It's Matthew Candy here, starting off with the old-time story written out by William Snowshoe here. It's one of the old-time stories about rat and beaver changing, trading tail. So I— here's the story. This is an old-time story. About Beaver and Rat. They were coming up the Yukon looking for a place to stay. They got to mouth of old Crow River. These 2 animals had a chief of their own. The beaver told his people to look for lakes up around Crow River, but instead the rat went— wanted to go, so he went up himself. He found that there were lots of lakes. He was gone for quite a while. While he was yet gone, the people waited very long for him to come back. When he came back, he was very tired. He told the people there were no lakes up the river. And all, all that time he was gone, he said he was traveling on mountains. He also said he walked on the mountain so long he tore his shoes. His shoes were torn very bad. The reason he said this was because he didn't want the beaver to stay around the Crow Flat. The beaver didn't believe That there were, there were no lakes up there. Beaver said they're going to leave the Porcupine River if there's no lakes around, and the rat said he was too tired to leave. So he told him he's going to rest for a while and he'll go after them. The beaver knew what the rat was going to do after the beaver leave. The rat will go up the Crow River where there is lots of lakes. The beaver told the rats they should change tail before they leave one another. And the rat had, the rat had a flat tail and the beaver had a skinny tail. The rat didn't want to change tail. The beaver told the rat that his tail was good for going over the portage because the tail is skinny and easy to pull. And the rat agreed with the beaver, so they changed tail. After they changed their tail, they dived into the river. They came out in the middle of the river. They splashed the water with their tails, and the rat seen the beaver splash the water with his tail, and the rat was sorry he changed his tail. Tail with a beaver, but it was too late and there was nothing he can do about it. Then the beaver went up the Porcupine River and that's where there's— there are lots of beaver. And the rat went up Crow River and that's where the rats are staying now. They call the place Crow Flat nowadays. And this is the end of the story. This is George Robert here to tell a story about being a cook for an old catechist. Okay, George.

I, I got a story about myself when I was 7 years old. This happened in Fort McPherson just a few days before I was going to Here we're school. It's about me and an old catechist. He was a native. His name was Colin Wychling. His house was standing just this side of the dance hall. It had a sharp roof. He lived it alone. Those days it was hard Hard to get flour. Hard to get any kind of grub. My father had a tent set close to his house. I, and I, and I always visit him. He knew me good. One night he told me, He was going to service, and he asked me if I could make hotcake. I did not know much about it still. I told him yes, because he told me, "If you make it good, we'll eat it." I was sure glad, and I was. I was proud of myself because I was going to be cooked, then eat some hotcakes. First thing, he pulled a box out from under the table. He put some flour in a dish, just little, just little. He told, he told me, Just use this. Don't take any more. Then he pulled a sack out from under the bed. He, he had some fat grease. He pushed the sack back and told me not to take any more grease. Then he, he took some wood And put it beside the stove. He told me not to take any more wood and not to make strong fire and to keep the door closed to keep the mosquitoes out. This, all this, I said yes. Last, before he went to service, he told me to make The pancakes off because he had no teeth. First thing I did was I put lots of wood in the stove. Then I, then I put the frying pan on this, on the stove. I put the grease in. Then I put water in the flour. I stirred it and I had too much of water. So I put the box— so I, so I put the box out from under the table and put some more flour. I put too much flour. I put too much. It was soft and at places it was hard. What did you do? It was getting very warm. I opened the door. Why? The frying pan was smoking. I went under the bed. I pulled the sack out and opened the grease, put more grease in the frying pan. I put the pastry in the pan and, and the mixing I made. Was not soft. After I put the mixing in the pan, while that, I saw mouse running across the floor. He ran in the little hole right in the corner. I saw mouse here and there, and I threw at them with the firewood. While that, I forgot about the pancake. I looked, it was smoking, burning very bad, and I— very bad and hard, but I still thought it was good, and I was hurried to eat it. The little cook George Robert was standing sweating and the table facing the door. While that, I was facing the door. While that, the catechist came in. First, the door was open wide and it was very hot. The floor, the flour was on, on the floor, some on the floor, and the, and grease sack was on the floor open, and wood all over here and there. He came in first, he shook his head and looked Around again. He didn't even like to talk to me. He stepped on one side of the door and he made signs for me to get out, but I still stood there. Again, he made signs to go, to, to go out. I made up my mind that I was going to eat some of the Cooking. The third time he make— the third time he looked around, he walked a little ways and he took and he started to pick one wood. I thought he was going to whoop me, so I ran out and I never seen him again. And I went to Hailbury School. And this is the end of my story.

