The Indian and his beaver wife

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

Source:
Ethnology of the Ungava District,
Hudson Bay Territory
by Lucien M. Turner
Smithsonian Institution
Bureau of American Ethnology
Annual Report 11, 1889-1890
Washington, 1894

► Themes of the story

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

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

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

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Naskapi Lore

Learn more about the Naskapi people

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

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

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

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

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The adventures of Tcikapis

Tcikapis and his sister survive a bear attack by hiding in a tree. After a fish swallows Tcikapis, his sister rescues him, leaving mystical fish slime on his brow. He embarks on a series of daring exploits: slaying bears, outwitting giant women and men, retrieving grease, and ultimately ensnaring the sun. His cunning and resilience restore cosmic order when the shrew releases the sun.

Source:
Notes on the Eastern Cree
and Northern Saulteaux
by Alanson Skinner
The American Museum
of Natural History
Anthropological Papers
Volume IX, Part 1
New York, 1911

► Themes of the story

Hero’s Journey: Tcikapis undergoes a series of transformative adventures, growing in skill and wisdom through each challenge.

Resurrection: After being killed and boiled by the giant women, Tcikapis miraculously returns to life and defeats his foes.

Time and Timelessness: Capturing the sun halts daylight, exploring themes of cosmic order and the manipulation of time.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Cree Lore

Learn more about the Cree people

Albany version
Narrated by Willie Archibald

(While their parents were being devoured by brown bears, Tcikapis and his sister escaped by climbing a tall tree where they could not be seen.)

Tcikapis and his sister lived beside a lake. One day the sister told him not to go out on a tree leaning over the water, but Tcikapis shot a bird and it fell into the water. In order to get it Tcikapis climbed out on the tree to reach it and was devoured by a fish. By and by, his sister missed him and suspecting that the fish had eaten him she caught it with a hook.

When she went to cut it up, Tcikapis cried, “Slowly, slowly, or you will cut me.” When Tcikapis was released he said to her, “Don’t scrape the (fish) slime off the top of my head and my upper lip, and the people who come later will have hair there.”

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The next day, Tcikapis was hunting, he heard a noise and came home. His sister cried out, “It is the bears who killed our parents, don’t go.” Tcikapis went, however, and killed the bears. He found his mother’s braid of hair in one. He burned the carcasses.

Tcikapis went out again the next day. Again, he heard a noise and returned. His sister said to him, “Don’t go out, it is the noise made by giant women scraping beaver skins. The next day, Tcikapis went out and saw the giant women at work. He shot a “Whisky Jack” (Canada jay) and dressed in its skin and flew about. He stole the grease the women had scraped off the skins. The giant women knew it was Tcikapis, and one of them knocked him down with her scraper which she threw at him and killed him. Then they threw him into a kettle of boiling water and laughed as he whirled round and round. Tcikapis was not really dead, however. Suddenly, he jumped out and scalded the people all to death.

Next day, Tcikapis heard the giant men netting (chiseling) beaver under the ice. He made himself very small and went to them. The giants asked him to pull out a giant beaver by the tail, expecting him to be pulled in and drowned; he, however, succeeded, much to their surprise. Tcikapis opened the sinew lining of his bow and put the beaver there. The giants shouted to him to bring it back, but he refused.

He gave the beaver to his sister to cook. While he was skimming the grease to eat from the pot where the beaver was boiling, the giants came with their war spears, to harpoon him, stabbing through his tent. Tcikapis had a round, flat shell of spoon shape, he put it on his back and covered himself. The giants entered his wigwam but they couldn’t break the shell although they knew very well that Tcikapis was under it. Then they threatened to take away his sister if he didn’t come out, but he did not budge. They burned the tent and took away his sister.

When they had gone, Tcikapis came out and strung his bow and followed them. He came up to them when they were crossing a swamp or muskeg. He said to his arrow, “Don’t fall on those that are short, fall only on the tall ones.” He fired the arrow which destroyed the giants but did not harm his sister.

Next day, Tcikapis went out again. He found a fine path. He went home and told his sister. She said, “That is the path where the sun walks over night.” Tcikapis got some string from his sister and made a snare. In the morning, when the sun came along it was caught. There was no daylight the next day. Tcikapis didn’t know what to think, but at last he got up and made the fire. Then he told his sister he had caught the sun. As it would not do to have perpetual darkness, Tcikapis called all the animals together to release the sun by cutting the string. He asked the smaller animals to try first,, thinking that they would be least apt to be burned. First he tried the ermine (weasel) but he was burned to death. At last he tried the shrew who succeeded in releasing the sun.

Crow-head

The story recounts his journey from avenging his father’s death to reviving his slain people. After learning that a medicine-man killed his father, Crow-head uses mystical means to kill him. Later, when enemies massacre his tribe, Crow-head employs his crow-skin garment’s powers to resurrect his people and outwit the adversaries. This narrative highlights themes of vengeance, resurrection, and cunning.

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

Revenge and Justice: Crow-head seeks retribution against the medicine-man who killed his father.

Resurrection: He brings his community members back to life after they are killed by the Cree.

Ancestral Spirits: The influence of his deceased father motivates Crow-head’s actions.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

Soon after Crow-head’s birth, his father died. Crow-head knew nothing about him. Once the other Indians were fishing, and there were several medicine-men among them. It was in the evening, and the setting sun presented a bloodshot appearance. One medicine-man pointed at it and asked the boy, “Do you see that red sky? That is your father’s blood.” This made Crow-head suspect that one of the medicine-men had killed his father. He went home, where he was living with his grandmother, and began to cry. “Why are you crying?” “I heard those men talking about my father.” “There is no use crying, you will be a man some day.” The next day the people were fishing. Crow-head punched a hole in the ice and began angling with a hook. The Indians caught nothing, only Crow-head caught a large trout.

