Reading Notes - Native American Hero Tales Part A

   Tales of the North American Indians

Authors: Stith Thompson

    Part A: The Jealous Uncle

• There was a village with a man named the unnatural uncle and when his nephews became a few years old h would kill them
• After a second boy had gone his wife went to the mother of the boys and said let's hide the next kid and make them believe it is a girl
• Another nephew was born and the Unnatural Uncle sent his wife to finds to the sex of the chi;d
• She reported the child a girl and the Uncle said to let her live
• They tended to the boy and dressed him like a girl and as he ew older he imitated their ways and attitudes
• Unnatural UIncle often wondered about his boyish looks and one day not knowing the uncle was watching exposed his body
• Unnatural Uncle when he got home told his wife how she fooled him and asked to see his nephew
• The boy was frightened but told his parents not to worry as he would come back safe
• He asked of his previous brother's playthings before leaving and found a knife, eagle down, and sour cranberry and hid them on his person
• Uncle told him on arrival they should go fetch wood and the boy found some reaching the forest but the Uncle insisted they go further back
• Later they found a log and the Uncle began splitting it and he told the boy to hop in and fetch the wedge
• The Uncle trapped him in the log and told him to stay there
• The boy used the sour cranberry on the inside of the log forcing it to open its mouth and free him
• On the way back the boy gathered the wood and told his uncle her brought it
• They were both surprised and now was more determined than ever to kill the boy
• The wife warned him you better not harm him you've killed his brothers and you will surely find grief
• Uncle responded Ill kill him to

Yupik Mother and Child

(Source: Wikipedia)