Reading Notes - Native American Hero Tales Part B

Tales of the North American Indians

Author: Stith Thompson

    Part B: The Jealous Uncle (end)

• The story picks with the Uncle giving the boy something.. he had the boy get into a box and had it lowered into the sea
• He drifted in the sea for a long time until he heard a noise
• He heard voices arguing over who saw the box first
• They picked up the box and began to carry but feeling how heavy it was they untied it
• Opening the box he was surprised to see two pretty best friends
• He found himself in eagle land 
• The girls were the daughters of the village chief, they led them to thier father each claiming him
• The chief gave the boy to the older girl and with her, he lived happily but he often remembered his times with old people and the cruelty of his uncle.
• His wife noticed his depression and wanted to cheer him so she went to her father
• He advised him to put on the eagle's skin and soar high until he could see his village and bring his parents back
• He could see all other people but not his parents
• During the night he went to the see and brought a large whale knowing all the villagers would come for the meat
• The first to arrive was Unnatural Uncle and eventually, all but his parent were there because they were not permitted
• He could not forgive the uncle for the way his parents are treated, the eagle left and flew over the crowd
• He swooped in at his uncle and he assumed it was just an eagle wanting a piece of meat
• The second time the eagle missed but the Uncle laughed it off and the village warned him the eagle was mischief
• The third time was even closer, and the fourth time flew off with the Uncle
• The eagle put the man down on a steep rock not far from shore
• He took off the skin and told his uncle how he felt and told him if he could swim back to shore he would be soared
• The Uncle could bit swim and asked his nephew to take him back but he still dropped him in the sea
• The crowd understood and appreciated it, the nephew pulled off the skin once again and went to his parents to tell them of his adventures
• The next morning he took the skin and flew his parents to eagle land where they now live

     The Boy in the Eagle Skin

(Source: Flickr)