The orphan boy kills beaver

In a time of famine, an orphaned boy and his sister discover a beaver lake. The boy asks his sister to cut a hole in the ice and make him willow arrows. He successfully spears many beavers, providing food for their people. Later, as starvation looms again, the boy’s anger leads him to consume a beaver leg, after which he kills more beavers, ensuring their survival.

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

Sacrifice: The sister’s dedication to her brother, carrying him and assisting in his endeavors, exemplifies personal sacrifice for a loved one.

Conflict with Nature: The act of hunting beavers in a frozen environment highlights the struggle against natural elements to secure food.

Family Dynamics: The close relationship between the orphaned siblings, with the sister taking on a parental role, underscores the complexities of familial bonds in challenging circumstances.

► From the same Region or People

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

Learn more about the Dane-zaa people

There was a young girl and her younger brother whose father and mother had died. The girl raised her brother. Once when the people were dying of starvation they came where there was a beaver lake as they were moving about. The boy’s sister was carrying a load on her back. [Perhaps this sentence should mean she was carrying her brother on her back.] The boy asked his sister to cut a hole through the ice for him so he might fish there. He also asked her to make him some arrows of a willow, saying he would try to get some fish. She was also to build a fire on the shore. To all this she gave her assent. They went to the bank and sat by a fire for a time. Then he started again to the lake where he stuck his arrows into the water and speared many beaver which he pulled out and killed with a club.

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He went back to his sister and asked her to bring the beaver for him. She went for them and brought them to the fire where she singed them. Then she started out after the other people carrying the singed beaver and her brother. The boy sat on his sister’s back working at the beaver. As she was carrying him along there someone saw him. They ran up to him. His sister put him down. The people took all the beaver tails from him.

After that they were again dying of starvation. The boy was angry. He ate the leg of a beaver because he was angry. Starvation was killing them and they sent for him. He defecated and again he killed many beaver They lived all right after that.

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The stolen women

Two sisters are abducted by the Cree while their tribe’s men are hunting. Their brother, a medicine man, embarks on a quest to rescue them, receiving guidance from various animals along the way. He eventually locates his sisters and devises a plan for their escape. The younger sister successfully flees, but the story ends abruptly, leaving the elder sister’s fate unknown.

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

Quest: The brother undertakes a journey to rescue his kidnapped sisters.

Cunning and Deception: The brother devises a clever plan to facilitate his sisters’ escape from the Cree.

Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on the brother’s determination to save his sisters, highlighting strong familial bonds.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

A band of Chipewyan were staying by a lake. While the men were hunting, some Cree stole two of the Chipewyan women, who were sisters. Returning, the Chipewyan wanted to go after the Cree, but there were too few of them. So they stayed where they were, and continued to hunt deer. Each man would skin his deer, put all the deer meat in the hide, and thus drag it to the lodge. The brother of the stolen women was a medicine-man. He was very angry and started alone after the Cree. On his way he passed three birds’ nests. He had to speak to each before they allowed him to pass, and they gave him information as to the Cree. The fourth animal he met was a flying squirrel. It told him where he might find his sisters. “First, you must pass a snail, and if you lack food, ask the snail for some.

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Then you will get to an old woman.” The man traveled on, until he camped by a creek. He had nothing to eat. When a snail came, he asked it for food. The snail dived into the water, brought up four white fish and gave them to him. But on opening the sack, he found the fish transformed into snails. So he threw them away, and traveled on until he got to a lodge. He entered. There was an old woman there. “Grandmother, I am very hungry.” “I have nothing to give you, but go to the bush, and you will be sure to find some chickens. Pluck a chicken on the spot where it falls dead, stir up the feathers with a stick, and blow on them. Then every feather will turn into a chicken.” He acted accordingly, and each feather changed into a chicken that flew on the trees.

He started off again. His wife had been tracking him. He had been pulling along his deer hide with meat all the time, not noticing how his load was lightening as pieces of the meat fell out. The increased lightness of his load he attributed to his increasing strength. His wife had fed on these lost scraps of venison. She knew he had only one deer and kept track of the pieces found. She knew after a while that only the head was left. At last she found the head, and then she thought she had better turn back, or she should starve, that being the very last piece.

