, came to where his wives were. He took them back, and travelled to where people were. After he had met them, they all travelled together. As they journeyed, two Ravens began to fly ahead of them. The Ravens drove all the game away, so that the people could not get any. It was winter, and they began to starve. When people died, the Ravens picked out their eyes. At last all the people had died excepting Beaver and his wives. The Ravens flew over them, saying, “Yes, you are alive yet, but it will not be for long. You will soon be dead too, and then we shall eat your eyes.” The Ravens always flew ahead of them wherever they travelled, and at night roosted on a tree near by. It was moonlight, and Beaver burrowed under the snow until he was past the tree where the Ravens were sleeping. Then he ran ahead, and found the country full of caribou and other game that the Ravens had been driving ahead. He killed many caribou, and returned the way he had come. Beaver now pretended to be dead to deceive the Ravens. He told his wives to put his hands up near his eyes and cover him with brush. The Ravens awoke at daybreak, and, looking down, saw that Beaver seemed to be dead. Beaver’s wives left, crying. The Ravens flew over their heads, saying, “Yes, by and by you will be dead also, and we shall pick out your eyes.” They flew back and alighted on the brush. Here they disputed as to which eye each would take. Beaver suddenly seized their legs, and they begged to be let off. Beaver, however, had no mercy on them, and burned them alive in the campfire, saying, “What about the people you have killed? Why should I spare you?” Beaver now went out to where he had killed the caribou. When he was about to return home, he smeared blood over his snowshoes, so his wives would know that he had killed game.

The narrator said that there was more of this story, but he did not remember it.


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The man who talked to the buffalo

A man communicates with buffalo, instructing them to enter water backward, facilitating their hunting by the tribe. The buffalo comply, and the tribe successfully spears them. Notably, the calves vocalize “mother” similarly to humans. One bull consistently escapes, believed to be the offspring of a man who married a buffalo, highlighting the deep connection between humans and buffalo in this lore.

Source: 
The Beaver Indians
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 4
New York, 1912


► Themes of the story


Supernatural Beings: The man’s unique ability to communicate with buffalo and the existence of a bull with human-like features suggest interactions with beings possessing supernatural attributes.

Trickster: The man uses cunning to manipulate the buffalo into positions where they can be easily hunted, showcasing trickster behavior.

Ancestral Spirits: The story references a young man who disappeared and was believed to have integrated with the buffalo, indicating a connection between ancestors and the present.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Dane-zaa people


One time there was a man who used to talk to the buffalo, and they would do what he told them to do. He would tell them to go to a certain place, to go into the water, and to give him food. Then they would go into the water backwards, and the Indians would kill them with a spear. The calves would say, “unnai” (mother) just as plainly as people do. They took hold of them and killed them. There; was one bull they did not kill. He always ran through between the people. [The narrator in conversation afterward referred to the well-known story of the man who married a buffalo. The bull, which invariably escaped, was the result of this union. “There was a young man who disappeared. They supposed he went among the buffalo. After that they used to see a bull with hair just like a man’s. The buffalo understands what people say because a man used to live among them.”]

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Then they would take the dead buffalo ashore and eat them. [He added that the female organs of the buffalo cows were cut off and pushed back into the water before the bodies were removed. No one was allowed to look while this was being done.]


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A magician escapes the Cree by turning into a buffalo

An elderly man remains in his lodge, singing medicine songs, unaware of an attack by the Cree. As the Cree approach, they find only a buffalo ready to charge, which frightens them away. The buffalo is revealed to be the old man, who had transformed to escape harm. He had intended to rejuvenate himself by making new teeth and becoming young again.

Source: 
The Beaver Indians
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 4
New York, 1912


► Themes of the story


Trickster: He uses cunning and his magical abilities to outsmart the Cree warriors.

Rebirth: The narrative touches upon the concept of rejuvenation, as the old man plans to make himself young again.

Conflict with Authority: The story depicts a confrontation between the individual (the old man) and an opposing force (the Cree).

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Dane-zaa people


There were many people living together. Among them was an old man who was going to make new teeth for himself. While the Beaver were camped there for him the Cree came and attacked them. The other people all ran away but that old man did not get up. He was singing his medicine songs and did not know the Cree had come there. They went off after the Beaver but did not kill them. When the Cree came back they heard a man singing. They went to him. The old man was in a lodge. He pushed the poles up high so that he could be seen. There was no man there only a buffalo which was about to attack them. They were afraid of him. The buffalo was the old man.