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He pulled out its soft parts, and hid the bones under his deerskin capote. He started towards the medicine-man who had killed his father, pulled out the fish spine, and broke it over him. When the people went home that evening, they missed the medicine-man. They did not know what was the matter with him. One man went out and found him lying dead by his fishing rod. This was the first time Crow-head ever killed anyone. By breaking the fish spine, he had broken that of his enemy and thus killed him.

(b) Crow-head was living with a little orphan, whom he called his grandchild. He used to wear a crow-skin cape, which warned him of the approach of enemies and constituted his medicine. Two girls in the camp once made fun of his crow-skin garment. Crow-head was displeased and said to his grandson, “We will make a birchbark canoe and leave.” In a coulee they found fine birchbark. Some Indians from the rocks on either side pelted them with snowballs. “Some bad Indians are pelting us with snow,” said the orphan. “That’s nothing,” replied Crow-head. They took the bark for the canoe and returned. In the meantime the bad Indians, who were Cree, had killed all the Chipewyan. Crow-head piled all the corpses together in a heap. He was a great medicine-man. He began to make a canoed Worms began to come to the corpses. Then he took his crow-skin, laid it on the dead bodies, and told the boy not to wake him until the next day at noon. While he was sleeping, worms crawled into his nose, ears, and mouth.

Crow-head woke up and started off in his canoe. In the Barren Grounds he made many small lodges, and with his medicine declared that all the dead should be in those lodges. He left and lay down on the worms. The people all came to life again, and nothing remained in place of their corpses save their rotten garments. The Cree started homewards, but Crow-head, lying on the maggots, caused them by his magic to return to the same place. The little boy cried, thinking his grandfather was dead. He pushed the old man, but Crow-head pretended to be dead. At last, the boy pulled him by his beard, then Crow-head awoke and beheld the Cree. The Cree were surprised to get back to their starting point and, seeing the two survivors, decided to kill them also. Crow-head rose, walked to the river, shaved off the bark of a rotten birch, made peep-holes in the tree, hid the boy in the hollow, and ordered him to watch.

Crow-head was a dwarf. He went to the river with the crow-skin on his back and a blanket over it, pretending to mourn his lost relatives. The Cree, thinking he was but a child, said, “There is no use killing a child like that with a pointed arrow.” So they shot at him with blunt points, but all the arrows grazed off. Then they pulled ashore, and Crow-head fled to the brush, pursued by the enemy. When far from the canoes, he threw off his blanket, took a deer horn which he carried for a weapon, and ran among the enemy, breaking each man’s right arm and left leg. Then they said, “This is Crow-head.” They retreated towards their canoes, but Crow-head smashed every one of them. Then he summoned his grandson from his hiding place. The Cree had spears, and Crow-head told the boy to take them and kill their enemies. The boy did as he was bidden. The Cree said to the boy, “If it were only you, you could not do this to us.” And they made a “crooked finger” at him [a gesture of contempt, signifying, “Ne cunno quidem equivales”; the left thumb is held between the index and middle finger of the same hand, and the palm is turned towards the speaker].

Crow-head left his grandson. He was gone for many days. The boy cried, not knowing what was the matter. Up the river he heard waves beating against the bank. Going thither, he found his grandfather washing himself. Crow-head asked the boy, “What are you crying for?” “I thought you were lost.” “There is no use crying, all our people are alive again.” When through washing, he bade his grandson fix the canoe, then he told him to put the slain enemies’ mentulae on the gunwale. They started to join the resuscitated Indians. They heard some one playing ball, laughing and singing. Putting ashore, they heard the noise of crying. They went into a lodge and asked what the crying was about. “Two friends of ours are lost, they have been killed by the Cree.” Then they recognized Crow-head and his grandson.

The two girls who made fun of Crow-head’s crow-skin were not restored to life by him.

(c) Late in the fall, when the Chipewyan were going to a lake to fish and it was commencing to freeze, two boys came running and told the people that two giants taller than pine trees had killed all their friends. The Chipewyan were camping on the edge of a big lake. None of them slept that night for fear of the giants. The next morning the giants were seen approaching. Crow-head said, “There is no use in running away, they will kill me first.” He put on his crow-skin and went towards them on the ice. The first giant wished to seize him, and with long fingers shaped like bear claws he tore Crow-head’s crow feathers. The giants fought for the possession of Crow-head, each wishing to eat him up. Crow-head hit both of them with his deer horn, and killed them. He walked homeward. He was so angry that he could neither speak nor sleep. His eyes were like fire. He went to the lake and, beginning at one point, he commenced to hammer along the edge until he got back to his starting place. There he fell dead, for his heart was under the nail of his little finger and by hammering the ice he had injured it.

(d) Everyone was moving. Two girls were making little birchbark vessels for Crow-head. They were just sewing the edge with roots. One of them said, “This Crow-head knows everything, but he will not know this.” And she pulled out one of her pubic hairs and twisted it in with the roots. The two girls were married, but never told Crow-head of their husbands, who were far out on the lake. An Indian in league with them plotted to have Crow-head killed by the husbands, and invited him to run a race to the place where they were. But Crow-head beat his opponent in the race, and killed the women’s husbands with his spear.

