The Sun and the Moon

A young woman in a nameless village refuses all suitors and secretly takes a nightly lover who scratches her head in sleep. Curious, she ties a feather in his hair only to find it on her brother. In anger and shame she sacrifices her breasts, accuses him, then ascends to the sky as the sun. Her brother, in haste, follows as the moon—forever marked by their tragic bond.

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

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: This tale explains how the sun and moon came into being.

Sacrifice: The sister mutilates herself, offering her breasts as evidence and as an ultimate sacrifice.

Family Dynamics: The central conflict arises from the twisted relationship between siblings and its devastating consequences.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Athabaskan Lore

Learn more about the Athabaskan people

There was once a large village, where there lived a family of four boys, with their younger sister, making five children. And, as the story goes, the girl refused to marry when she grew up, even though many suitors came from a distance as well as from her own village. And, as she continued to refuse them, by and by the men and women of her set were all married off. At that time, I must tell you, there was no sun and moon, and the earth was in a kind of twilight. So this woman lived on, though the strangers no longer came, and her own mates took no further notice of her, being married already.

At length, one night, some one came and scratched her head while she was asleep. “There are no strangers in the village,” thought she. “Who can this be?”

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Nevertheless, she spoke with him. Every night this man who spoke with her did the same thing, and finally he became as her husband. “But who can it be,” she thought. “Every one in the village is married, except my older brother, and there are no strangers here. I will tie a feather in his hair, and when they leave the kashime, I will go and see who it is that has his hair tied.” “Come,” said she, “leave me and go to the kashime. Come! You must have some sleep, and I am sleepy, too.” So she spoke after she had tied the feather in his hair, and he left her and went to the kashime, while she lay awake, thinking.

When it began to grow light, she went out and stood at the door of their house, and saw the men coming out, according to their custom, but none of them had the feather in his hair. Suddenly her older brother rushed out. She looked, and there was the feather. The blood rushed to her face, and everything grew dark; then she was overcome with anger. At daylight she brought in (from her cache) her best parka, a beautiful one which had never been worn. Berries also, and deer-fat she brought, without a word, and did not even answer her mother when she spoke to her.

Then, when she had made the fire, she bathed herself, and attired herself in her beautiful parka and her moccasins (as for a journey). Then she took the frozen food (which she had prepared) and put it into her brother’s bowl, and taking her housewife’s knife, she reached down within her parka and cut off her breasts and put them upon the frozen food, and thrust an awl into each, and went with it to the kashime.

Inside the door, she straightened herself up. Yonder, on the opposite side of the room, sat her brother. She set the dish down by him. “There is no doubt that it was you who did it,” she said; “I thought surely it must be some one else. A pestilence will break out upon all mankind for what you have done.”

She left the kashime, and yonder, in the east, she went up in the sky as the sun. Then her brother drew on his parka and moccasins also, but in his haste he left off one of them. “My sister has escaped me,” he thought; and he too, going after her, became the moon.

“And,” adds the story-teller, “we do not look at the sun, because we sympathize with her shame.”

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Story of the baby stolen by Wolverene

A woman is killed by a giant, leaving her infant motherless. A marten nurtures the baby until the father avenges his wife by killing the giant. Later, a wolverine deceives the community and abducts the child. The father tracks them, eventually reuniting with his now-grown son. Together, they confront the wolverine, restoring their family bond.

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

Family Dynamics: Central to the tale is the relationship between the father and his son, emphasizing the father’s determination to rescue and reunite with his child.

Cunning and Deception: Wolverene’s deceitful act of stealing the baby under false pretenses showcases themes of trickery and manipulation.

Trials and Tribulations: The father’s relentless journey to retrieve his son involves overcoming numerous challenges, reflecting perseverance in the face of adversity.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

A man and his wife were travelling towards where the people lived. The woman was taken in travail, and, as was the custom of the people, she had to go in retirement during and for some time after her confinement. When they camped for the night, the husband made a camp for himself, and another for his wife some distance away.

One night a giant came to the woman’s camp, threw a noose around her neck as she was sitting at the fire, choked her, and dragged her body away in the snow. The baby, which remained alone, began to cry. The husband called out to his wife, “Why does the baby cry so much?”