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He had one child. “I will make my teeth come again,” he said. That is why they had made a camp for him. He had said he would make himself a young man again. They say that is the way they used to do. When old age was going to kill them they used to rejuvenate themselves in a lodge.


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Watc’agic kills the dancing birds

A man with birds as brothers encounters a flock and offers to share his songs if they dance with their eyes closed. As he drums, the birds dance blindly, allowing him to secretly kill them one by one. The man remains unafraid, knowing all animals are his kin.

Source: 
The Beaver Indians
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 4
New York, 1912


► Themes of the story


Trickster: The protagonist employs cunning and deceit to outsmart the birds, convincing them to dance with their eyes shut, which leads to their demise.

Conflict with Nature: The man engages in a struggle against natural creatures, in this case, the birds, resulting in their death.

Moral Lessons: The tale may serve as a cautionary story about trust and the potential dangers of deception.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Dane-zaa people


Once a man who had all kinds of birds for his brothers was traveling. He came along where there were very many birds about. When they saw this man carrying something on his back one of them asked, “Brother, what are you carrying?” “They are my songs,” he replied. “Sing them for us, brother; and we will dance,” said the bird. “Those who dance to my songs must keep their eyes shut,” the man said. “We will do as you say,” the birds agreed. “Wait, I will build a dancing camp for you,” the man said. When he had the camp ready he said, “Now, come on and dance.” The man was drumming for the birds who were dancing with closed eyes. He was wringing the necks of the birds without the other birds discovering it. There were many of them and he killed them all. That man was not afraid of anything because all the animals were his brothers.

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Crow monopolizes the game

A famine strikes as game animals vanish. Crow remains well-fed, arousing suspicion. Nighthawk discovers that Crow has hidden the animals underground. The people confront Crow, eventually releasing the animals. To make hunting difficult, Crow covers the animals with bones, forcing hunters to target their noses. Later, Crow adds ribs to the animals, shaping their current form.

Source: 
The Beaver Indians
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 4
New York, 1912


► Themes of the story


Trickster: Crow embodies the trickster archetype by cunningly hiding the animals and manipulating their forms, impacting the people’s survival.

Conflict with Nature: The people struggle against the unnatural disappearance of game animals, leading to famine and a direct confrontation with Crow to restore balance.

Cosmic Order and Chaos: Crow’s actions disrupt the natural order, leading to chaos in the form of famine, which is eventually addressed by the people’s intervention to restore balance.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Dane-zaa people


Once, as winter was coming on, the people were dying of famine for the game animals had all disappeared from that region. Crow was not generally about with the remainder of the people but when he did visit them he appeared to be well fed and happy. The others agreed that they would watch him when he went home but when they tried it, one after the other was forced to give it up because it grew dark where Crow was going along. Telocye, nighthawk, was the last one who could still see him. When he too was about to lose sight of Crow he asked to have dust thrown in front of his eyes. When this was done the nighthawk could still see.[This was because twilight, when the nighthawk could see best, was imitated.]

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“He disappears into the ground twice and beyond that I cannot see him,” Nighthawk reported. When asked if he could follow him he said he thought he could, so they all set out to find where Crow lived.

When they came there they found Crow had driven all the animals into the earth and had shut them up. That was the reason no animals had been seen. They attacked Crow but he fought back with a club and it was not an easy victory. The door behind which the animals were confined was made of fat. They were trying to tear it down so the animals might come out. Crow tried in vain to club the people back for one of them finally succeeded in breaking down the door. The animals all came out. “They are smart animals,” he said to himself. The animals all came out, but Crow found a way to make it difficult to kill them. He threw among them bones from which all the meat had been scraped. Again they were in trouble, for the animals were covered all over with bone and the only way they could be killed was to beat them on the nose until the blood vessels burst and they bled to death. The people were still dying of famine, and Crow himself was hungry. Then he made ribs and threw them among the animals. Because he did that the animals now have ribs.

This story belongs to the time when the world was being established.


