Myths and Legends of British North America

BEAVER AND DEER

Haida

Deer lived near Taku. The skunk cabbage he ate was like a garden. Beaver came also to this place and he gnawed down the forest trees growing around there. So there came to be many trees on top of the garden. Then Beaver went away.

Deer went to see his property. Then he saw that trees were piled upon it and he knew that Beaver had done this.

Now Beaver lived under an island in a lake in the woods. One morning he felt the water was going down. Beaver went out. Deer was standing there, and Deer had dug a trench from the lake. But Deer could not get at Beaver.

Therefore Deer called to Beaver, “Come, go with me.” So Beaver went with him. Then they came to the shore of the sea. Beaver had never been in the sea, but Deer said, “Let us swim out to that island.”

“I have never been in the sea,” said Beaver.

Haida Memorial Columns
Erected in honor of chiefs of the tribe
From “Memoirs, American Museum of Natural History”

“You shall sit on my back,” said Deer. “There are many things to eat over there.” So Beaver got on Deer’s back, and they went there. When he got off, Deer went with him up to the woods. Then they came up under the trees.

Deer said, “Go up, and I will sit down here and wait for you.” So Beaver went up into the woods. When Beaver was a long way off, Deer ran away quickly and swam off.

Beaver came back quickly, but Deer was nowhere to be seen. Beaver sat down on the beach. He could see no way to get off the island, because he was not used to swimming in the ocean. After he had sat there awhile, evening came upon him. Then, in the middle of the night, he called to the different animals.

First he called to Black Bear, then he called to Wolf. “Save me!” he called. Then he called to Grizzly Bear, and he called to all the smaller animals. None of them heard him. Beaver had been upon the island ten nights. He called every day, wailing. When he was unsuccessful, his heart was tired. So he sat still.

After a while, Beaver began to call to North: “North, save me! North, save me! North, save me!” And as he sang this every day, he continued to wail.

After ten days had passed, a black wind came toward him along the surface of the sea, as he sat near the shore. North had heard his voice. The wind blew hard from the north. At midnight Beaver felt of the sea. After he had sat awhile longer, he felt of it again. After he had done so for a while, he felt that it was frozen over. He sat still. Then he perceived it was strong enough.

Then Beaver stepped upon it. And he went ashore upon it. He escaped to land. Then he went to his home. He stopped up that trench. After he finished stopping it up, he went into his house. This is the end.

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