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Receiving no response, he went over to see. When he arrived, the baby was quiet, and he found Marten suckling the baby with his tongue. He asked him what he was doing; and he said, “I am suckling the baby with my tongue, for his mother is dead.” The husband took his bow and arrows and followed the giant’s track in the dark, and after a time came to where the giant had lighted a big fire and was about to eat. He saw him sucking the milk out of the woman’s breasts, and then he put them on sticks before the fire to cook. The man crawled up close to the giant, and fired an arrow into his body. The giant immediately put his hand up to the place, and said, “My! A spark has burned me!” He said to the fire, “Why did you do that?” Again the man shot him, and he did the same. Then he said, “It is strange, I feel sleepy.” He lay down, saying, “I will sleep a little while before eating the breasts.” He was dying, and did not know it.

When the man returned, he found Marten caring for the baby, and suckling him, as before. The man gave his breasts to the baby, and milk came. After that, in the day-time Marten suckled the baby with his tongue, and at night the father gave him his breasts. At last they reached the people, and the man gave his baby to the women to rear. He hunted, and every five days returned to see his baby, and was glad to see that he was doing well.

One day, when he was away hunting, Wolverene came to the camp and told the people the father had sent him to get the baby and take it to him. The people thought this strange, but gave him the baby. After five days the father came back, and asked to see the baby. The people said, “Why, don’t you know, Wolverene came here some days ago, saying that you had sent him for the baby, and we gave it to him.” The man stated that he had not sent Wolverene, and at once started in pursuit of him. At Wolverene’s first camp he found baby-moss, his son being still a baby; at the second camp, small snowshoes, showing that the baby was now a boy and walking; at the third camp he found larger snowshoes, and saw that the boy had been using small arrows; at the fourth camp the snowshoes and arrows were larger; and at the fifth camp the tracks showed that the boy was now a man. Next day he found where the boy and Wolverene had separated, and he followed the tracks of the former.

The Wolverene always counted the lad’s arrows when he returned home at night. When the man came to his son, the latter thought him very strange, for he did not remember having seen people. His father told him, “You are my son.” He showed him his breasts, saying, “I suckled you. Wolverene stole you, and I have followed you a long way.” The lad at last believed him. His father said, “Tell Wolverene, when you see him tonight, to follow the sun on the morrow, and camp where the sun goes down, and there you will join him tomorrow night. Also tell him that you shot an arrow up in a tree, and you are going back after it.”

That night Wolverene counted the birds the lad had shot, and his arrows, and found one of the latter missing. Wolverene agreed to the boy’s proposal. In the morning he travelled towards the setting son, while the lad returned. That night the lad did not come to camp, and next morning Wolverene started to look for him. He came to the lad up in the top of a tree, pretending to look for his arrow, and his father standing at the bottom. Wolverene asked the latter who he was, and what he was doing there; but when the man answered and talked with him, Wolverene told him to shut up or he would kill him. The father had already arranged with his son how they would act. Wolverene told the boy to come down out of the tree; but he answered, “Father, I can’t descend, my moccasins are frozen to the tree.” Wolverene said, “Very well, don’t try to come down, you may fall. I will climb up and carry you down.” When Wolverene got beside him, he turned around to get in position to carry him down, and the lad struck him on the head, knocking him off the tree. His father at the bottom of the tree then killed Wolverene, who was already stunned by the fall.

Wolverene and his wives

Wolverene marries a series of sisters, confining each in a pit and overfeeding them until they become fat. He then kills and consumes them, feigning grief to marry the next sister. The youngest sister grows suspicious, escapes, and reveals his deeds to her family. Her brothers retaliate by killing Wolverene, ending his murderous cycle.

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

Trickster: Wolverene embodies the trickster archetype, using deceit to marry and murder multiple sisters.

Family Dynamics: The narrative explores complex relationships within a family, particularly the bond between the sisters and their collective plight.

Revenge and Justice: The story culminates in Wolverene facing retribution for his actions, delivering justice through familial intervention.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

Wolverene married the eldest of many sisters, and took her to his house. He hunted all the time, and always had plenty of meat and fat. He had a hole in the ground under his house, into which he put his wife. He kept her there, and fed her just fat meat and fat. He never gave her any water to drink. When she was very fat, he killed her and ate her (or cached her meat).