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Wonyoni escapes from the Cree

Wonyoni, an elderly hunter, encounters Cree warriors while hunting moose. To divert them, he rolls a large stone down a hill, creating noise that misleads the Cree into chasing the stone, thinking it’s him. Seizing the opportunity, Wonyoni safely returns to his camp, outsmarting his pursuers.

Source: 
The Beaver Indians
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 4
New York, 1912


► Themes of the story


Cunning and Deception: Wonyoni outsmarts the Cree by using a clever trick to mislead them.

Conflict with Authority: The story depicts an individual evading pursuit by a dominant or opposing group.

Trickster: Wonyoni plays the role of a trickster, using wit rather than strength to overcome his enemies.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Dane-zaa people


The old man, Wonyoni, was hunting moose with a dog when he became aware of Cree in the neighborhood. “What shall I do?” he said to himself and began to study the situation. He started off making tracks away from the place where his camp was situated. He came to an open place, looking back now and then. He was looking for the Cree, when suddenly he saw a man. He was traveling toward a large river and when he came there, he found a large stone and carried it with him up the hill where he was going to lie down for the night. He was on the watch there when suddenly the Cree were all around him. “How shall I get away from here?” he said to himself. Still considering this he went to bed. The Cree were all around him.

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When they made a rush at him to kill him he kicked the large stone he had brought up the hill so that it rolled down, breaking the trees as it went. The Cree thinking it was Wonyoni running away, chased after it. The old man immediately started back to his camp. The Cree were sitting there waiting for daylight so they could catch him. They did not kill him and he got back to his camp without being discovered because he was smart.


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Atcecq kills a bad man

In a time of famine, a young boy named Atcecq visits a notorious old man known for his cruelty. Despite warnings, Atcecq seeks food from the old man, who attempts to intimidate him. After consuming the offered fish without harm, the old man challenges Atcecq to a display of supernatural power. Atcecq cleverly turns the old man’s power against him, causing his death. This act liberates the community, allowing them to access the lake’s fish and end their starvation.

Source: 
The Beaver Indians
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 4
New York, 1912


► Themes of the story


Trickster: Atcecq employs cunning and wit to outsmart the malevolent old man, a hallmark of the trickster archetype.

Conflict with Authority: Atcecq challenges the old man’s oppressive dominance, ultimately overthrowing his tyrannical rule.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts ethical teachings, emphasizing the triumph of good over evil and the value of intelligence in overcoming adversity.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Dane-zaa people


One time when they were starving they started to move toward a lake where they knew there were fish. A bad old man was known to live there but they thought he was away from home. When they came to the place they found he was still living there. Then that small boy said he would visit his grandfather, meaning the old man. His friends advised him against it, but he replied that since he was starving and suffering much he would visit him nevertheless. The others tried hard to stop him but he set out to pay the visit. When he arrived the old man asked why he came. “I came to you, grandfather, because I am starving,” the boy replied. “Well, you will not live long,” the old man said, “go back or I will kill you.”

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“You do not talk as other people do, grandfather,” the boy said. “Well, cook him some fish,” he told his wife. The boy ate the fish when it was set before him. “What kind of a person are you who eat the fish I give you and still live? You are Atcecq,” the old man said. “Why do you say that? I ate what you gave me and I am happy,” the boy replied.

“Cook for him again,” he said, and his wife did so. “No person ever did this way with me before, but let us use supernatural power on each other,” the old man said. “What am I to do, that you speak that way?” the boy asked. “You have eaten much of my food,” the old man replied. “You do something to me first, grandfather,” the boy said. The old man made a large frog sit on his palm and told the boy to take it. “Now you do something to me,” the old man said. “Yes, grandfather, but what do I know, that you should say that to me?” the boy asked. “You swallowed a small frog and how is it that it did not bother you?” the old man asked. “What sort of a person am I that you should say that?” the boy asked again. The old man swallowed it and he could hardly breathe.

When Atcecq started back the old man said that since he had done that to him, he would know how to cure him. He sent his wife to bring the boy back that he might cure him. When the boy saw the sorrowful looking old woman coming after him he told her that he was not yet old enough to marry and that her husband might keep her. He turned back and came to the old man who was still breathing. When the boy began to sing over him the frog closed the old man’s mouth and he died.

The boy then ran back to his friends who asked how it happened he was still alive. “My grandfather was very kind. He is not a mean man. He fed me well and I ate what he gave me,” the boy replied. They knew the old man was mean and they were afraid of him.

