Reading Notes: Marriage Tales, Part B

The Nlaka'pamux tribe

(Photo from Wikipedia)

These tales commonly speak of humans and animals as one. Most of the stories have shape shifters as well. “The Dog-Husband” is about a dog who turns into a man at night and gets his owner pregnant. She gets shunned by her family and the whole village leaves her to die. She survives and gives births to puppies who she later finds out they can also turn into human. Part A also had a lot of shapeshifting. And although they are carnivorous, the people live in harmony with the animals. Most people shift into the very animals they hunt. For example, “the
Youth who Joined the Deer.”

Polygamy is also casual and natural in these Native American tales. Most of the stories describe a man with two wives. Some people sleep with hybrid human-animals but some shame it. Humans could also communicate with animals. They vaguely describe bestiality.

“The Girl and the Turkeys” is the first mention of gods and the first story to explain the events that occurred and the results of those events. It explains why the tracks to the mountains have figures of turkeys along the way, engraved into the rocks. They also mention somewhat of an after life and how the gods decide who will go where and when. “The gods dispose of men according as men are fitted, and if the poor be poor in heart and spirit as well as in appearance.” This happens when a poor girl gets granted a dance and attention, she completely forgets about her turkeys. She then transforms back into her rags and back to her turkeys.

“The True Bride” is somewhat of a Cinderella story. A man’s wife dies and he is left with their daughter. He remarries and has another daughter and the new wife is cruel to the man’s daughter. The women end up being hung by the chief.

Bibliography. Stith Thompson. Tales of the North American Indians. Web source.