He then went crying to his mother-in-law’s house, saying that his wife was dead. He cried so much, that they took pity on him, and he got the next oldest sister for a wife. He did the same with her. Thus he married and killed all the sisters excepting the youngest two.

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At last the youngest sister of age was given to him. She thought something was wrong, and was on her guard. He treated her the same way. When she had been some time in the hole, she asked him why he had never slept with her; and he answered, “I don’t want to spoil my food.” She then told him to give her something to kill mice with, for they were annoying her terribly. He gave her a long, sharp piece of antler. While he was absent hunting, she dug a tunnel with the tool, until she got out to the bank of the creek. She was too fat to walk, so she rolled to the creek and drank. She then rolled onto a log, and floated downstream to the place where her mother drew water. Her sister, a little girl, came for water, and saw her. She went back and told her mother, who said, “Don’t say that you saw your sister! She is dead.” However, she went and brought her daughter up to the camp. She fed her nothing but water, so that she might get thin.

Wolverene thought she had died, and shortly afterwards appeared, crying, and saying that his wife had died. The woman’s mother hid her. Wolverene smelled her, and sniffed, saying, “Ah! What do I smell? It smells like an old cache.” Then he thought his wife might have escaped somehow, and went back to see if she was still in the hole or cache. He was wont to leave his victims in the hole for a time after they were dead. His brothers-in-law followed close behind him. When he went into the hole to see if his wife was there, they hid close to the edge. When he stuck his head up to come out, they hit him and killed him.

Wolverene

Wolverene, a skilled beaver hunter, uses his penis as an ice chisel to set nets quickly. When his brothers-in-law discover his method and mock him, he withholds food from them. They eventually hunt a moose, leading to a conflict where they kill Wolverene and his family, except for the youngest child, who transforms into a wolverene, vowing to steal from people’s caches and traps.

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

Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on complex relationships within a family, highlighting tensions between Wolverene, his wives, children, mother-in-law, and brothers-in-law.

Revenge and Justice: After Wolverene’s mistreatment and deceit, his family exacts retribution, culminating in his demise.

Cunning and Deception: The story features acts of deceit, such as Wolverene’s trick with the beaver and the family’s strategy to punish him.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

Wolverene had two wives and several children. His wives’ mother, and two brothers of his wives who were yet boys, lived with them. He always caught many beavers, and gave plenty of meat to his mother-in-law and brothers-in-law as well as to his own family. He was very quick at setting beaver-nets, for he used his penis as an ice-chisel. The boys tried to find out how he managed to set the nets so quickly, but he always managed to conceal himself when making holes in the ice. One day, however, they happened to see him, and made remarks about the shape of his ice-chisel. One of his own sons told him of these remarks. He became angry, and said he would starve them.

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After that he fed his own wives and children, as usual, but gave nothing to his mother-in-law and brothers-in-law. He allowed them a fire, however, but he gave orders to his wives not to give them any food.

When Wolverene’s daughter saw that her grandmother was starving, she went to her mother, saying she was very hungry, and asked her for some beaver-meat. Pretending to eat the meat, she passed it down her dress, and carried it to her grandmother and the boys. The latter now began to hunt, for they were very hungry. One day they chased a moose by the place where Wolverene was working beaver on the ice. They asked him if the moose was far ahead; and he answered, “Just a little ways.” The lads chased the moose a very long way before they caught up with it and killed it. They brought back some meat and fat to their camp. That night they broke some bones to extract the marrow, and Wolverene heard them. He called out, “Oh, you have some meat! You are eating marrow-bones.” The old woman was angry, and answered back, “No, you are mistaken. We are breaking old bones. Where should we get meat? We are starving.”

That night, when Wolverene was asleep, the old woman and boys shifted camp to where the moose was. Next morning Wolverene noticed that there was no fire at their camp, and sent one of his sons over to find out the reason. He came back and told his father that there were no people there. Wolverene knew now that the lads had killed the moose. He made up his mind to follow them, and told his wives to go ahead. He would stay behind and finish catching beavers, and then overtake them. He killed a number of beavers, and, taking one of them on his back, he set out. Before long he passed his wife, who was pregnant, and therefore walking very slowly.

