Myths and Folk-lore of the Timiskaming Algonquin and Timagami Ojibwa

by Frank G. Speck

[Note.

Under date of August 30, 1913, Mr. Neil C. Fergusson, Timagami Fire Ranger, wrote from Bear island, Lake Timagami: “While at Bear Island I met Mr. Speck, who was gathering Indian lore and legends for the Victoria Memorial Museum. His work interested me greatly.” He then proceeds to communicate some folk-lore material which he had himself collected from Timagami Indians. This, kindly put by Mr. Fergusson at the disposal of the Geological Survey, is here added as a supplement to Dr. Speck’s own data.

E. Sapir.]

(1) Whisky Jack and the Markings on Birch Bark.

“One Indian told me a few incidents about Whisky Jack (Anglicised form of native Wiske·djak) and ended by saying that he had seen the outline of that strange personage imprinted on a rock along the Ottawa river. He said that the markings on the birch bark were caused by Whisky Jack when he struck the bark, which was once clear, with a balsam bough and then threw a bird at the tree. Hence the knots give the appearance of a bird with outstretched wings, as seen on the enclosed piece of bark (see Figure 2).”

(2) The Two Girls, Hell-Diver, and Loon.[1]

Once upon a time two girls who were out in the woods climbed a tall spruce tree, but when they wanted to descend, they found that it was impossible. Just then a Moose passed near the tree [[84]]and both girls called to him for help. The Moose, however, passed on without aiding them. Likewise a Deer, an Otter, and a Lynx all went by, but from none did they receive any help. At last a Wolverine came along and listened to the girls’ entreaties. He finally climbed the tree and brought the girls safely to the ground, after which all three walked along together. The girls didn’t wish the Wolverine as a companion, so one of them said that she had dropped her hair-ribbon near the spruce tree and asked the unwelcome companion to go back for it, saying that they would wait where they were until he returned. The kind Wolverine went off on his errand, and, as soon as he was out of sight, the two girls made their departure. So the Wolverine came back and saw no girls. He heard a whistle and went in that direction. Then he heard another whistle behind him, and so on, but still he failed to find the girls, for the trees were whistling one after another in order to fool the poor Wolverine. The Wolverine went his own way, feeling very much grieved.

The girls walked on swiftly until they came to a little wigwam built in the bush. It was a very pretty wigwam and looked so inviting to the tired girls that they went inside to rest. Soon a Bird, who was the owner, came along and demanded their business in his wigwam. They told him that they had lost their way, so he gave them a cup of tea and directed them on their journey. The girls travelled on and came at last to a river at the end of which was a lake. A Beaver was paddling his canoe down the stream, but wouldn’t take the girls in. Next a Loon, who was the king of all water animals, came along in his canoe, but he also refused to take them with him. Finally a “Hell-diver” came paddling by. He was very kind and took the two girls down to the lake where he dwelt and told them that they might sleep in his wigwam that night. He gave them some blankets and then went out on business.

The girls, however, couldn’t go to sleep, for they heard music and knew that a dance must be going on. They got out of their bed and went to the house where they heard the music. Looking in at the window, they saw the Loon playing the fiddle and all the dancers enjoying themselves, so they returned to their bed and placed two logs under the blankets to deceive [[85]]their kind friend, the “Hell-diver,” into thinking that they were still where he had left them.

While the two girls were dancing, the “Hell-diver” returned and lay down under the blankets, but the logs happened to be partly rotten and were filled with ants, so that it wasn’t long before he discovered the trick that had been played on him. At once he went to the Loon’s house, thinking that the girls had been to the dance. All was dark in the house, as the dancers had left, but he could see that the two girls and the Loon were lying there asleep. The Loon was snoring with his mouth wide open. The “Hell-diver” was seized with anger and went swiftly back to his wigwam, where he heated a piece of iron until it was red hot. He hastened with this to the Loon’s house and crammed it down the sleeper’s mouth.