Atcecq killed him and the people were very much pleased. They moved camp to the place where the fish were and many people were saved from starving.

The old man had many wives for he had taken the wives of the men he had killed. They took these women away. Many people were glad because of what Atcecq had done.


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White Bear story

White Bear punishes Fox by taking his shoulder, causing Fox to fall ill. Fox enlists Crow’s help to retrieve it. Crow deceives White Bear, steals the shoulder, and returns it to Fox. Angry, White Bear hides the sun, plunging the world into darkness. Crow, in disguise, tricks White Bear again, restoring the sun to the sky. This story explains the separation of white and black bears and portrays white bears as wicked.

Source: 
The Fireside Stories of the Chippwyans
by James Mackintosh Bell
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.16, No.61, pp. 73-84
April-June, 1903


► Themes of the story


Trickster: The crow embodies the trickster archetype, using cunning and deception to achieve its goals.

Cosmic Order and Chaos: The story addresses the disruption and restoration of cosmic order, particularly through the crow’s actions in returning the sun to the sky, thereby restoring light to the world.

Conflict with Authority: The crow challenges the authority of the White Bear, who holds power over other animals and controls essential elements like the sun.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Chipewyan people


The following story explains the reason for the ferocity of the white bear and why his habitat is different from others of his own species

Once upon a time there was a White Bear, and his nephew, Black Bear, was staying with him, with several other animals, including the fox. As the fox was always up to mischief, the white bear took away his right shoulder, and in consequence the former was very ill. White Bear took the fox’s shoulder, and tied it along with a bunch of claws which he always carried. Now fox being very sick, and not able to get along very well without his shoulder, sent for the crow, who was full of cunning, to devise some means of getting his shoulder back. After a long talk, the crow went to visit White Bear, who was very old and infirm and troubled with rheumatism. He was sitting at the fire, warming his back, when the crow came in, and the bunch of claws and the fox’s shoulder were hanging from the roof above his head. The crow began to talk to him, and occasionally he would touch the bunch of claws, and the white bear would wake up with a start, at which the crow would explain that he was only touching the claws to see what they were made of.

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At last White Bear took no notice of the noise, and soon was half asleep, and the crow, seeing his chance, caught hold of the fox’s shoulder, and pulled it off, and ran out of the camp. White Bear then woke up, and asked his nephew. Black Bear, what was the matter, and the latter, who stuttered, explained that the crow had run away with the fox’s shoulder. He took so long in telling it, that White Bear got angry, and told Black Bear to get out and find a home for himself. So ever since the white and black bears have lived apart.

White Bear, to show his rage, took down the sun and put it along with the claws. Now, as everything was in darkness, the other animals could not hunt, and were starving. So they applied to the crow to get them out of their new trouble. In the mean time White Bear’s daughter went for water, and as she was having a drink, something black was floating in the water, which she swallowed. Some days afterwards a child was born to her, and the infant grew so fast that soon he could walk about; and when he saw this bright thing hanging among the bunch of claws, he began to cry for it. After much persuasion White Bear gave it to him to play with in the camp. After a while he wished to play outside with it, but White Bear would not at first allow it. But as the child kept continually crying to be allowed to do so, he at last consented, but told him not to go far from the camp, and if he saw anybody coming, to run into the tepee at once. This the child promised to do, but as soon as he got out, he threw the sun up into the sky, and flew away, for he was the crow in still another disguise. When White Bear saw that he was cheated again by the crow, he was furious, and since then white bears have been always wicked.


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Big Bird story

A widow named Big Bird seeks a wealthy husband for her daughter. One day, her son spots a magnificently dressed stranger by the river. Big Bird welcomes him, but after he requests the removal of their dog during dinner, she discovers the dog dead with peculiar three-toed footprints nearby. Suspecting the stranger, she insists he remove his shoes, revealing he has only three toes. The stranger persuades Big Bird’s daughter to accompany him upstream. During the journey, rain washes away his disguise, exposing him as a crow. The daughter cleverly ties his tail to the canoe and escapes, returning safely to her family.