When he reached the people’s camp, he said, “I have brought you some good meat;” and he gave the beaver to his mother-in-law. He had defecated inside the beaver. The old woman threw it away, saying, “We do not eat your dirt.” Wolverene said, “How nice the moose-fat smells!” The people said, “We will feed you fat; sit down and close your eyes.” He was not particular now about concealing his privates, but sat down before the fire and lifted up his apron (or shirt?), exposing himself to view. When he shut his eyes, the people poured hot grease on his privates. He began to scratch at the burnt place; and while he was doing this, they clubbed and killed him. They then went out and met the wife who had the children and was pregnant, killed her, and cut open her belly. They also killed all the children excepting the youngest, who managed to escape and climbed a tree. Here he became a wolverene, and said, “Henceforth I shall break into people’s caches, and steal out of their marten-traps.”

Rabbit-Man

Rabbit-Man, a clever shaman, discovers his brothers are mistreated by their brother-in-law, Bear-Man. To avenge them, Rabbit-Man tricks and kills Bear-Man and his sister. When Bear-Man’s allies seek revenge, Rabbit-Man transforms himself and his brothers into feathers to escape. He then provides for his brothers and plans to confront their remaining enemies.

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

Trickster: Rabbit-Man is portrayed as a cunning figure who uses his wit to outsmart Bear-Man, reflecting the classic trickster archetype.

Revenge and Justice: The narrative involves Rabbit-Man seeking justice for his brothers’ mistreatment by Bear-Man, leading to acts of retribution.

Family Dynamics: Complex relationships are depicted, particularly between Rabbit-Man, his sister, and Bear-Man, highlighting familial tensions and alliances.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

Rabbit-Man was very clever. He was a shaman and next in power to Beaver. He had two brothers and a sister. The latter was married to Bear-Man, and the two brothers lived with them. Rabbit lived alone in another place.

Bear became angry because his young brothers-in-law were lazy, and he made up his mind to starve them. He made them always camp behind himself and his wife, in a different place, and gave them raw liver. Rabbit-Man knew that his brothers were badly treated, and went to see them. He saw that his brothers had no fire and no good food to eat. After making a big fire for them, he asked where Bear-Man was camped.

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They said, “On ahead,” and indicated the spot. Rabbit went to Bear’s camp, and found only his sister (Bear’s wife) there. He saw much fat meat there. Without saying a word, he helped himself to the meat, and went back and fed his brothers. When Bear came home, he missed the meat, but said nothing. As he changed his moccasins, he thought of Rabbit. He knew that he had come, and he knew that he was a very clever man. Soon afterwards Rabbit appeared, and asked Bear if he had seen any moose or buffalo when hunting, and Bear replied that he had seen three. Rabbit proposed that they should go after them at once; but Bear said that he was too tired, and could not go until morning. At last Rabbit persuaded him to go that night. They chased the moose (or buffalo) and killed two. One ran off, and Rabbit went after it. He ran it down, killed it, and cached the meat in the snow.

On returning to Bear, he told him that he had failed to catch the runaway. Bear prepared to pack the two animals they had killed by tying them together, while Rabbit was to go ahead and break a trail for him to follow. Bear said, “My load is very heavy; break a good trail for me, and pick good easy ground.” Rabbit made a trail through bad places and straight up steep places. At last he went up a very steep place, and Bear became angry. He said to himself, “I will fix him when I get to camp!” When Bear reached the top of the declivity with his heavy load, his head was bent down, and he was out of breath. Rabbit hit him on the head with a club and killed him. He rolled over backwards with his heavy pack. Rabbit then returned to camp, and told his sister, “Your husband wants you to meet him. He is tired.” She answered, “No, my husband never yet asked me to meet him.” Rabbit persisted in the truth of his statement, and at last she went. He killed her at the same spot where he had killed her husband.

Rabbit now returned to his brothers, and took them to the place where he had cached the meat. There they camped, and cooked and ate much. Now, Bear-Man had many friends, and they came to take revenge. Rabbit gave each of his brothers a feather. He told them, if they were attacked, never to move or to say anything, but just to watch his eyes. He said, “While I sit, you sit; and when I get up, you get up.” The Bear people came and attacked the camp. Rabbit got up; his brothers did the same, and all changed into feathers. They blew away on the wind, and came down a long ways off, where they changed back to their natural forms and camped. Rabbit hunted and killed many moose, so they had plenty to eat. He said to his brothers, “Live here until I return. I am going to kill our enemies.”