Her husband continued until he got to an old woman. She was a toad. She said, “You won’t travel a day, before you’ll arrive at your destination. I can’t tell you how you can best rescue your sisters, you’ll have to judge yourself when you get there.” He walked on, and got to the tracks of the Cree. At sunset he saw smoke far ahead. He saw a lodge without poles, but tied together of sticks, with an opening at one side. He watched in the bushes all night. He heard the people talking Cree, but stayed in the brush all night. Some one had left a moose hide outside.

In the morning he saw two women coming out of the lodge. They were his sisters. He made signs to them, and one of them came to him. The other woman worked at the moose hide. The man said, “This evening I’ll try to rescue you from the Cree. Cover yourself with a blanket and tie it with a rotten string, so that when your husband tries to pull you back, the string will break. Tell your sister about it.” In the evening the two women ate with their husband. They donned blankets and put sinew around, but the older sister used a kind of strong rag (?). The younger sister went ahead. She told their husband that they were going to fetch wood. The younger one started off. Her husband tried to restrain her, but the string broke, and she escaped. But the string of the older did not break, and so her husband held her back. The Chipewyan and his younger sister escaped. Every night, by their medicine, the Cree transformed the camping place of the fugitives into an island with fierce rapids around it, but in the morning the Chipewyan, by his medicine, conquered that of the Cree. Thus they got away in safety.

The death of Edalakone

Edalakone becomes angry with his wife and daughter, departing alone in his canoe, declaring he will no longer live with them. After two days, a search party follows his tracks, eventually finding him dead in the wilderness, with one of his dogs lying at his back. His decision to leave in anger leads to his demise.

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

Family Dynamics: The narrative begins with Edalakone becoming angry with his wife and daughter, leading to his departure. This highlights complex relationships within the family.

Tragic Flaw: Edalakone’s anger drives him to isolate himself, ultimately leading to his demise, suggesting a personal weakness contributing to his fate.

Community and Isolation: Edalakone’s decision to leave his family results in his isolation, contrasting with the community’s collective effort to search for him.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

Edalakone became angry with his wife and daughter. He went away from them in his canoe, saying, “I will not live with you longer.” After he had been gone two days, we went to look for him. Then next day, many joined in the search. Although it was summer, we found his tracks which we followed until noon. While we were stopping for lunch one of the two dogs which had left with him returned to our fire. There were eight men and two women in the company. When we had eaten, we again followed the tracks. After we had gone about half a mile, the three of us who were ahead, thought we saw something. An old man named Samuel Egu asked us to wait for him while he went ahead. When he had gone forward about twenty paces, he stopped. There was Edalakone with one of the dogs lying at his back. Samuel started to laugh but did not. Edalakone lay there dead. His going away angry into the brush did not turn out well for him. The others came there where we were.

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Beaver and Muskrat

Beaver and Muskrat, two brothers, decide to exchange tails to experience each other’s swimming abilities. Beaver enjoys swimming swiftly with Muskrat’s tail, but when returning it, he attaches it incorrectly, hindering Muskrat’s swimming speed. This act causes Muskrat to become perpetually ill-tempered, earning him the name “mean muskrat.”

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

Origin of Things: The physical change resulting from the exchange of tails and hands between Beaver and Muskrat.

Trickster: Beaver employs cunning to persuade Muskrat into the exchange, leading to Muskrat’s disadvantage.

Family Dynamics: The story explores the relationship and ensuing conflict between the two brother figures.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

Beaver and Muskrat were brothers living together by a lake. The oldest could swim very fast. Beaver said to Muskrat, the older brother, “Lend me your tail; I want to try it.” “No, I will not lend it to you, for any length of time,” Muskrat replied. “Well then, we will exchange tails for a short time,” Beaver said.

Muskrat gave Beaver his tail with which he was able to swim fast. After Beaver had swam around for a while Muskrat suggested that they exchange hands. “First put my tail on me again,” Beaver said. He put it back in the proper position but Beaver put Muskrat’s tail on edgewise. Since then he has not been able to swim fast. He became angry toward his young brother. He has been mean tempered ever since, and that is why he is called bedjede dzen — “mean muskrat.”