Source: 
The Fireside Stories of the Chippwyans
by James Mackintosh Bell
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.16, No.61, pp. 73-84
April-June, 1903


► Themes of the story


Trickster: The stranger uses deception, disguising himself to appear as a suitable husband, embodying the trickster archetype.

Cunning and Deception: The story revolves around the stranger’s deceit and the daughter’s cleverness in uncovering his true nature and planning her escape.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts lessons about the dangers of deception and the importance of discernment in choosing companions.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Chipewyan people


Big Bird was a widow of a famous chief who lived with her son and beautiful daughter on the banks of a large stream. Her great ambition was to secure a rich husband for her daughter, suitable to her birth. So she told her little boy to go to the bank of the river, and to watch unceasingly to see if he could discover anybody passing suitable for a son-in-law. One day the boy ran to his mother, and with a face beaming with joy told her there was somebody passing, whom he at least would like for a brother-in-law. Big Bird was delighted and immediately took some bark, and went down to the river to meet the expected bridegroom, whom she was pleased to see was magnificently dressed in a white skin costume covered with shell-like beads.

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Walking before him, she put pieces of bark on the ground all the way to her camp for him to step on. There she and her daughter, having prepared a meal of unusual splendor, set it before their guest. It happened there was an old dog in the camp, and the man said he could not eat until the animal was removed. Big Bird, wishing to show her new son-in-law every hospitality, complied with his request, and, taking the dog out, killed him, and left him in the bush. The man then ate his supper, and they all went to sleep.

Next morning Big Bird got up to make a fire, but, finding no wood in the tepee, went out to get some, and was surprised to see the dog lying with his eyes removed, with his flesh pecked all over, and with the footprints of a three-toed animal all around him. On going back to the camp, she told them all to take off their shoes to see who had only three toes. They all did so, save the stranger who told her that it was a thing he never did. However, Big Bird kept begging him to remove them, telling him she had a pair of new moccasins for him, which would exactly match his handsome costume. Evidently his vanity was at last touched, and he consented, and, while taking them off, said “kinno, kinno” (look! look!) and quickly put them on again. The boy then called out, “He has only three toes.” The stranger denied this, and said, “I did it so quickly that you imagine I have only three toes, but you are mistaken.”

After breakfast he told his wife that he wanted to go for his clothes which were at his camp some distance up stream, and that he wished her to accompany him. Thinking her husband’s conduct rather strange, she at first objected, but, on hearing of the numerous gewgaws at his camp, at last consented to go. So they got into their canoe, and started off, the man sitting in the bow, and the woman in the stern. They had not proceeded far up stream, when rain began to fall heavily, and the girl soon noticed that the rain was washing the shining white stuff off her husband’s back, and then black feathers began to appear. “Ah,” she thought to herself, “I have married a crow.” When he was not looking, she tied his tail, now grown to visible proportions, to the bar of the canoe, whereat he turned around, and asked her what she was doing. She replied, “Your coat is so fine I am working with the beads.” “Oh,” said he, “I see I have married an industrious wife,” and resumed his paddling. She then tried to find an excuse to make her escape, and told him that the point they were just passing was a famous locality for wild duck eggs, and that she would like to go ashore and hunt some for his supper. He readily consented, and as soon as she got ashore, she ran up the bank, and disappeared into the forest. The crow tried to get out to follow her; but as his tail was tied to the canoe, this was impossible, and he contented himself with calling out after her, “Caw, caw; once more I have tricked you people.” He then leisurely proceeded to untie his tail, and flew off ready for another escapade.


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Wisaketcak

In Chipewyan lore, Wisaketcak, anticipating a great flood, built a canoe and refused to share it, leading to the drowning of others. After the flood, he enlisted a duck to retrieve mud from beneath the waters, recreating the earth. In another tale, Wisaketcak, after getting his head stuck in a deer skull, transformed into a deer, narrowly escaping hunters. Later, he deceived a bear into eating berries to fatten it, killed it, and overindulged in its fat, resulting in his own discomfort.

Source: 
Chipewyan Tales
by Robert Harry Lowie
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 3
New York, 1912


► Themes of the story


Creation: The narrative describes a great flood that submerges the land, leading to the reconstruction of the earth from mud brought up by a diving duck.

Trickster: Wisaketcak exhibits cunning behavior, such as preventing the beaver from damaging his canoe and deceiving the bear to ultimately kill and eat it.

