Ede’khuwe

In this tale, young women mark caribou with strings and ear cuts to recognize them later. The following year, the caribou don’t return, leading to starvation. A man discovers the marked caribou preventing others from returning. He removes the strings and leads a young deer back, with its mother and the herd following, restoring the caribou to his people.

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

Cultural Heroes: Ede’khuwe emerges as a hero who undertakes a journey to find and bring back the caribou, ensuring the survival of his people.

Harmony with Nature: The story underscores the importance of living in harmony with nature and respecting wildlife, as the community’s initial disrespect leads to ecological imbalance.

Sacred Objects: The caribou hold a significant place in the community’s life, and their departure and return are central to the narrative.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

The meaning of this name is “Worms-in-his-horns”

Formerly the Indians would play with caribou, making them stand quiet by patting them. Some silly girls once said, “Let us mark some of them.” So they took some string from the back of their hair, tied it around the deer’s necks and cut their ears. “We’ll know these deer when they come next year.” In the fall the deer returned to the Barren Grounds. Next year there were no deer. The people began to starve. One man said, “I’ll see whether I can’t find them.” He kept on traveling until he reached a big body of water. On the sea there was a dead calm. He saw deer swimming, many of them with strings around their necks and with marked ears. These would not let the others return to the Indian country, but drove them back. The hero went to the deer and cut off the strings from their necks. He seized one little deer and led it off towards his people. Its mother followed. Then all the other deer also followed. They got to a big mountain. The Indians were on the other side and perceived Ede’khuwe with something beside him. After feeding, he sent the little deer to the Indians, and all the others started in the same direction. Without Ede’khuwe no more caribou would have been seen in this country.

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His-Leg-Trembles

The tale is about a man known for his exceptional speed and bravery. In one instance, despite warnings from his companions about two white bears atop a hill, he confronts and defeats them single-handedly. In another episode, he outsmarts a group of Cree warriors who had set a trap using fake caribou decoys, ultimately killing all the Cree.

Source:
Chipewyan Texts
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 1
New York, 1912

► Themes of the story

Hero’s Journey: The protagonist embarks on daring confrontations, showcasing his courage and strength.

Cultural Heroes: His actions and abilities highlight traits revered in Chipewyan culture, positioning him as a foundational figure.

Trials and Tribulations: The protagonist encounters and successfully navigates various challenges, including ambushes and deceptive traps.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

Once when the Chipewyan were returning from an unsuccessful war party against the Cree, they were approaching the top of a hill. His-leg-trembles was far behind them. “I wonder what those two things are, sitting there ahead of us,” one of them said. When they started up the hill their blankets were blown back. His-leg-trembles came up to the party and started to climb the hill. “I want to see what they are,” he said. “Do not go up there, there are some white bears living under the top of the hill,” the others said to him. “I like to see something frightful,” he said, “I am going to look at them.” “No, do not,” the others urged him. “I am going to look,” he said. The string which held the blanket around his neck broke when it Was blown back by the wind. He ran around the two white bears who were sitting there waiting for him, making the ashes fly until nothing could be seen.

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When the ashes settled, they saw the two bears lying with their heads away from each other and His-leg-trembles standing a little way from them leaning upon his little old spear. That man could run so fast that nothing could catch him. Without running very hard, he could keep along beside a young caribou.

At another time the Cree had put some willow sticks on a lake making them look like the horns of caribou. The Chipewyan thought they were caribou and hung pieces of clothing about the lake to prevent the caribou from running out and began to hunt them. While they were going to their several positions, they came where His-leg-trembles was sitting. On a point of land nearly opposite the side, they thought they heard a noise. It sounded like shouting but they were not certain. Then a big woman came near. “Niece, what has happened,” they asked. “’The Cree have put up sticks,’ Thananye told me. Then I started from there in a straight line, running sidewise that I might go faster. Over in the middle of the lake, I saw the Cree fighting. When I was about to run into them, I stopped. I slipped and fell under the Cree. ‘I will spear that mean little child,’ one of them thought to himself. They were holding their spears ready for me, but the spear points all came together behind me. Then I saw him standing there, it was so quickly done.” He had killed all the Cree.

The discovery of metal by a captive woman

A woman, captured by the Eskimo, escapes with her child. After a long journey, she encounters a vast herd of caribou, from which she secures meat. Leaving her greedy child behind, she continues alone and discovers a hill of metal. She collects some and later shares its location with strangers, believed to be Europeans, introducing them to metal. The stone markers she erected to retrace her path reportedly grew large over time.

Source:
Chipewyan Texts
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 1
New York, 1912

► Themes of the story

Quest: The woman’s journey to escape captivity and her subsequent travels in search of sustenance and safety represent a quest.

Origin of Things: The story provides an explanation for the origin of metal possession among certain people, attributing it to the woman’s discovery.