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Bear and Squirrel

Bear desires perpetual night to aid his hunting, but Squirrel challenges this, highlighting the difficulties of living without light. Conceding, Bear agrees to daylight. They then compete in various contests, with Bear winning unfairly. Frustrated, Squirrel cries, his tears forming stripes below his eyes, and decides to amuse children, becoming small and climbing a spruce. Bear declares he will serve as a food source when other meat is scarce and becomes large.

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

Cosmic Order and Chaos: The discussion about having perpetual night versus daylight reflects a struggle to determine the natural order.

Cunning and Deception: Bear’s victories in the contests are achieved unfairly, indicating deceitful behavior.

Family Dynamics: The interaction between Bear and Squirrel highlights sibling relationships and the dynamics of elder and younger brothers.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

This controversy between the squirrel and the bear concerning the prevalence of light or darkness is mentioned in a myth concerning the end of the world recorded by Petitot at Great Slave Lake in 1862. In this myth of Petitot the bears have all the elements suspended in bags from an enormous tree and the other animals succeed in securing the one which contains heat and unintentionally let it loose upon the earth resulting in a flood.

Bear once said, “There will only be night. In the summer, when the nights are not long, I cannot find anything good to eat. For that reason there shall only be night.” Then Squirrel, who was his younger brother, replied, “If there is only night how would you manage to live without being able to see?” “I could find food by smelling it,” Bear replied. “But,” asked Squirrel, “what would you do if something should stick in your nostrils?” “Oh, I could feel for food with my paw,” Bear suggested. “Well, but if you should stick something in your paw, what then?” Squirrel asked. “Why, then I would roll around until I found something,” Bear said. “But if something should stick through your body, you would kill yourself,” Squirrel warned him. “Well, then, let there be daylight,” conceded Bear.

“Come let us have some contests,” said Bear. “The one who jumps the farthest will be Bear.” Bear won. “Let us see who can jump the highest over a tree,” Bear again proposed. Bear won again. “Let us see who can run around this small lake first,” Bear said. Because Bear was the larger (being the elder brother) and Squirrel the smaller. Bear was first to run around the lake. Bear had beaten him each time, but not fairly.

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Squirrel, still saying, “I will be Bear,” began to cry. His eyes became red and the tears made stripes below his eyes. Finally he said, “I shall not be good for anything. I shall just amuse the children.” Then he climbed a spruce and became small.

Bear again spoke, “When there is no other meat, I will be a supply for them.” He ran along the side of the world and went inland where he became large.

The Raven woman

In a village by a river, a Raven woman befriends a young girl who offers her hospitality and fine clothes. An old Raven man, living in the communal kashime, becomes enamored with the Raven woman. After being rejected by the household, he takes her away to a distant mountain, where they build a home and prosper. A young man later joins them, becoming their adopted son, and eventually brings a wife to live with them.

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

Love and Betrayal: The Raven man takes the Raven woman as his wife, suggesting elements of romantic bonds and potential challenges within their relationship.

Journey to the Otherworld: The couple’s departure to a distant place and the establishment of a new home can be interpreted as a venture into an unfamiliar or symbolic realm.

Family Dynamics: The introduction of a young man who becomes their son and brings a woman to live with them touches upon themes of familial relationships and structures.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

Once there was a Raven woman walking along by a river; and she came to a big village, and found a young girl, who asked her to her house and gave her something to eat. In the same village there lived a rich man; and when the people were hungry, they went to him, and he gave them whatever they needed. The young woman went to him and got some fine clothes for the Raven woman. In the same village there lived an old Raven man, who had no house, and staid in the kashime all the time. One night he said to himself, “I should like to go into the house where the Raven woman lives:” so he went in there, and took the Raven woman for his wife. And the next morning, when the people in the house got up, they saw the Raven man, and told him to leave the house.

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He began to cry, and to say, “I like this woman very much. Why do they tell me to go out?” Then he went out sadly, and went to the kashime. The next night he went into the same house, and took the woman outside, and they went far away together; and when they reached the foot of a high mountain, they made a house and caught plenty of fish.