The Indians were angry and desired to kill Crow-head. They began shooting at him, but he merely took his deer horn from his crow-skin tippet and pointed it at them, so that they hit only the point of his weapon without being able to touch him. At last he said, “If you don’t cease, I shall kill all of you.” Then they were afraid and let him alone. Nevertheless, many medicine-men tried to make medicine against him in secret. They attempted to throw a beetle (?) at him. Crow-head had left the people and was living by a lake. Once he was thirsty and pulled out the grass growing. by the water edge. He began to drink and found a beetle in the water. He killed it. Then he bit his own tongue and spat out the bloody spittle to make his enemies believe they had killed him. They went after him, but when they found the slain beetle they knew their medicine was not strong enough for him. Then they sent a big bear after him. Crow-head had lain down to sleep. In the night the bear caught him, and without hurting him held him by his feet and legs, waiting for the arrival of the Indians. But Crow-head twisted round and round in the bear’s grasp until he got free. Then he crawled away between his legs. He turned back and dispatched the bear with bow and spear. He cut up the animal, spread out its flesh and skin, and started off again. The Indians made a big feast when they found the fresh bear meat all ready to be eaten.

Crow-head, by his medicine, restored the two women’s husbands to life.

He traveled along as far as a lake. There was no snow, but only clear ice. He looked through the ice and saw a great many people below it. “I will kill all these people,” he said. He began pounding the ice with a club. But what he had taken for people were only arrows, and one of them entered his little finger, where his heart was. The Indians following him found him dead.

Crow-head was so called because he made a crow-skin collar that became his medicine.

(e) Once Crow-head left his crow-skin in his lodge and went off. Coming back, he did not find it in the position he had left it. He asked his grandmother why she had allowed any one to abuse it. “Someone has counted every feather on it and has been laughing at it. I will go away and let the Cree kill the people.” “What shall I do?” asked his grandmother. “I will take you along.” That night the Cree killed all the Chipewyan, but Crow-head and his grandmother escaped.

(f) Crow-head and Spread-wings started traveling, knowing that no one could kill them. Long ago the Indians did a great deal of fighting. Crow-head and Spread-wings always helped the Indians they stayed with. They were related to everybody. Crow-head the older of the two, knew it was impossible to kill him. Spread-wings could be killed, but had three lives. Crow-head started off towards the place where the sun is close to the earth, and he will not come back here until the end of the world.

Crow-Head

A man named Crow-Head lives with his grandmother. After local girls mock his crow-skin blanket, he curses them, leading to their demise in a Cree attack. Crow-Head survives by transforming into a squirrel and later avenges his grandmother’s death by killing the Cree. Consumed by jealousy, he drowns a successful young hunter and feigns innocence, but the community’s attempt to punish him fails due to his supernatural abilities.

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

Trickster: Crow-Head embodies the trickster archetype, using cunning and supernatural abilities to outwit others, such as transforming into animals to defeat the Cree and deceiving others about the young man’s death.

Revenge and Justice: After being mocked, Crow-Head seeks revenge by cursing those who laughed at him, resulting in their deaths.

Resurrection: Crow-Head brings his grandmother back to life after she is killed by the Cree, showcasing a theme of resurrection.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

Crow-head was living with his grandmother. While he was away looking at his nets, some girls came to visit her. They laughed at his blanket, made of crow skin with the bills of the crows joined together all about its border, which was hanging in the house. When Crow-head came back from his nets, he said to his grandmother, “Who has been laughing at my blanket?” “No one laughed at your blanket,” she said. “I see the marks of their laughing on it,” he replied. “There was no one here in your absence,” his grandmother said. “People were not here. But their laughing shows. Because they laughed at my blanket, may the Cree get them all!” “What shall I do then?” said his grandmother. “I will take you back north,” he said. At night, he heard the people fighting with the Cree.

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All those who had laughed at his blanket were killed. He himself crawled under a birchbark dish. The Cree threw all the clothes into the fire. Then they threw in the birchbark dish, but it jumped out again. Again, they threw it in, and again it jumped out. Then they held it in the fire with a stick and a squirrel ran out of the fire from it. The Cree fought with the squirrel until they thought they had killed it. Then he turned himself to a hair and went through the hearts of all the Cree and killed them. After that, he went to his grandmother whom the Cree had killed, put his head down by her, and began to cry. He was there a long time without going to sleep. Soon his grandmother was alive again and sat there hunting for the lice in his head.

Once, when he was living with the people, there was a young man of whom he was very jealous. After a while, the people all went out to their canoes, after swans. As they were paddling about, he met this young man. Crow-head himself, had no swans; only the young man had succeeded in killing them. He overturned the young man’s canoe and caused him to drown. Taking the swans, he paddled back with them. When they were boiled, and were placed before Crow-head he said, “I will not eat the swans because I love only my young friend.” After a long time, the others looked for the young man and found him drowned. “We will kill him,” they said, and went back after Crow-head. When they tried to spear him, he hit the points of their spears so that they could not kill him. They fought with him a long time and tried hard to kill him but were unable to do so. Crow-head used to fight with the people and kept killing them.

The chief’s son and the ghoul

In a large village, a chief’s two sons embarked on a hunting journey. Each night, one brother mysteriously died, only to reappear the next evening, claiming the other had left without him. This cycle repeated until they reached the ocean, where they parted ways, agreeing not to look back. The elder brother then encountered a sled laden with dead men, driven by a small old man.

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

Resurrection: Both brothers die multiple times and come back to life, highlighting the theme of returning from death.

Journey to the Otherworld: The brothers’ travels, especially onto the ocean and their eventual separation, can symbolize a venture into unknown or otherworldly realms.

Loss and Renewal: The repeated deaths and resurrections represent cycles of loss and renewal within the story.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

Once there was a large village where a chief lived who had two sons who were old enough to go out hunting. One evening, when they went to bed, they agreed to go out hunting together the next day; so in the middle of the night they got up and dressed themselves, and got their snowshoes and started out.

