[913] Chipewyan Stories 53 



CHIPEWYAN STORIES. 



From Sir J. Franklin's "Polar Sea, 1825-7", 



The first man was, according to the traditions of their fathers, 

 named Chapewee. He found the world well stocked with food, and he 

 created children to whom he gave two kinds of fruit, the black and the 

 white; but forbade them to eat the black. 



Having thus issued his commands for the guidance of his family, 

 he took leave of them for a time, and made a long excursion for the 

 purpose of conducting the sun to the world. During this his first ab- 

 sence, his children were obedient and ate only the white fruit, but they 

 consumed it all ; the consequence was that when he a second time absented 

 himself to bring the moon, and they longed for fruit, they forgot the 

 orders of their father and ate of the black fruit, which was the only kind 

 remaining. He was much displeased on his return, and told them that 

 in future the earth would produce bad fruits, and that they would be 

 tormented by sickness and death; penalties which attach to his descend- 

 ants up to the present. 



Chapewee himself lived so long that his throat was worn out, and 

 he could no longer enjoy life; but was unable to die until at his own 

 request one of his own people drove a beaver tooth into him. 



The same — or another Chapewee, for there is some uncertainty on 

 this head — lived with his family on a strait between two seas. Having 

 there constructed a weir to catch fish, such a quantity were taken that 

 the strait was choked up, and the water rose and overflowed the earth. 

 Chapewee embarked with his family in a canoe, taking with him all 

 manner of birds and beasts. The water covered the earth for many 

 days, but at length Chapewee said, "We cannot live always thus, we must 

 find land again", and he accordingly sent a beaver to search for it; the 

 beaver was drowned and his carcase was seen floating on the water ; 

 then Chapewee dispatched a muskrat on the same errand. 



The second messenger was long absent, and when he returned was 

 nearly dying with fatigue, but he had a little earth in his paws. The sight 

 of the earth rejoiced Chapewee, but his first care was about the safety 

 of his faithful servant the rat, which he rubbed gently with his hands, 

 and cherished in his bosom until it revived. He next took up the 

 earth and moulded it with his fingers and placed it in the water where it 