Conflict with Nature: The incessant rain causing a flood and Wisaketcak’s interactions with animals highlight struggles against natural forces.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Chipewyan people


Long ago it commenced to rain. It rained incessantly. The Indians fled to higher ground. They gathered on the highest mountain. Wisaketcak, who had expected a flood, built a canoe. When the land was nearly submerged, he embarked. The other Indians were having the water up to their knees. Wisaketcak did not permit anyone to get into his boat.

The Indians asked the beaver to punch a hole into the canoe with his teeth. When the beaver got near the boat, Wisaketcak asked, “What are you coming for?” “Just to look at your canoe.” “Let me see your teeth, I think they are sharp.” Wisaketcak threw a stone down the beaver’s throat so that he could not injure his canoe. When the mountains were flooded, all the Indians were drowned.

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Wisaketcak called a kind of long-tailed duck. “Brother, come here! It has ceased to rain. Dive down, and see whether you can find any mud.” It dived for a long time. At length it came up with some mud on its feet. It dived again and again, and every time it rose to the surface it brought up some mud until the earth was entirely rebuilt.

* * *

Wisaketcak was traveling about. He got to a deer skull. There were many maggots inside. He addressed them as follows: “Brethren, let me eat with you.” They consented. He shoved his head inside; it stuck fast, so that he could not get it out. He turned himself into a deer, and continued to travel along. He got to a river. Not seeing any one near by, he began to swim across. When more than half way across, he caught sight of four birchbark canoes coming down. The people in the canoes were saying, “There’s a deer crossing the river ahead of us, let us shoot him.” They hurried towards him. The deer got ashore on a rocky bank. Falling down, he struck his head against the rock and broke his skull. He turned into his natural shape, and ran into the brush. The people cried, ‘This is Wisaketcak!’

He was traveling alone through the brush when he heard a bear running. “Brother, why are you running away from me? Stop there.” The bear stood still. Wisaketcak began to feel about his ribs. “You are very lean, how is that?” “There are no berries around here, that is the reason.” Wisaketcak said, “I know a place not very far from here, where there are lots of berries, let us go there.” They started out, Wisaketcak leading. They got to the place, and the bear began to eat. When he had eaten his fill, he lay down in the sun, then he ate again. Wisaketcak noticed that the bear was fattening. He felt his ribs again. The bear asked, “What are you doing this for? “Oh! I always do that to my brother.” Wisaketcak began breaking some sticks. “What are you doing this for?” “Oh, I just feel like working.” Wisaketcak continued breaking sticks. While the bear was eating, Wisaketcak from time to time felt his ribs, saying this was but an old trick of his. Finally, the bear lay down, and fell asleep. Wisaketcak went up close to him, took a stick and struck him over the head, ears, and stomach until he had killed him. Then he cut him open, and feasted on him. He ate so much fat that he began to have pains in the stomach. Looking around, he caught sight of two juniper trees growing together. “Brethren, spread apart, I have pains in the stomach.” They obeyed, and he got between them. The trees closed, and jammed him tight. While he was in this position, some whiskey-jacks came and began to eat of the bear meat. “Little brethren,” said Wisaketcak to the trees, “let me go to watch my food.” However he could not get out. In the meantime, the birds devoured all the food, leaving nothing but bones. “Brethren,” he said again, “separate and let me get out.” After a long time, he succeeded in freeing himself. Being angry at the trees, he began to twist them about. Since then junipers have had irregular trunks.

When he got down, he found nothing but the bear bones. Pounding these, he extracted the marrow and put it in a bladder, because it was too hot to be eaten. He got to a creek, sat down, and caught sight of a muskrat swimming there. “My brother, come here,” and cool this grease for me in the water.” The muskrat replied, “My tail is too big, I can’t swim well with it.” “Come here, and I will fix it for you.” He pulled the muskrat’s tail and made it small. The muskrat said, “My brother, I feel quite well now, let me have the bladder now, I will cool it.” “Be careful, so that it will not burst.” The muskrat dived down. The bladder burst, and the grease began to float down stream. Wisaketcak ran along, dipping it up with his hands.