They walked all that day; and when evening came, they made their camp, and the next morning they started again. Twice they camped in this way, and on the third evening they made their camp as usual; but the next morning when the older brother got up, he found that his younger brother had been eaten by mice and other small animals during the night.

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Then he wailed for him long and loud, and afterward he left him lying in the camp, and started on again. He walked all day, and in the evening he made his camp; and after he had built the fire, as he sat weeping for his brother, he heard a noise in the direction from which he had come; but he did not look up. Then some one said, “What is the matter? What are you crying for?” and he looked up, and saw his brother standing by the fire and smiling at him. “I thought that you were dead,” said he, “and that you had been eaten up by the mice.” — “You are mistaken,” said his brother, “you only failed to tell me that you were going, that was all.” So they had their supper and went to bed; and in the morning the younger of them got up, and found that the elder had been eaten up by the mice, too. And after he had cried for him, he left him lying in the camp, and went on.

At the end of the day’s walk he made a camp; and no sooner had he made a fire and sat down, than he heard a noise. So he looked up, and saw that his brother was coming into the camp; and his brother said, “Why is it that you did not wait for me this morning?” “Well,” said the younger one, “I did not wake you up, because you had been eaten up by mice and some other little animals.”

Now, the next morning the older brother got up and found that his brother had been eaten again; but this time he did not cry, because he knew that he would come to life again. So he left him there and went on his way, and did not stop to rest all day until he found a place to make his camp.

When he had found a good place, he camped and made his fire; and as he sat by the fire, he heard a noise again, as he had the day before, and looked up and saw that it was his brother. “Why is it,” said he, “that you did not let me know when you were starting this morning?” “Well,” said his brother, “I could not let you know when you had died and were eaten by mice.”

The younger brother was eaten three times, and the older brother was eaten four times, and after that it did not happen to them again.

So they travelled along without any more trouble until they came to the ocean. They went right straight out upon the ocean; and finally they stopped and said to each other, “We cannot travel together this way all the time.” So the older said to the younger, “You shall go south, and I will go north. You must not look back when you have left me.” So they left each other, and neither turned to look back.

As the older brother was going on his way, he saw something on the ice in the distance. It was too far away to tell what it was; but as he came nearer, he saw that it was a great sled loaded down with dead men, and that there was a little old man behind it. The sled ran as fast as though nine dogs were pulling it; and the old man had a hatchet behind his head, which he pulled out, and with it he attacked the young man and tried to kill him. But the young man was too much for him, and he was unable to kill him. By and by the young man took away his hatchet; and the old man said, “My grandson, I did not intend to kill you, I was just fooling. Sit on the sled among the dead people.” The young man said, “Are you sure that you will not kill me?” “I am sure,” said he. So the young man got into the sled; and the old man pushed it, big as it was; and it ran along as easily as could be. In the evening they came to a kashime. There were no other houses, except a brush-house, standing beside the kashime. The old man took all the dead men into the brush-house, and the young man went into the kashime and fixed himself up nicely, as the old man had told him to do. Then the old man gave the younger one some king-salmon and some icecream, and everything that he called for.

After the young man had gone to bed, the old man went out and built a fire in the brush-house, and staid there all night; but he had told the young man not to go out during the night. In the morning the young man got up and found the old man sleeping, and he looked into the brush-house and saw nothing. The dead men had all been eaten up. He went back to the kashime-, and by and by the old man woke up and came in and gave him food again, the same as he had done the day before.

Then the old man took the big sled again and went into the woods, and after a while he brought it back loaded down with spruce hens. He put these also into the brush-house. During the night he ate everything up again. The next day he remained at home all day; and the following morning he said, “My grandson, today there will be strangers here. I am glad of this.” In the afternoon the young man went out and saw some strangers coming, all in line, with axes and spears in their hands, intending to kill the old man. The young man told the other that they were close to the place; and the old man dressed himself and put his girdle around him, and took his axe and went out to meet them. But he told the young man to stay in the house, and not to go out until the fight was over. Then they began to fight, and there was a great noise outside for a long time; and then the young man went out, and found that the strangers had all been killed by the old man. Not one was left alive. Then he helped the old man to put them into the brushhouse; and there were so many of them, that it was late in the evening before they finished.

The old man staid in the brush-house again all night, among the dead people, and the next day he brought in another sled-ful of grouse. The day after that he staid in bed again all day, sleeping; and the following day he said, “My grandson, there will be more strangers here today, and you must fight them this time. I think you will be all right.” In the afternoon more people came than the last time; and when they drew near, the young man went out to meet them and killed them all, as the old man had done. He filled the big sled with them, and brought it to the brush-house and put them into it; and the old man passed the night cooking them.

The next day the old man told the younger one to take the big sled and get some grouse. “Where can I find them?” said he. The old man said, “You will find them all in one tree. Take my arrow and shoot to one side of the tree, and they will all fall down.” The young man went away; but he had not gone far, when he saw a big tree filled with grouse. Every branch was loaded down. There was one grouse larger than all the rest, sitting on the lowest branch. He had great eyes, and was looking straight at him. The young man tried to shoot him in the eye; but the arrow glanced upward, and did not strike him. But the other grouse all fell down dead, while the big one still sat looking at him.

He brought the grouse back to the brush-house and put them into it; and then he went into the kashime and found the old man there, but something was the matter with his eyes. “Grandfather,” said he, “what is the matter?” but the old man did not answer. Then the young man remembered that he had shot close to the big grouse, and he told him about it; and the old man opened his eyes wide, and was sick no more.