Cultural Heroes: The woman serves as a foundational figure who brings the knowledge of metal to others, significantly impacting their society.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

This myth is briefly given by Samuel Hearne (A Journey from Prince of Wales’ Port in Hudson’s Bay to the Northern Ocean, London, 1795), in reference to the copper mines near Coppermine River which he visited in 1771, Petitot secured this myth at Cold Lake in 1881 with the interesting additional incident of the woman gradually sinking into the mountain. This conclusion of the story was also given by the informant from whom text 13 was secured. He added that the shallow place crossed by the woman was caused by the body of a giant who fell there in a combat.

Once a woman was stolen by the Eskimo. After she had lived with them for some time and had a child, she went away, taking it with her. She went a long distance killing birds and rabbits for food. The child was very greedy often eating everything up away from its mother. After a time they came to a large lake where she sat and cried. While she was sitting there she saw a wolf walking through the water. She wondered how he was able to cross the lake. He came up to her and licked the tears from her eyes. She soon got up and broke off two sticks. “I want to see how deep the water is,” she said to herself. She waded far out into the lake but the water was only a little below her knees. Finally, she could not see the land behind her. It grew dark but she continued to wade until morning. Toward evening of the next day, there was something behind that looked like land. “The Eskimo must be following me,” she thought. Ahead of her there also seemed to be land. When she came close to the shore, whatever it was behind her was also approaching. She walked very fast; the water was always at the same depth. When she came to the land, she found that it was a vast herd of caribou that was following her. She had only an awl with her but tying it to a stick she sat with it by the trail. As they came by her, she speared them. There were so many of them that they looked like land. They continued passing her until the trail was worn down so deep that only their horns stuck up. When she had killed a large number, she began drying the meat so that she could carry it with her. “I am going to leave that greedy boy behind,” she said to herself. “I will make some soup for him, in a paunch.”

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“My son, wait here for me, I am going to carry the meat to the top of the hill,” she said to him. She started away without him. When she came to the top of the first hill she looked back and saw that he was still sitting there, eating. She went on to the top of another hill and from there she could still see him eating. The woman walked along alone. When it was night she saw a fire toward which she continued walking. She walked on for many days and nights. Every night she could see the fire. When she came to it, she found it was metal. She gathered up the best pieces and placed them in her blanket and carried them with her. As she went back she piled stones on top of each other on the tops of all the hills, so that she would know the way if she wished to return. Finally, she came to some kind of people whom she did not know. When they saw that she had metal they asked her where she got it. “Very far away, in that direction, there is one hill of nothing else. It was there that I found it.” “Take us to it,” they said to her. She went with these people who are believed to have been Frenchmen [any European except an Englishman]. Ever after, they knew about metal and were the only people who possessed it. The stones which she placed one above the other were always to be seen after that. They say the stones have now grown to be very large.

Raven kills a giant with a stone axe

In a village where men vanished each winter, the chief asked Raven to investigate. Raven discovered a giant responsible for the disappearances, using a stone axe to kill the men. After confronting the giant, Raven seized the axe, killed the giant, and returned to inform the villagers, revealing the fate of their lost men.

Source:
Ten’a Texts and Tales
(from Anvik, Alaska)
by John W. Chapman
The American Ethnological Society
Publications, Volume 6 (ed. Franz Boas)
E.J. Brill, Leyden, 1914

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The Raven embodies the trickster archetype, using cunning to overcome the giant.

Cultural Heroes: The Raven acts as a foundational figure, protecting and shaping the fate of his society.

Revenge and Justice: The Raven delivers justice by avenging the deaths of the village men.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

Told by Walter

There was a big village, full of people, with only one kashime. A Raven man lived there, too. Every winter the people hunted for deer, and every summer they fished for salmon, for a winter supply. Now, every winter one man disappeared from the village, and at last there was nobody left but women. Then the Chief said to the Raven, “Well, Raven, can you find out what has become of all the people?” And the Raven said, “I think that is too hard for me.” But afterwards he went off for seven days, and he came to a great earth house. He went in, and saw a giant. “Halloo!” said the giant. “Halloo!” said the Raven. “Well, Raven,” said the giant, “will you stay with me?” “Yes, sir!” said the Raven. So he went out of the house again, and looked around and saw a big cache. He went up on the cache and went inside, and saw plenty of dead men.

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Then he went down again and went into the house, and said to the giant, “I went up into your cache and saw plenty of dead men. How did you kill all those people in your cache?” And the giant became angry with the Raven, and caught up a big stone axe to kill him; but he did not kill him, and the Raven took the big stone axe and cut off his neck, and ran out, and the house was full of blood. So he went back home with the big stone axe, and went into the kashime and said to the chief, “Tell all the women to come in; I want to tell them what I have seen.” So the women came in, and the Raven went out and got the big stone axe, and put it down in the kashime, and said, “A big giant killed all the men of this place with this stone axe, and every one of them is dead.”