Rabbit arrived at the camp of an old Bear-Man, who was sharpening sticks. He said to him, “Why are you making these sharp sticks?” and Bear answered, “To kill Rabbit-Man.” (Bear did not recognize Rabbit, for he had changed his appearance.) Rabbit asked old Bear-Man how he used the sticks, and the latter showed him. Rabbit took up the stick, and, pointing it at Bear’s head, said, “Oh, this way!” and then pierced him with it, killing him.

Rabbit went on to a camp of many people near a lake. Changing himself into a young rabbit, he sat down near the hole in the ice where the people got water. Some women carrying water saw him and caught him. They took him to camp and showed him to the other people, who thought it strange that there should be a young rabbit in the middle of winter. They all examined him, passing him from hand to hand. Wolverene was the last one to examine him. After looking at him very closely, he said, “Perhaps this is Rabbit-Man,” and threw him into the fire. Rabbit jumped out of the fire, and ran away as if lame. The people followed him, trying to catch him. He ran out in the middle of the lake, chased by the people. He made a gale of wind come and blow all the snow off the ice, which became so smooth and slippery that the people could not stand up. He then took a stick and killed one after another.

Wolverene had not followed him. He thought himself smart, and sat in the camp smiling to himself. Rabbit entered, and, striking him across the arms and legs, broke them. He put his body on a spit and set it up before the fire to bake. He then gathered all the children together, chinked up the brush lodge, and set fire to it. When all were burned up, he went home. This is how wars started among the Indians. At one time war was unknown. Rabbit introduced war, and the Indians imitated him. Since then there has been war among tribes and families. Had Rabbit not introduced war, people would know nothing of war now.

The dog-man and dog-children

A young woman marries a mysterious man who is actually a dog in human form. After giving birth to seven puppies, she is abandoned by her family. The puppies transform into children when alone, and the mother eventually burns their dog skins, making the transformation permanent. The children grow rapidly and become successful hunters due to their keen sense of smell inherited from their canine heritage.

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

Supernatural Beings: The husband in the story possesses the ability to transform between human and dog forms, indicating interactions with beings beyond the ordinary.

Family Dynamics: The tale explores complex relationships within the family, including the mother’s reaction to her daughter’s unconventional offspring and the interactions among the siblings.

Cunning and Deception: The mother employs clever tactics to uncover the truth about her children’s transformations and the inappropriate relationship between her youngest son and his sister.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

The narrator said that he thought this story may have come from the Tahltan to the Kaska some time ago, as both tribes have the story localized in the Tahltan country.

A family consisting of parents and daughter lived together. They had an old dog who always lay at the entrance of the lodge. Whenever the girl went outside, she had to step over the dog. One day they moved camp, and as usual put a pack on the dog. When they reached the camping-place, the dog was missing. The parents sent the girl back to look for him. She met a good-looking man accompanied by a dog carrying a pack. He asked her where she was going, and she told him she was looking for their dog, who had gone astray with his pack. He answered, “This must be your missing dog. I found him, and am bringing him along.” The girl, becoming fascinated with the man, ran off with him, and camped in a different place. The man hunted, and always obtained plenty of game. He told his wife, “When you throw away bones, never throw them far.” The woman noticed that when her husband hunted, she always heard barking where he was. She asked him about this, and he answered that he knew nothing of the barking. She also noticed that the bones she threw out were always eaten up or gone in the morning.

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One night she pretended to sleep, and watched. Her husband arose, and soon afterwards she heard something eating the bones outside. She looked, and saw that it was an old dog. She now knew that her husband was a dog or dog-man, and, taking a club, she struck the old dog on the head and killed him. She then went back to her parents and told them she had been living with a man, and that she was pregnant. Her mother, thinking she would have a nice baby, prepared for it by making a fine marten-skin robe, and a nice bed for the baby to be born in. The girl gave birth to seven pups; and her mother became so angry and disgusted, that she snatched away the robe, took away all the food and everything in the lodge, and left the place. Her father and all the people also deserted her.