The next morning the old man said, “We had better go to see your grandmother.” The young man agreed; and the old man brought out the big sled, and fitted up a little place at the back with deer-skins, and had the young man get into it; and he put in a man’s rib with the meat on it, and lashed it in so that it could not fall off. Then he hitched a great harness made of brownbear skin to the sled, told the young man not to peep, but to keep himself under the skins, and started off. In the evening they came to a house. Then the old man told the younger one to get out of the sled and tell his grandmother to come out and see the dead people; and the young man saw that the sled was full of dead bodies, but he did not know where they came from, for he had seen only one rib put into the sled. So he went into the house, and all at once he heard the old woman saying, “Here comes some fresh deer-meat!” but the old man said, “It is your grandson, you must not kill him.” They unloaded the sled and went into the house; and the old people made ice-cream for the young man, and they began to eat the dead people, but they would not allow the young man to eat with them.

The next morning the young man said that he would like to go to see his father and mother; and they made two bowls of ice-cream for him, and put them into the sled, and made a little place for him in the sled, and the young man got in, and that evening he was at home.

When he came near to the house, he saw some women crying, as though some one were dead. He left the sled in the woods; and when he tried to get into the house, he could not (for want of strength), so he fell head-first over the porch and fainted. When he came to himself, he found himself in bed, with his father and mother on either side of him. He opened his eyes slowly, as though he were at the point of death, and said, “Mother!” “My son,” said his mother, “is that surely you? You are out of your mind (Ni ye’ge” tuxaiudu’t, qwuta’).” — “No,” said he, “I am not crazy, I am all right, but where is my brother?” His father said, “My son, your brother has been dead for a long time.” Then he got better every day, until he was well, and they lived there together.

The returned from Spirit Land

A grieving young man, mourning his recently deceased wife, embarks on a mystical journey to the afterlife. There, he reunites with her and resists the temptations of the spirit realm. Together, they return to the living world, but she exists only as a shadow. Their happiness ends when a jealous relative disrupts their bond, causing their spirits to reunite permanently in Ghost Land.

Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909

► Themes of the story

Underworld Journey: The protagonist ventures into the afterlife to reunite with his deceased wife, embodying a journey into a realm beyond the living.

Love and Betrayal: The deep bond between the young man and his wife is central to the narrative, and their reunion is ultimately disrupted by a jealous relative’s actions.

Resurrection: The wife’s return to the living world, albeit as a shadow, symbolizes a form of resurrection, highlighting themes of life, death, and the possibility of return.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about the Tlingit people

Myth recorded in English at Wrangell, Alaska, in January-April 1904

The wife of a young man, who had recently married, died, and he was very sad. His father was a chief, and both he and the parents of the girl were still living. The young couple had been married for so short a time that they had no children.

The night that his wife died the young man remained awake all night unable to sleep, and the second night it was the same. Next morning he thought that he would walk out, but finally concluded to wait until after his wife’s body had been buried. The body was taken away late that afternoon, and early next morning he put on his leggings and his other fine clothes and started off. He walked all day and all night. Daylight dawned upon him still walking. After going through the woods for a long distance he came to a very large valley.

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There had been a creek there which was now dried up. Then he heard voices, which sounded as though they were a long way off. Where he was traveling the trees were very thick.

Finally the youth saw light through the trees and presently came out on a wide, flat stone lying on the edge of a lake. All this time he had been walking in the death road. On the other side of this lake there were houses and people were moving around there. So he shouted out to them, “Come over and get me,” but they did not seem to hear him. Upon the lake a little canoe was going about with one man in it, and all about it was grassy. It looked very nice.

After the man had shouted for a long time without receiving any response and had become tired, he finally whispered to himself, “Why is it that they do not hear me?” Immediately a person on the opposite side of the lake said, “Somebody is shouting.” When he whispered, they heard him. “A person has come up (daq a’wagut) from dreamland,” the voice continued. “Let some one go out and bring him over.” They carried him across, and, as soon as he got there, he saw his wife. He saw that she had been crying, and he raised his hands and looked at her. He was very happy to see her once again. Finally the people asked him to sit down in the house, and, when he did so, they began to give him something to eat. He felt hungry, but his wife said, “Don’t eat that. If you eat that you will never get back.” So he did not eat it.

After that his wife said to him, “You better not stay here long. Let us go right away.” So they were taken back in the same canoe. It is called Ghost’s-canoe (Si’gi-qa’wu-ya’gu), and is the only one on that lake. And they landed on the flat rock where he had first stood calling. It is called Ghost’s-rock (Si’gi-qa’wu-te’yi), and is at the very end of the trail. Then they started down the road in which he had gone up. It took them the same length of time to descend it, and the second night they reached the youth’s house.

Then the young man made his wife stay outside and he went in and said to his father, “I have brought my wife back.” “Well,” said his father, “why don’t you bring her in?” they laid down a nice mat with fur robes on top of it at the place where they were to sit. Then the young man went out to get his wife. When the door opened to let them in, however, the people in the house saw him only. But finally, when he came close, they saw a deep shadow following him. He told his wife to sit down, and, when she did so, they put a marten-skin robe upon her, which hung about the shadow just as though it were a person sitting there. When she ate they saw only her arms and the spoon moving up and down but not the shadow of her hands. It looked strange to the people.

After that the young couple always went about together. Wherever the young man went the shadow could be seen following him. He would not go into the bedroom at the rear of the house, but ordered them to prepare a bed just where they were sitting. Then they did so, for they were very glad to have him back.