(The storyteller closed with the English words, “And after, every women get cry.”)

The Creation (2)

The earth starts small and expands over time. A pair of people emerge, finding sustenance and clothing mysteriously provided. They encounter a man who claims ownership of the provisions and commands their obedience. This man, living with other men but no women, captures a woman who transforms from a goose. The men marry these transformed women, have children, and send them across the river to populate new areas.

Source:
Ten’a Texts and Tales
(from Anvik, Alaska)
by John W. Chapman
The American Ethnological Society
Publications, Volume 6 (ed. Franz Boas)
E.J. Brill, Leyden, 1914

► Themes of the story

Creation: The narrative explains how the earth expanded and life began.

Origin of Things: It provides an explanation for the emergence of the first humans and the peopling of the river regions.

Cultural Heroes: The man who captures the goose-woman and initiates the lineage of people serves as a foundational figure in the culture.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

This account came from the oldest man in Nihlte’uxaidli’nktu, in 1896. He was the father of Benjamin and Go’uxolo’ihl Witho’. (This is from the Chageluk Slough. It would seem to be a mixture of two legends.)

The earth was small at first, and the land gradually increased. There was a small pair of people going about here and there in the grass. They warmed themselves in the grass, and grew with the earth. They slept, and found food placed near them, which they ate. Clothes were provided in the same way, and also berries. At length they met a man, who spoke to them angrily, and asked them why they had taken his food and berries. “For this you will obey my commands.” The man went away, they did not know where, — but he re-appeared to them from time to time. His village was across the Slough from Nihlte’uxaidli’nktu, where he lived with other men, but no women. Going about in his canoe, he heard the noise of talking and laughing, which proceeded from many women. He went up quietly and launched his spear, which passed through the parka of one of them. The rest turned into geese and flew away; but he captured this one and took her home. The rest of the men began to get wives in the same way. They gave their children food and clothes as they grew up, taught them different tongues, and sent them away, up and down the river, which they peopled.

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The woman stolen by the Duci’ne

A Duci’ne man abducts a woman and takes her to his homeland through a perilous canyon. She bears two children who later return to her people, sharing knowledge of the Duci’ne. Following this union, the Duci’ne cease killing intruders, instead turning them away to protect their territory.

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

► Themes of the story

Forbidden Love: The union between the woman and the Duci’ne man represents a romantic connection defying societal or cultural boundaries.

Cultural Heroes: The children, born from this union, act as foundational figures by bridging two cultures, sharing knowledge, and fostering peace between their mother’s people and the Duci’ne.

Transformation: The narrative showcases a transformation in the Duci’ne’s behavior—from hostile protectors of their territory to a more tolerant group—indicating a significant change in their societal norms.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

A Duci’ne man stole a woman, and took her to his country. After travelling many days, they came to a canyon, through which they passed. The Duci’ne people had their home at the other end. No strangers ever went through this canyon and returned, for the Duci’ne killed them.

The woman bore two children. Both of them came to live among the people, whom they told all about the country and habits of their father’s people. Their mother never returned from the Duci’ne country.

After this marriage, the Duci’ne did not kill any more people; and any who travelled into the canyon near their country were turned back, and not killed. The Duci’ne kept watchers at the canyon to prevent people going through.

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The girl who married a toad

A wealthy man’s daughter repeatedly encounters a toad at her door, which she dismisses. One night, the toad transforms into a young man who proposes marriage, and she agrees, unaware of his true identity. They elope to his father’s lakeside home. Later, when she visits her family, they urge her to stay. However, a multitude of toads besiege the house, compelling her to return to her husband. This story explains why women fear toads, believing they can abduct people.

► Themes of the story

Love and Betrayal: The girl’s initial acceptance and subsequent return to the toad husband highlight complex emotional dynamics.

Forbidden Knowledge: The girl unknowingly enters a union with a supernatural being, leading to unforeseen consequences.

Cultural Heroes: The narrative serves to explain cultural beliefs and practices, highlighting foundational figures in the society.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

A wealthy man had a daughter who lived in a little room by herself. She had just finished the training that girls undergo at puberty. For several successive mornings she noticed a toad (or frog?) lying at the door, and kicked it out of the road. One night the toad changed into a young man, and asked the girl if she wanted him for a husband. She did not know that it was the toad, and answered, “Yes.” The girl put on her marten robe and eloped with the young man. That night they went to a big lake, where the house of the Toad chief, the wealthy father of the youth, was located. Her parents and all the people searched for her, but could find no trace of her. [Some narrators say that they found her robe.] After she had been with the Toad people a while, the chief, her father-in-law, told her to go and visit her parents. Her people saw her coming, followed by her husband. Her father invited them into the house, and gave them a good (or high) place to sit in [place where nobles or people of rank sit down].