One day they saw a young man coming; and he said to them, “I will be your son;” and they agreed, and he worked for them. After a while he went away; and when he came back, he brought a woman with him, and they lived there always.

The little girls and the mink

Three young girls encounter a mink who warns them of an approaching danger—a big man. Frightened, they seek refuge with their grandmother, who advises them to flee into the woods. When the big man arrives and questions the mink about the girls’ whereabouts, the mink remains silent and eventually escapes into the forest.

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 Mink exhibits cunning behavior, a hallmark of the trickster archetype.

Conflict with Authority: The big man’s threat to the Mink introduces a power struggle.

Family Dynamics: The little girls’ relationship with their grandmother highlights familial bonds.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

There were three little girls who lived in a little house. One of them saw a Mink coming. The Mink said, “Girls, there is a big man coming;” and these little girls were afraid, and ran into the house and told their grandmother; and their grandmother said, “Girls, run into the woods!” So they ran into the woods; and the big man came up and said, “Mink, where are the girls?” and the Mink did not answer. And the big man said, “Mink, I will kill you!” and the Mink ran into the woods.

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Little-Hawk

A mother hawk diligently hunts mice to feed her five offspring. A raven observes and criticizes her parenting, suggesting she should teach her young to eat only dog meat. The mother hawk retorts that while raven chicks consume only dog, her children eat various animals. This exchange highlights differing dietary habits and perhaps underlying cultural values.

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

Conflict with Nature: The hawk family faces hunger, a natural challenge, prompting the mother to hunt for mice to feed her children.

Cunning and Deception: The Raven attempts to deceive or provoke the Hawk by questioning her love and teaching methods towards her children.

Family Dynamics: The narrative focuses on the relationship between the mother hawk and her offspring, highlighting her efforts to provide for and nurture them.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

Some Hawks sat in the shelter of a spruce. There were five children in the family, and with the mother they were six. They were hungry; and in the morning, before sunrise, the mother flew off to get mice for the children. She caught an abundance of mice, and put them beside her children, and tore them in pieces for them. “Come,” said she, “rejoice!” and she sang for them, –

Aiyuwo’ma, yuka’iuq cik.
Tcimu’qtiya’xya tatlie’myunu’k ka.

A Raven flew to the top of the spruce and spoke to her. “Oh, you don’t love them very well!” said he. “Say, do you teach them well to eat only dog?” The mother answered him angrily. “You scoundrel! Your children eat nothing but dog, my children eat only animals,” said she. Then Raven flew away from up there, angry.

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Fishing for husbands

In a large family of sisters, the eldest catches a husband by fishing him out of the water with a hook. Inspired, the second sister attempts the same but fails due to her wickedness. She later behaves inappropriately towards her brothers-in-law, leading to her family’s disappearance. Left alone, she mourns until a man in a canoe offers to reunite her with her sisters, taking her to a distant village.

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

Transformation: The second sister undergoes an emotional journey from wickedness to remorse, leading to a change in her circumstances.

Family Dynamics: The story explores relationships among the sisters, highlighting themes of jealousy, rivalry, and reconciliation.

Loss and Renewal: The second sister experiences the loss of her family and later finds a form of renewal upon reuniting with her sisters in the distant village.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

Told by Walter, of Anvik

There was a big family of girls, and the second sister was a wicked little thing. In the summer all these girls made fish-nets, and caught a supply of fish for winter use; and in the winter they made snares. So they kept themselves well supplied with food.

One winter the older sister made a fish-hook, and then she made a hole in the ice and let the hook down into the water. She felt something on the hook, and pulled it up, and found that she had an old wooden bowl. She let it down again, and felt something else, and tried to pull it up, but it was very heavy. So she pulled very hard, and at last she pulled out something tied up in a bag. She opened it, and found that there was somebody inside. She ran up on the bank; but some one overtook her and caught her, and she saw that it was a fine young man.

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“What are you afraid of?” said he. “I am afraid of you,” said she. “Well,” said he, “let us go down and get my things!” So she went down with him, and she saw that there was a good sled.