During the day the woman was very quiet, but all night long the two could be heard playing. At that time the people could hear her voice very plainly. The young man’s father at first felt strange in his son’s presence, but after a while he would joke with his daughter-in-law, saying, “You better get up now after having kept people awake all night playing.” Then they could hear the shadow laugh, and recognized that it was the dead woman’s voice. To what the chief said the woman’s brothers-in-law would add, “Yes, get her out, for she has kept us awake.”

The nephew of the father of this girl had been in love with her before she died, although she did not care for him, and he was jealous when he found that her husband had brought her back. One night she was telling her husband that she was going to show herself as she used to be and not like a shadow and that she was going to remain so permanently. Her father’s nephew had covered himself up at the head of the bed and heard everything. Her husband was very glad to hear this, but, while they were playing together afterward, the man who was listening to them thought that he would lift the curtain they had around them. The moment that he did so, however, the people in the house heard a rattling of bones. That instant the woman’s husband died, and the ghosts of both of them went back to Ghost Land.

The boy who shot the star

Two high-caste boys bonded over making arrows. One night, the moon abducted one of them. The other boy used a ladder of arrows to ascend to the sky, where he sought help from an old woman. With magical tools, he rescued his friend from the moon’s clutches, thwarting pursuit with obstacles. Returning to Earth, they surprised their grieving families during a death feast, reuniting in joy.

Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909

► Themes of the story

Quest: The protagonist embarks on a daring journey to the sky to rescue his friend from the moon’s captivity.

Supernatural Beings: The story involves interactions with celestial entities, such as the moon, and the use of magical tools provided by an old woman in the sky.

Resurrection: The boy’s return from the moon with his rescued friend brings them back to life in the eyes of their grieving families, symbolizing a form of resurrection.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about the Tlingit people

Myth recorded in English at Wrangell, Alaska, in January-April 1904

Two very high-caste boys were chums. The father of one was town chief and had his house in the middle of the village, but the house of the other boy’s father stood at one end. These boys would go alternately to each other’s houses and make great quantities of arrows which they would play with until all were broken up.

One time both of the boys made a great quantity of arrows to see which could have the more. Just back of their village was a hill on the top of which was a smooth grassy place claimed by the boys as their playground, and on a certain fine, moonlight night they started thither. As they were going along the lesser chief’s son, who was ahead, said, “Look here, friend. Look at that moon. Don’t you think that the shape of that moon is the same as that of my mother’s labret and that the size is the same, too?”

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The other answered, “Don’t. You must not talk that way of the moon.” Then suddenly it became very dark about them and presently the head chief’s son saw a ring about them just like a rainbow. When it disappeared his companion was gone. He called and called to him but did not get any answer and did not see him. He thought, “He must have run up the hill to get away from that rainbow.” He looked up and saw the moon in the sky. Then he climbed the hill, and looked about, but his friend was not there. Now he thought, “Well! the moon must have gone up with him. That circular rainbow must have been the moon.”

The boy thus left alone sat down and cried, after which he began to try the bows. He put strings on them one after the other and tried them, but every one broke. He broke all of his own bows and all of his chum’s except one which was made of very hard wood. He thought, “Now I am going to shoot that star next to the moon.” In that spot was a large and very bright one. He shot an arrow at this star and sat down to watch, when, sure enough, the star darkened. Now he began shooting at that star from the big piles of arrows he and his chum had made, and he was encouraged by seeing that the arrows did not come back. After he had shot for some time he saw something hanging down very near him, and, when he shot up another arrow, it stuck to this. The next did likewise, and at last the chain of arrows reached him. He put a last one on to complete it.

Now the youth felt badly for the loss of his friend and, lying down under the arrow chain, he went to sleep. After a while he awoke, found himself sleeping on that hill, remembered the arrows he had shot away, and looked up. Instead of the arrows there was a long ladder reaching right down to him. He arose and looked so as to make sure. Then he determined to ascend. First, however, he took various kinds of bushes and stuck them into the knot of hair he wore on his head. He climbed up his ladder all day and camped at nightfall upon it, resuming his journey the following morning. When he awoke early on the second morning his head felt very heavy. Then he seized the salmon berry bush that was in his hair, pulled it out, and found it was loaded with berries. After he had eaten the berries off, he stuck the branch back into his hair and felt very much strengthened. About noon of the same day he again felt hungry, and again his head was heavy, so he pulled out a bush from the other side of his head and it was loaded with blue huckleberries. It was already summer there in the sky. That was why he was getting berries. When he resumed his journey next morning his head did not feel heavy until noon. At that time he pulled out the bush at the back of his head and found it loaded with red huckleberries.

By the time he had reached the top the boy was very tired. He looked round and saw a large lake. Then he gathered some soft brush and some moss and lay down to sleep. But, while he slept, some person came to him and shook him saying, “Get up. I am after you.” He awoke and looked around but saw no one. Then he rolled over and pretended to go to sleep again but looked out through his eyelashes. By and by he saw a very small but handsome girl coming along. Her skin clothes were very clean and neat, and her leggings were ornamented with porcupine quills. Just as she reached out to shake him he said, “I have seen you already.”

Now the girl stood still and said, “I have come after you. My grandmother has sent me to bring you to her house.” So he went with her, and they came to a very small house in which was an old woman. The old woman said, “What is it you came way up here after, my grandson?” and the boy answered, “On account of my playmate who was taken up hither.” “Oh!” answered the old woman, “he is next door, only a short distance away. I can hear him crying every day. He is in the moon’s house.”

Then the old woman began to give him food. She would put her hand up to her mouth, and a salmon or whatever she was going to give would make its appearance. After the salmon she gave him berries and then meat, for she knew that he was hungry from his long journey. After that she gave him a spruce cone, a rose bush, a piece of devil’s club, and a small piece of whetstone to take along.

