Far north tales : stories from the peoples of the Arctic circle

Book

Far north tales : stories from the peoples of the Arctic circle / translated and retold by Bonnie C. Marshall ; edited by Kira Van Deusen.

Marshall, Bonnie C. (Author). Van Deusen, Kira, 1946- (Added Author).

Summary:

This collection of tales represents and preserves the oral heritage of Arctic and Subarctic ethnic groups, so that their stories are no longer in danger of becoming lost to future generations.

Record details

ISBN: 9781591587613
ISBN: 1591587611
Physical Description: l, 290 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), map ; 27 cm.
Publisher: Santa Barbara, Calif. : Libraries Unlimited, ©2011.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Formatted Contents Note:: Tales of daily life. Granny Chachakan-Chachakan -- The old man -- Sergevan', the hunter -- The old woman and the dwarfs -- Two brothers -- Oleshek, the deer with the golden antlers -- The old woman and the singing fish.

Creation stories and myths. Sedna, the sea spirit -- How the narwhal came to be -- Raven steals the light of the sun, moon, and stars -- The Kaska man who made whales -- Wolverine and mink create Earth -- How the seasons were created -- Toy people -- The creation of caribou -- The ingrates -- Yes', the sky god -- Dawn -- Sister sun and Brother moon -- Hare rescues the sun -- How reindeer reconciled Tui-niamy, Mother Fire and Mou-niamy, Mother Earth -- Daughter of the moon and son of the sun -- The star man.

Tricksters and fools. Kuikynniaku, the raven -- Raven kills whale -- The lynx who ate himself -- The teals and the fox -- Wolverine and the Brant -- Twleve clever brothers -- A tale about a silly old man -- Someone else's Urasa -- Raven and wolf.

Legends and Pourquoi tales. The little warrior mouse -- The origin of the Ptarmigan -- Inukshuk -- Toadman takes a wife -- The stolen song -- Raven and owl -- The origin of Raven -- The cuckoo -- The giant cannibal dog -- Dog in search of a friend -- Why rabbit has long ears -- How mosquitoes came to be -- Two brothers and a giant -- Why raven's beak is crooked -- The first tears -- Guillemots -- Beaver and porcupine -- The woodpecker's reward -- The origin of fog.

Stories about animals and marriages with animals. Who shall I be? -- The woman who adopted a polar bear -- The owl and the Siksik -- The bold little mouse -- The eagle and whale husbands -- The man who married a seagull -- The fox wife -- The crane's father -- Machenkat.

Spirits, shamans, and shapeshifters. Tshakapesh, the moon spirit -- Whirlwind's sister -- Fart man -- The forest spirit -- The girl and the moon spirit -- Fire spirit -- Flying to the moon -- Little Uniany -- The shaman in the moon -- Nanurluk, the polar bear -- The old bachelor who flew through the air in a kayak -- The jealous uncle -- The shapeshifter -- The black ewe and the blue reindeer -- Anartq, the salmon boy -- The jealous wife -- The man who became a caribou.

Heroes and heroines. Bladder-head Boy battles -- Yoma and the two sisters -- The Chakhkli -- The daughter of Old Kagèna -- The evil old woman with the long nails -- Kiviuq's eternal journey -- Tayune and Kinak, the hill giant -- Kagsagsuk, the boy with enormous nostrils.