The girl lived by picking berries. When their mother was away gathering food, the pups turned into children and played together. There were six boys and a girl, and the girl always watched while the others played. The mother noticed, when she came home, that the brush on the floor of the lodge was disturbed and turned over, as if children had been playing; and she thought it strange that dogs should do this. She picked up some rags and made them roughly to resemble clothes, which she stuck up within view of the lodge one day when she was out. The girl watched this, thinking it was her mother. The latter crept around behind, seized the dog-skins the children had discarded, and threw them into the fire. The girl, however, managed to get on part of her skin, and thus remained half dog. Later the mother managed to get the rest of her skin, and she then became like her brothers.

The dogs were now really children, and they grew up fast. The young men hunted, and always brought back plenty of game. They had the power of scenting game, as dogs do, and therefore were very successful in hunting.

Now, the mother was suspicious that one of her sons slept with his sister, and she determined to find out which one it was. She smeared pitch all round where her daughter slept, and next morning she noticed the side of her youngest son marked with pitch. She was sorry about this, and began to travel with her family. When about to cross the Stikine River in the Tahltan country, she said to the girl, “Look at your brothers bathing in the river down below! “As soon as she looked, all were changed to stone, including the mother. Some were ashore at the time, and some were in the river. All of them are now rocks to be seen at this place.

The man who cohabited with his sister

A man becomes infatuated with his sister, neglecting his wives and children. He kills his sister’s husband, hoards food for her, and lets his family starve. Suspicious, his elder wife discovers the affair and the murder. She avenges by killing the sister and, with her co-wife, later kills their husband, ending his betrayal and restoring balance.

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

Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on complex familial relationships, including a man living with his two wives (who are sisters) and his illicit relationship with his own sister.

Love and Betrayal: The man’s infatuation with his sister leads him to betray his family, resulting in deceit and treachery.

Revenge and Justice: The elder wife, upon discovering her husband’s actions, exacts revenge by killing his sister and, eventually, the man himself, restoring a sense of justice.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

A man lived in one place with his two wives, who were sisters. The elder had four children, and the younger none. In another place not far away lived his sister, who was married to a brother of his wives. The man always killed plenty of marmots, and the family were well provided for. After a time he brought home no marmots, and the family began to be hungry. He had become enamoured of his sister, who was a young girl, and he visited her constantly. He killed his sister’s husband (brother to his wives), cut his body open, and defecated inside. He brought all the meat to his sister, and none to his family, for he wished them to starve to death. He claimed that he had bad luck and could get no game.

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Sometimes he was away as long as five nights, and returned without anything. The women managed to live by snaring ground-squirrels. They noticed that their husband was always fat and contented-looking, and he never slept with them. They became suspicious, and one day the elder wife followed him. When he was out of sight, she ran; and when in sight, she lay and watched. She took advantage of the nature of the ground, and followed him until §he saw him enter his sister’s camp. She hid and watched until she saw him leave the camp for the purpose of visiting his marmot-traps. He was dressed in new clothes, while, when he came home to them, he always wore old ragged clothes. When he was out of sight, she approached the camp, and, in passing by the place where they got water, she saw the defiled body of her brother lying there. She entered the camp, and saw much meat there. She said to her sister-in-law, “Oh, you are well off! Your husband must be a good hunter, for you have plenty of meat on hand. Our husband cannot get anything, and we are starving.” Her sister-in-law then cooked some liver for her, although there was an abundance of good meat in the camp. After eating, she said to her sister-in-law, “I think you have many lice in your head. I will louse you before I go.” The girl accepted the service, and laid her head in the woman’s lap. After lousing her a little while, the woman took the two bone scratchers which were suspended by a string around the girl’s neck, and with one in each hand ran them into the girl’s ears and killed her. She pounded up some dried meat, and filled the girl’s mouth and nostrils with it. Then, taking a pack of the best meat and fat, she went home, and fed her children with fat. When the man returned to his sister’s camp, he found her dead, and was very sorry. He took his pack of marmots to his own camp, where he said to his wives, “I have had good luck this time, and have brought you some meat; but you must make a camp for me some distance away, as I want to be alone. If I sleep with you, my bad luck may return.” His real reason was that he might be alone, and thus be able to cry without being noticed. The women made a camp for him a little ways off, arranged everything nicely, and put a block of wood under his pillow. That evening they fed the children with some roots. One of them cried for fat; and the women, fearing their husband had heard it, said, “It is roots the child means. How could he know about fat? He has never been used to eating it.” Their husband went over to his camp, and they could hear him crying. After a while he fell asleep, and they could hear him snoring. The two women then went over and clubbed him to death on the head. Before he died he cried, “You have killed my sister, and now you kill me!” (This is why men sometimes take a fancy to their sisters, and even cohabit with them. Had not this man in mythological times become enamoured of his sister, men would not do so now.)