As the boy was going toward the moon’s house with all of these things he heard his playmate screaming with pain. He had been put up on a high place near the smoke hole, so, when his rescuer came to it, he climbed on top, and, reaching down through the smoke hole, pulled him out. He said, “My friend, come. I am here to help you.” Putting the spruce cone down where the boy had been, he told it to imitate his cries, and he and his chum ran away.

After a while, however, the cone dropped from the place where it had been put, and the people discovered that their captive had escaped. Then the moon started in pursuit. When the head chief’s son discovered this, he threw behind them the devil’s club he had received from the old woman, and a patch of devil’s club arose which the moon had so much trouble in getting through that they gained rapidly on him. When the moon again approached, the head chief’s son threw back the rose bushes, and such a thicket of roses grew there that the moon was again delayed. When he approached them once more, they threw back the grindstone, and it became a high cliff from which the moon kept rolling back. It is on account of this cliff that people can say things about the moon nowadays with impunity. When the boys reached the old woman’s house they were very glad to see each other, for before this they had not had time to speak.

The old woman gave them something to eat, and, when they were through, she said to the rescuer, “Go and lie down at the place where you lay when you first came up. Don’t think of anything but the playground you used to have.” They went there and lay down, but after some time the boy who had first been captured thought of the old woman’s house and immediately they found themselves there. Then the old woman said, “Go back and do not think of me any more. Lie there and think of nothing but the place where you used to play.” They did so, and, when they awoke, they were lying on their playground at the foot of the ladder.

As the boys lay in that place they heard a drum beating in the head chief’s house, where a death feast was being held for them, and the head chief’s son said, “Let us go,” but the other answered, “No, let us wait here until that feast is over.” Afterward the boys went down and watched the people come out with their faces all blackened. They stood at a corner, but, as this dance is always given in the evening, they were not seen.

Then the head chief’s son thought, “I wish my younger brother would come out,” and sure enough, after all of the other people had gone, his younger brother came out. He called to his brother saying, “Come here. It is I,” but the child was afraid and ran into the house instead. Then the child said to his mother, “My brother and his friend are out here.” “Why do you talk like that?” asked his mother. “Don’t you know that your brother died some time ago?” And she became very angry. The child, however, persisted, saying, “I know his voice, and I know him.” His mother was now very much disturbed, so the boy said, “I am going to go out and bring in a piece of his shirt.” “Go and do so,” said his mother. “Then I will believe you.”

When the boy at last brought in a piece of his brother’s shirt his mother was convinced, and they sent word into all of the houses, first of all into that of the second boy’s parents, but they kept both with them so that his parents could come there and rejoice over him. All of the other people in that village also came to see them.

Raven (Part 2)

Raven visited the Yakutat region, where he encountered a chief, Aya’yi, whose wife discovered her uncles’ severed, tattooed hands hidden in a box. Aya’yi had killed her village. Devastated, the family crafted a canoe and drum from human remains, confronting Aya’yi. Demanding justice, they retrieved the hands and resurrected the victims using eagle feathers, restoring their village and exacting revenge on Aya’yi’s town.

Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909

► Themes of the story

Revenge and Justice: The chief’s wife discovers her husband’s atrocities and, with her children, seeks retribution for the murdered villagers.

Resurrection: The family uses eagle feathers to revive the slain villagers, restoring life to those unjustly killed.

Supernatural Beings: Raven, a central figure in many Tlingit myths, plays a role in the narrative, embodying the supernatural elements of the tale.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about the Tlingit people

Myth recorded in English at Wrangell, Alaska, in January-April 1904

Then Raven went to a river beyond Copper river called Laxayi’k [this is an error, Laxayi’k being a general term for the Yakutat country and people] and told the people that they were to make canoes out of Skins. There he found a chief named Aya’yi, who had married the daughter of another chief by whom he had five children, four boys and a girl. His wife was always making baskets, while Aya’yi himself went out camping or to other villages. He had a long box that he took about everywhere he went and always had hung overhead. In those days each family tattooed the hands in some special way. One time, when the chief’s wife was sitting under this box a drop of blood fell out of it upon her hand. Her husband was away, so she took the box down and looked into it. It was full of severed hands, and by the tattoo marks she knew that they belonged to her uncles. She was very fond of her uncles and cried continually for them.

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After her husband had found her weeping several times he asked, “What are you always crying about?” and she said, “I am getting tired of living here. I want to go back to my father and mother.” Then he said, “We will start back to your father’s place tomorrow.” So next day he carried her and her children to a place not far from her father’s town and let them off there telling them to walk across. Then he paddled home.

Even before she started across, his wife noticed that there was a heavy fog over her father’s village, and when she got there she found it vacant. There was nothing in it but dead bodies, and she went from house to house weeping. Now after her children had thought over this matter for a while, they skinned some of the bodies and made a canoe out of them. It was the first of the skin canoes. It was all on account of Aya’yi having murdered the people of that town. They tied those places on the canoe that had to be made tight, with human hair. Afterward they took it down to the water and put it in, making a kind of singing noise as they went. Nowadays these canoes are made of all kinds of skins, but the hair used is always human hair and they sing in the same manner when they put them into the water. They also made a drum out of human skin.

After that all got into the canoe, and they started for their father’s town, singing as they went, while their mother steered. When they came in front of it the people said, “There is a canoe coming. We can hear singing in it, and in the song they are mentioning Aya’yi’s name.” That was all they could hear. The whole town came out to look at the canoe. Then the eldest son arose in the canoe, mentioned his father’s name, and said, “Give me my uncle’s hands. If you do not give them to me I will turn this town of yours upside down.” When he started this song again he began drumming and the town began to sink. It shook as if there were an earthquake. Now the people of the town became frightened. They went to Aya’yi and told him he would be killed if he did not let the hands go. So he gave them up. When the children got these hands they went away singing the same song. At that the town again began to sink and carried down all of the people with it. Afterward it resumed its former position, but it is said that you can see shells all over the place to this day.