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He ordered his slaves to cook for them and give them to eat. They noticed that the Toad ate no meat, so they gave him berries to eat. He and his wife finished their dishes. The chief asked his daughter not to go back with Toad, but to stay with them. She told her husband, and he left her. Now the people closed all the chinks of the house, so that no Toads could enter. In the morning they saw that many Toads had surrounded the house. Soon they came in; and finally they filled the house, much to the terror and annoyance of the people. The girl’s father offered to pay the Toads for the girl, but they paid no attention. Then the girl said to her father, “Let me go with them!” The girl returned to the Toad chief’s house, and all the Toads left. For this reason women are now afraid of toads, who steal people.

Origin of the grizzly-bear death-song

A woman married a grizzly bear and bore twin sons who appeared human but had bear-like features. During a village game where participants imitated bears, the mother and her sons donned bear skins, transforming into real bears. Overcome by their instincts, they attacked and killed many villagers. Filled with remorse, they retreated to the mountains, singing a mourning song. This “Grizzly-Bear Song” was heard and adopted by the people, becoming a traditional lament sung by hunters after killing a bear.

► Themes of the story

Loss and Renewal: The accidental killing of villagers by the transformed family leads to their departure and the creation of a mourning song, symbolizing loss and the emergence of a new cultural element.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts lessons about the consequences of actions and the importance of understanding and respecting the boundaries between human and animal realms.

Cultural Heroes: The bear-children and their mother become foundational figures in the culture, their story explaining the origin of a significant mourning song.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

Once a woman was taken away by a grizzly bear and became his wife. She bore twins, and after a year she returned home with her children, who were half bear. They had some hair growing between the shoulders and around the wrists. The people often had games of playing bear, both children and elders. Some of them dressed in bear-skins, and the others hunted them, carrying sticks and wooden knives. When a person acting bear was overtaken, he stood up and fought. The Grizzly children were asked by the other children to play. They said, “We want you to show us how your father does.” The Bear children asked their mother’s permission, but she would not consent. Many times the cubs were asked, but their mother always refused. One day, however, she gave them their bear-skins. She also said, “I shall play bear too.” As soon as the three put on their skins, they looked like real bears.

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They ran uphill into a hole, and the people acting hunters chased them. The Indians shouted, “Hoh!” as men do when they want a bear to come out of his hole. The three bears came out of the hole and attacked the people. They killed most of them, and the others ran away. Then the grizzly bears went into the mountains and never came back. As they went along, they sang a mourning-song known as “The Grizzly-Bear Song,” because they were sorrowful for having killed their relatives. The people heard them singing, and learned the song.

This is said to have happened on the Upper Nass or Upper Skeena River: therefore, among the tribes to the south, hunters sing these mourning-songs for a bear whenever they kill one. The Grizzly twins were just like ordinary Indian children before they put on their bearskins (and were born as such).

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

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

► Themes of the story

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

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

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

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

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

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

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

The hunter who could not run

A young man struggles with hunting due to his inability to run without fear. His uncle observes this and subjects him to rigorous training, including making him carry heavy loads up steep mountains and enduring intense steam in a sweat-house. Over time, the youth overcomes his fears and becomes a proficient hunter.

► Themes of the story

Hero’s Journey: The narrative follows the youth’s transformative adventure, guided by his uncle, leading him to overcome personal limitations and achieve greatness as a hunter.

Cultural Heroes: The uncle serves as a foundational figure, imparting essential survival skills and cultural values to the youth, thereby shaping his role in society.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts lessons on perseverance, discipline, and the importance of mentorship in personal development.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

A young man lived with his uncle, who made many arrows for him. The youth always shot them away, and came back from hunting without arrows or game. His uncle thought he would watch him. He saw some caribou running away from the youth, who ran after them just a little way. Then he walked with long strides to make people think that he had been running. His uncle then ran ahead, killed all the caribou, and waited for the youth to come up. He was walking comfortably. His uncle asked him why he was not running, and said, “You will never catch any game in that way. Caribou run fast.” The youth answered, “When I run a short time, my heart begins to beat so hard, that I become afraid and have to walk.” They carried the meat to camp. Now the youth’s uncle took him hunting sheep, and killed several. He made his nephew carry a whole sheep up a steep mountain. He made him run. At first he ran, and then he walked.

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His uncle followed close behind, and pushed him when he went too slowly. The youth nearly dropped, but his uncle made him go to the top without stopping. Then his uncle said to him, “You will not die. You will never be out of breath.” The next day he took him to a sweat-house, in which he made much steam. The youth tried to run out, saying that his heart was sick and that he was going to die. His uncle said to him, “You cannot get out until the sweat-house begins to cool off,” and he held him down. Thus he trained him in the sweat-house and by making him run and climb steep slopes. In the end he became a great hunter.