Then he got all his things, and they went into the house. And when the girls saw them, they all had a fit of bashfulness; but the second sister spoke, and said, “Where did you get your husband?” “I caught him in the water with a fish-hook,” said she. “I want to get one, too,” said the second sister. Then they all went fishing, and all had good luck but the second sister. She got no husband, because she was not a good girl.

Now, the young men all went hunting deer, and they had good luck; and after the hunt they all went into the kashime. And that bad girl, made eyes at her brothers-in-law; and all her sisters said to her, “Don’t make eyes at your brothers;” but she said, “I don’t care.” After that, she said to her oldest sister, “How did you get your husband?” And she said, “Well, you make a hole in the ice, and let your fish-hook down into the water; and when you get a bite, you pull hard; and if you find a bag on the hook, you must not be afraid, but open it right away.” “I’ll do it,” she said. So she went and made a hole in the ice, and let down her hook; and pretty soon she felt something on it. She tried to pull it up, but it was too heavy. Then she saw that it was a big bag, and she became frightened and ran up to the house; and all her brothers and sisters dove down into the water; and when she went to the house, there was nobody there. So she did nothing but cry all the time; and when it came springtime, she made herself a little house, but still she did nothing but cry all the time.

When it came summer, she saw a man coming in a canoe. “Why are you crying?” said he. “Because I want to see my sisters,” said she. “Well,” said he, “get into my canoe, and I will take you to them.” So she got into his canoe, and he took her about one day’s journey, and they came in sight of a big village; and she went ashore, and there she found the sisters that she loved.

“You Smell of My Wife,” a girl’s adventure in a family of bears

In a village, a rich man’s youngest sister falls into a river after her older sisters reluctantly let her use their swing. The older sisters flee, and one discovers an arrowhead among bear fur. She finds shelter with a man and his two sons, who are bears in disguise. The bear-man accuses her of smelling like his deceased wife, killed by an arrow. Warned by the bear-sons, she escapes, leading villagers to kill the pursuing bear. She reunites with her sisters, realizing the bear’s wife was slain by the arrowhead she carried.

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

Transformation: The bear’s wife transforms into a bear, highlighting themes of physical change.

Family Dynamics: The tale begins with the relationship between the sisters, showcasing sibling interactions and conflicts.

Conflict with Nature: The protagonist’s encounter with the bear and her subsequent flight illustrate a struggle against natural forces.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

Told by Julia Longman Cutter

Once there was a big village, and in it there lived a rich man who had three sisters. The two older sisters had a swing; and one day, when they were swinging, their younger sister came out and asked them to let her swing, too. At first they refused; but she begged them to let her swing, and finally they told her that they would put her in the swing if she would hold on tight. Now, the swing was on a high rock at the edge of the water; and she let go her hold and fell into the water, and her sisters were so frightened that they ran away. They ran for miles and miles; and finally the one who was ahead looked back, but she saw nothing of her sister: so she went on, and by and by she came to a heap of bear’s fur. She searched through it, and found an arrow-head, and put it in her sleeve.

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Then she went down the hill, and soon she came in sight of a house. She went in, and found a man and two little boys, who gave her something to eat. When it came evening, they went to bed. In the night she was awakened by something sniffing at her, and she saw that it was a yellow bear. She went to sleep again, however; and when she awoke in the morning, she saw two little bears sleeping together in the room. Then she went to the door, and saw a bear fishing in the stream. She went to sleep again, and by and by the two boys woke her and gave her some fish to eat; and the man looked at her, and said, “You smell of my wife.” The next morning the two boys told her that their father was coming after her to kill her; but they made a hole though the back of the house, so that she could get away, and she escaped. She found, however, that a great bear was following her. She ran very fast, and by and by she came in sight of a village. She screamed, “The bear is coming, the bear is coming!” and the men heard her, and got their arrows and spears and went out and killed the bear, and made a great feast for all the people; and she found that it was her own village that she had run away from; and there were her older sister and her younger sister. And she said to her older sister, “Why did you leave me?” and her sister answered, “I came back home again.”

Now, it seems that the bear had had a wife; and his wife had turned into a bear and had gone up on the hill; and a man who was hunting had seen her and shot her with an arrow, and she had run away and died on the hillside; and the bear had smelled the arrow-head, and that is why he said, “You smell of my wife.”