After they had reached their own village Raven said to the eldest boy, “Get some eagle feathers and put them on the mouths of your uncles and all the other town people. After you have placed them there blow them away again. Put their hands in their proper places, and put feathers over the cuts. As soon as you have blown the feathers away from their mouths, they will return to life.” He did so, and all the dead people came to life.

Ukaleq

Ukaleq, a renowned hunter, was killed by a Magic Bear—a creature fashioned by enemies—after a fierce chase. His grieving mother revived him through a mysterious ritual, abstaining from food and drink for five days. Later, during a village spirit calling, an old woman was exposed as the creator of the Magic Bear and died of shame. Ukaleq survived but abandoned bear hunting forever.

Source:
Eskimo Folk-Tales
collected by Knud Rasmussen
[Copenhagen, Christiania], 1921

► Themes of the story

Resurrection: Ukaleq’s return to life through his mother’s mysterious ritual is a literal example of resurrection.

Supernatural Beings: The Magic Bear, a creature fashioned by enemies, represents an encounter with a supernatural being.

Divine Punishment: The old woman who created the Magic Bear dies from shame when exposed, suggesting a form of divine or moral retribution for her actions.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Arctic Region
  - Inuit/Eskimo Lore

Learn more about Inuit peoples

Ukaleq, men say, was a strong man. Whenever he heard news of game, even if it were a great bear, he had only to go out after it, and he never failed to kill it. Once the winter came, and the ice grew firm, and then men began to go out hunting bears on the ice. One day there was a big bear. Ukaleq set off in chase, but he soon found that it was not to be easily brought down. The bear sighted Ukaleq, and turned to pursue him. Ukaleq fled, but grew tired at length. Now and again he managed to wound the beast, but was killed himself at last, and at the same time the bear fell down dead.

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Now when his comrades came to look at the bear, its teeth began to whisper, and then they knew that Ukaleq had been killed by a Magic Bear [i.e. a creature fashioned by an enemy, after the same manner as a Tupilak]. And as there was no help for it, they took the dead man home with them. And then his mother said: “Lay him in the middle of the floor with a skin beneath him.”

She had kept the dress he had worn as a little child, and now that he was dead, she put it in her carrying bag, and went out with it to the cooking place in the passage. And when she got there, she said: “For five days I will neither eat nor drink.”

Then she began hushing the dress in the bag as if it were a child, and kept on hushing it until at last it began to move in the bag, and just as it had commenced to move, there came some out from the house and said: “Ukaleq is beginning to quiver.”

But she kept on hushing and hushing, and at last that which she had in the bag began trying to crawl out. But then there came one from the house and said: “Ukaleq has begun to breathe; he is sitting up.”

Hardly was this said when that which was in the bag sprang out, making the whole house shake. Then they made up a bed for Ukaleq on the side bench, and placed skins under him and made him sit up. And after five days had passed, and that without eating or drinking, he came to himself again, and commenced to go out hunting once more.

Then the winter came, and the winter was there, and the ice was over the sea, and when the ice had formed, they began to make spirit callings. The villages were close together, and all went visiting in other villages.

And at last Ukaleq set out with his family to a village near by, where there was to be a big spirit calling. The house where it was to be held was so big that there were three windows in it, and yet it was crowded with folk.

In the middle of the spirit calling, there was an old woman who was sitting cross-legged up on the bench, and she turned round towards the others and said:

“We heard last autumn that Ukaleq had been killed by a Magic Bear.” Hardly had she said those words when an old wifeless man turned towards her and said: “Was it by any chance your Magic Bear that killed him?”

Then the old woman turned towards the others and said: “Mine? Now where could I have kept such a thing?”

But after saying that she did not move. She even forgot to breathe, for shame at having been discovered by the wifeless man, and so she died on the spot.

After that Ukaleq went home, and never went out hunting bears again. Here ends this story.

Kanginguak

Kanginguak, a southern native, settled near Umanarsuak in South Greenland and had a son, Tunerak, famed for his rowing skills, overtaking falcons mid-flight. Tunerak ventured far into the sea, making Umanarsuak appear like a diving seal, and competed with renowned kayakers, but was killed by a rival. His father retrieved his body and sought an angakok, who successfully brought him back to life.

Source:
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo
by Henry Rink
[William Blackwood and Sons]
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Resurrection: After Tunerak is killed by a rival kayaker, his father seeks out an angakok (a shaman) who successfully brings him back to life.

Quest: Tunerak’s ventures far into the sea, making Umanarsuak appear like a diving seal, and his competitions with renowned kayakers highlight his adventurous spirit and pursuit of excellence.

Supernatural Beings: The involvement of the angakok, a shaman with mystical abilities, underscores the interaction with supernatural elements in the narrative.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Arctic Region
  - Inuit/Eskimo Lore

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

Abridged version of the story.

Kanginguak was a native of the south, who set forth on a journey and took up his abode near Umanarsuak (Kin of Sael, a high island of South Greenland). He had a son named Tunerak, who was such an expert rower that he used to overtake the falcons in their flight, and killed them with a blow of his paddle-oar. He went out to sea so far as to make Umanarsuak appear like a seal diving up and down among the waves. He also tried matches with celebrated kayakers, but on one of these occasions he was killed by his rival. His father afterwards went to the place where he was buried, brought out his body again and carried it along with him, till he found an angakok, who restored it to life.

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