The elder sister now proposed that they should go to where their late husband’s brother lived, and tell him what had happened. He was unmarried and lived alone. The younger sister was afraid, saying that he would kill them; but at last she agreed to go. They gathered all their meat together, and took all the marmots from the traps, and made a cache of all. Then they burned the body of their husband and departed. When they drew near their brother-in-law’s camp, the elder sister said, “I am not afraid. I don’t care if he kills me. I shall go and see him.” She went into the camp, carrying her baby on her back, and told the man of the killing of his brother and sister, giving him full details. He said to her, “You have done right. My brother did evil, and acted like a dog.” The woman told him that her sister was afraid, and remained some distance away with the children. He said, “Tell her to come in. She need not be afraid. I do not blame you for what you have done.” She went into camp with the children, and the two sisters became the wives of their brother-in-law.

The deserted woman

A woman is unjustly accused of infidelity by her husband after finding a ball of fat. He burns her belongings and abandons her to die. Resourcefully, she survives by catching rabbits and crafting necessities. Eventually, two brothers discover her, and she becomes their wife, creating fine clothing and living contentedly. Later, her former husband returns.

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

Transformation: The protagonist undergoes significant personal growth, evolving from a deserted wife to a self-reliant individual who crafts her own survival tools and garments.

Family Dynamics: The narrative delves into complex relationships, highlighting her initial betrayal by her husband and eventual integration into a new family structure.

Loss and Renewal: Experiencing the loss of her former life, she rebuilds and finds new beginnings with her subsequent partners.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Kaska Lore

Learn more about the Kaska people

A man and his wife were travelling with other people. The woman had a heavy load, and was following behind. She came to a hill where the people had slid down with their toboggans on the snow. Here she found a ball of fat which must have been lost from one of the toboggans. When she reached camp, she showed the fat to her husband. He became angry, and accused her of having a sweetheart, which she denied. He said, “Your sweetheart must have paid you in fat.” (This is why some married people are now suspicious of each other, and accuse each other of infidelity without sufficient reason.) In the morning the husband burned his wife’s clothes and tools, the people extinguished the fires, and all of them deserted the place, leaving the woman to die of cold and starvation.

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Only her sister-in-law had pity on her, and told her she had left a little fire for her in one place.

As soon as the people were out of sight, the woman blew on the embers left by her sister-in-law, and made a small fire. Numbers of rabbits began to come to the deserted camp. She found some scraps of sinew at a place where the men had been making arrows. She made a snare with these, and caught a rabbit. She took the sinews of its legs and made another snare. Thus she continued catching and living on rabbits. She made needles and awls of their bones, thread of their sinews, and clothing and blankets of their skins. She took great care not to let the lire go out, as she had no axe or any tools for making fire. She collected whatever fire-wood she could find. She had no snowshoes, and could not go very far, for the snow was deep in that place.

At last March came, and spring was near. There was a hard, thick crust on the snow. One day she tapped on her knee, and said, “I wish some of you people would come this way!” She said this almost without thinking, as if in fun. Soon afterwards a moose ran past the camp, and a man on snowshoes in pursuit on the crust. Seeing the moose had passed near the camp, the man asked the woman how long since it has passed or how far ahead it was. She pointed out to him the branches of a tree still moving which it had touched in passing, and made a sign that it had just gone out of sight. The man went on, after telling her that his brother was following and would camp there that night. The brother came along, following the tracks, and, seeing the camp, left his blankets there with the woman. The first brother killed the moose, and that night both brothers returned to the woman’s camp heavily laden with moose-meat. They cooked meat and gave some of it to the woman. During the course of the evening they asked the woman why she was alone, and why she wore only rabbitskin clothing, and she told them all. They said, “When we return to our camp, we shall tell our mother.” They told their mother, who said, “I am almost blind now, and I am very glad you have found this woman. She will be a wife for you, and will sew your clothes.” They took the woman to wife, and she made for them fancy clothes of moose and caribou skin, embroidered richly with quill-work, and feather head-dresses. (This is why men are now jealous of a good wife, who looks after them well and makes fancy clothes for them.) She also made good clothes for herself. (This is why men now like a woman who dresses neatly and well.)