Wisaketcak traveled along night and day. He found fresh tracks; they were those of a moose-cow and two young moose. “My brethren, why are you running away? Wait for me.” They stood still, and he caught up to them. “My brethren, you are foolish to stop like this. The Blackheads (Chipewyan) are following your tracks and will kill you. Keep traveling in a circle, back and forth, turn about, and lie down on the leeward of your path. Then they will not know which tracks to follow, and you will be able to scent them and make your escape.” This is what the moose do today, because Wisaketcak taught them.

Wisaketcak started off again. He found that his eyes were getting weak. When he came to a big lake, he said, “I will try to get new eyes.” He cut out his eyeballs, and went about blind. Whenever he struck a tree, he would ask it, “Brother, what kind of a tree are you?” And the tree would answer, “Poplar” (or whatever other species it belonged to). At last he got to a pine, and the tree answered, “I am a pine, I have plenty of gum.” Wisaketcak found the gum, chewed it, rolled it between his palms and put the gum balls into his sockets. Thus he got new eyes.

He traveled on, and got to a big lake, where he found many Cree Indians. The Cree recognized him, and asked him whether he knew of any Chipewyan near by. “I did not come here to tell you about my brethren.” He left them, and went towards the Barren Grounds. There he espied a great many lodges in the open country, and encountered a large band of Chipewyan. “My brethren, don’t stay here too long, for many Cree are looking for you.” He started off again. After a long time, he reached another band of Chipewyan, who were starving. “My brethren, why are you starving? There are plenty of deer not far from here, you ought to go and live there.” In those days they had no guns. They started in the direction indicated, and got the deer. They constructed a deer pen and set snares near its opening. Some began to drive deer, and many were dispatched with bows and arrows. At that time the Indians had no clothes.

Wisaketcak said, “It will not be always like this. You will not wear deer raiment forever. Some time you will wear another people’s clothes.” And this has come true.

Wisaketcak left the Indians. He got to a range of rocky mountains. “My brethren, you are too high, you had better come down into the valley, then I shall walk better.” They came down, and he continued his journey. He reached a creek. Being thirsty he stooped to drink. He saw some fish. “Little brethren, what are you doing here?” “We are eating.” “Where is your father?” “We don’t know, he is just traveling.” “If you see any Chipewyan Indians with nets, enter the nets and feed them.”

He started off again. He got to two mountains, where there were many birches, all without a single branch. “Brethren, you look too pretty without branches, you can’t live long that way.” He picked up brushes, threw them on the birches, and thus made numerous holes. That is why birches are striped nowadays, and Indians find it hard to make birchbark canoes.

He went on traveling. He reached a little lake. He saw ducks swimming there. “Brethren, come ashore here.” There was a female with young ones. “This little one looks like you,” he said. “There are lots of you. If you see any Chipewyans, or Crees, fly around them, so that they may kill you and feast on you.”

He went on. He got to a little river, where he slaked his thirst. He saw two otters swimming towards him. “Brethren, what are you doing? You have exceedingly short legs, they are not good for walking on land.” “We are meant to live in the water.” “Live wherever there are fish. There are plenty of. Chipewyan and Cree Indians going around starving. Go, and put fish on top of the ice to help them.” The otters consented.

Late in the fall, Wisaketcak reached a little river. He saw two beavers eating. “What are you doing here?” “We are just eating.” “Why don’t you build a house? Stick birches and poplar branches around, use mud for plastering, and put branches at the bottom. Thus you may live in the winter. Build a dam. If you don’t do this you will have no water to swim in.” He taught them. Since then they have always built dams. He further told them not to swim about before sunset, or the Indian huntsmen would kill them.

Wisaketcak continued his journey. He came to a herd of buffalo. Some of them began to run away. “Brethren, don’t run away, I have come to see you.” Then he asked, “What are you eating?” They said they were eating branches and trees. He told them to eat nothing but grass. “If you see starving Indians, let one of you lag behind so that the Indians can feed on you.”

He traveled on. He got to a clump of pines.[I am using, of course, my interpreter’s designation.] All the trees looked alike. “You all look alike, I will make one of you different.” Addressing one of them, Wisaketcak said, “Brother, be stickier than the rest. You shall have more gum than the others.” Thus originated the balsam fir, of which the gum is still used by the Cree.