The woman staid with her husbands and mother-in-law in one place. After a time her former husband arrived, and, finding tracks, he followed them to the camp. He was surprised to find his former wife there, finely dressed, well provided with meat, and having two husbands. He offered to buy her back with a stone axe and arrows. The woman took the axe and threw it into deep water, and threw the arrows into the fire. She said to him, “Don’t you remember how you left me to starve? I shall never go with you now!” He departed crying. (This is why, when a good woman separates from a bad man, she becomes better off, and never returns to him.)

The killing of the children avenged

The story recounts a tragic event where, during a buffalo hunt, a group of children is killed by strangers. Upon discovering the massacre, the grieving parents rush back, but one young man remains composed. He later tracks down the perpetrators, mutilates them by cutting off their ears, and leaves them to suffer, thus avenging the slain children.

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

Revenge and Justice: The narrative centers on avenging the slain children, highlighting retribution and the restoration of moral order.

Tragic Flaw: The initial complacency or negligence of the community members may have contributed to the tragedy, underscoring human vulnerabilities.

Family Dynamics: The story delves into familial bonds, emphasizing the deep impact of the children’s loss on their parents and the community.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Dane-zaa Lore

Learn more about the Dane-zaa people

The men were away after buffalo and their wives were moving the camp along after them. There was one woman living with them. “When you were named Wind-crossing-each-other, you used to say they (the Cree) are coming after us.” “Yes,” she said. This woman (?) who was coming along behind them turned off on another road. She made a road far from that place, not stopping to sleep until it was daylight. When one could see, the young buffaloes were coming from way over there. They drank up all the water. All the children were saying, “Mother, father, here is mother’s camp.” Now strange people had killed all the children. All the children had followed her along the upper road. She had put them in a hole there.

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An old woman ran from there to where the men were killing the buffalo and said, “Come, our children have all been killed. The men started running on the snow without their moccasins. They were crying because their children were all killed. There was one boy, the old woman’s son, who did not care. “Do as you please,” he told them. “I will come in the morning.” He did not care, he simply pulled the meat out of his mouth. When it was nearly daylight he started. The others were lying on the ground with cramps. He went after the others. They were crying because their children had been killed. He cut off the ears of some of them and let them suffer still living. He made them like the rest of his relatives. “Let them suffer,” he said and so he had revenge. [Both the text and the interpretation were so poorly done that the narrative is hardly intelligible.]

A woman hides bear meat from her starving husband

In a time of famine, a woman discovers a bear and secretly hides its meat, even from her starving husband. Unaware, he returns to find only bear fat and becomes fearful. Despite their children’s hunger, she conceals the bear, leading to tension. Eventually, they begin catching fish, sustaining the group until spring. This tale highlights themes of secrecy and survival among the Dane-zaa people.

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: The woman secretly hides the bear meat from her husband and the rest of the starving group, deceiving them about the available resources.

Family Dynamics: The narrative explores the relationship between the woman and her husband, highlighting issues of trust and survival within the family unit.

Loss and Renewal: The community experiences a period of deprivation followed by a renewal of fortune when they begin to catch fish, illustrating the cyclical nature of hardship and relief.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Dane-zaa Lore

Learn more about the Dane-zaa people

Once a band of Indians were traveling about starving. There was one man who was a poor hunter and no one fed him. Then the man’s wife found a bear and hid it from the others. The man did not know about it either. He had been some distance ahead and returned to find his wife gone. He wondered what was the matter and turned back to look for her. When he came back close he stood listening, for he feared the Cree were about. He heard his children asking for fat. “Why do the children say that?” he said to himself. When he came home nothing but bear fat was to be seen. He was frightened. The woman was hiding it. “Since you have hidden it for a short time, you must continue to hide well,” he said.

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They were with the people and had eaten up a bear without their knowing it. They had not secured fish and the children were about to die of starvation, yet she had hidden the bear. The woman was not feeding that man. They had been many places for fish, but they had not killed any when suddenly they began to kill fish. He lived well with the people. They all lived until the snow melted.