He started off again. His buttocks were getting blistered. He tore off the scabs and threw them on birch trees. Thus originated touchwood. Wisaketcak came to a lake. There he saw a flock of geese, some old, some young. “Brothers, come here for a little while. I am making a dance not far away, and I should like you to accompany me.” He erected a lodge, and bade the geese enter. He called all kinds of other birds inviting them to join. He bade all shut their eyes. They began to drum. Wisaketcak, as the leader of the dance, sat on one side. They danced around. Whenever a fat bird got near him, Wisaketcak pulled it over, killed it, and threw it aside. At last one young goose opened one eye and saw Wisaketcak pulling its father by the leg. “Wisaketcak is killing us!” it cried. The surviving birds all fled. As the water-hen and the loon were running out, Wisaketcak stepped on their feet. That is why their feet are not fit for walking on land. Wisaketcak cooked the fattest geese, and had a great feast. Of the rest he took out the gizzards and put them aside, then he went in search of a stick to put them on. He forgot all about them, however, and traveled on. He reached a place where there were plenty of ants. “Little brethren how do you live in the winter? You have a very low dwelling.” “That is why birds are killed.” (?) He showed them how to build ant-hills.

* * *

Wisaketcak was traveling in the spring. He came to a place where a bear had been defecating and saw the excrements covered with fish scales. He laughed at the scales. The bear came, and said, “I heard you laughing about my excrements; I have come to see what you are laughing for.” Wisaketcak said, “I was only saying it was a pity there were no bones or berries there instead of scales.” They quarreled, and began to fight. Wisaketcak called on the ermine to help him. “My little brother, get into the bear’s anus and destroy his guts, or he will kill me.” The ermine entered the bear’s body, ate his heart, and thus killed him. When the ermine came out, Wisaketcak washed him, holding him by the tail, that is why ermines have white bodies and black tails.

Wisaketcak continued traveling. He got to a rocky mountain, where he found plenty of black objects which cause flatulency. He ate many of them. After a while he began to break wind and was unable to stop. So he heated a stone, and sat on it. His rump became covered with scabs. He was obliged to scratch the itching parts until he tore them off and threw them up on the top of birch trees, where they are still visible.

Wisaketcak set out to travel. He saw a band of geese. “My brethren, come hither.” They came down. “Give me half of your feathers, so that I may fly with you to your country.” They consented, and he flew along with them. They were obliged to pass through a rocky, mountainous country, where many Indians were living. Nets had been set to catch geese. When the birds approached these snares, they scattered to avoid them, but Wisaketcak’s borrowed feathers dropped off and he fell down among the Indians. “This is Wisaketcak again, we will dung on him.” They placed him in a pit. “Whoever shall defecate, shall befoul him.” In the night an old woman rose to ease herself and went to the pit, but in the meantime Wisaketcak had got out, merely leaving his clothes. The old woman soiled his clothes.

Wisaketcak went traveling again. He saw two moose. “Brethren,, wait for me.” He overtook them. “Brethren, you had better give me some hair, then I shall be a moose and stay with you.” He became a moose and traveled with them. They told him that no Indians were near by. He joined about twelve moose. About the time of the heavy ice crust, Wisaketcak and one of the moose heard a noise. “It seems,” said Wisaketcak, “that some one is coming after us. I will travel ahead and let you follow.” The Indians came and killed the moose, one by one. Wisaketcak was left alone. When they got close, he tore off the moose-skin, turned into his real form, and ran off, leaving the skin behind. The people said, “That’s Wisaketcak again.”

Wisaketcak was traveling. He came to a big lake where he saw some swans. “Brethren, come ashore to me.” He asked them for some of their feathers, saying that he should like to be a swan. They consented, and he became a swan. One calm evening, one of the swans said to Wisaketcak, “You had better not cry so loud, or the Indians will hear us.” It was the swan’s molting time. Wisaketcak replied, “There are no Indians near by.” However, he caught sight of some canoes going after them. The swans started out on the lake to escape, but got too tired to fly. Most of them were killed. At last, two of them and Wisaketcak were the only ones that remained. The two birds approached the shore and were also killed. Wisaketcak set foot on shore and tore off his skin. The people said, “That’s Wisaketcak again.”

Wisaketcak got tired. He sat down. “I will not travel any more.” He seemed to turn into a stone. For a long time he continued to sink below the ground. Only his hair was still visible on the outside of the rock. That was the end of him.


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