Well, we got Charles Coy here and Charlie Snowshoe on the guitar and Charles on the fiddle. Guess we'll have some old-time reels, Charles. Okay, it's, uh, Rachel and Edward, huh?

Yes.

Well, we got John Charlie here to tell us a story here. So John Charlie here.

I have a little story here to tell about, but I'm not very, I'm not very good telling it straight through to what I heard of it, but I'll line out a few lines of it. Once a wolverine was married to a wolf lady. And they were moving through the country trying to find the caribou. Every day the wolf went hunting and the little rain went beaver hunting. This was in the winter, so the beaver lodge would be freezing from bottom up. And the beaver start eating its lodge, and the little rain comes, break through the beaver lodge, and kill all the beaver. And the little rain came back Came by camp by himself, and the wolf camped by the camp by himself near, near one another. This Wolverine cooked the beaver, and they put a line from one camp to the other. And this wolf lady cared for his brother and mother, but this Wolverine wanted his brother's in-law to starve. Anyway, The work carried on all right. One day the work got some caribou and they put one camp together. In the meantime, the Wood of Rain was coming and found that they were putting up one camp. So he got disappointed about putting up one camp. So the Wood of Rain turned around and sat on his load and His mother-in-law said to the Wolverine, your brothers— your brother-in-law got some caribou. So the Wolverine got up and started coming again.

Next, he start—

next day they move, they move to the caribou and they put up camp. According to the old-time story, these wolf brothers all agreed They're going to get rid of him. So they came to the camp and the brother-in-laws, they start cooking for him. And they invited this Wolverine, who was their brother-in-law, was invited to the wolf tea party. And in the meantime, they dried— they had some fat which they hanged up to dry and placed a stone near the fire. After the party was over, they start telling him story. Pretty soon the wolverine start getting sleepy. And the wolverine was a lot smaller animal than the wolf. But still the wolverine was much stronger than they were, so they were a bit afraid of him. Anyway, when they had their chance, they all got together and caught him, caught the wolverine by 4 legs. One caught the fat, spread the fat on the wolverine's stomach, and placed a real hot stone on top of his stomach. And with this stone, that was the end of him. So the Wolverine brothers were happy, but the wolf sister sure took it pretty hard, and that's the end of it. And I have another little short one here, which is a story of one Indian and his wife. They're still living in the year 1961. It's kind of a little comical, so I'll put it through here. Not too long ago, one Indian man said to his wife, long ago, men used to take another man's wife. If that still goes on, and if another man comes and tries to take you away from me, who will you care for? The wife said to his husband, I'll, I'll care for the one that tried to take me away. So his husband said to her, okay, he said, if you care for the one that tried to take you away, he says, I'll give you a push and say goodbye. That's the end of it.

Another story here written by Mr. William Snowshoe. I'll read this. This is another story of old-timers. It's about the animals who made A big meeting to change caribou into another animal. First of all, the story said we people was caribou in those days, but we were too wise, smart, and wild for the people. The people had a very difficult time to get us, or rather kill us. At the time, the people were starving because they couldn't get us. So the people didn't agree that too many people are starved. The people start talking amongst themselves about the starvation. So the people decided to have a meeting, and they called all the animals around about to gather for the meeting which was to be held. The meeting was about changing caribou into people, and the people The people agreed to that. The grizzly bear spoke up and said he wanted to be a caribou, but the people didn't want him to be caribou, so the people refused him. He got angry with them for not letting him be the caribou. Before he went out from the meeting, he said, if you If you don't want me to be a caribou, from now on I'll have you for my enemies. That is why the grizzly bear these days are not friendly with us. And the people said if they change into caribou, the people won't get old. All their life, and one of the little birds named Tsugyak was Sitting at the corner said he didn't want the people to live long and not get old. He said, if the people don't get old, how are we going to eat calf? And the people told him, if you don't want the people to live long, and how long he wanted the people to live. And he took a piece of stick He threw it in the air and he said, this is how long the people will live from now on. This— so this is the law made by one of the little birds. That's the reason the people get old nowadays. That's the end of this story. And here we got John Charlie back again to tell us a story about the Rock River redstone powder.

Here, I'm gonna tell a story about the red powder in Rock River, which was told over many times. I was through there myself, and pretty near everybody in McPherson was through there, and they all know about this powder. This powder was used as a painting up snowshoes to make it red, which was a usual color from way back. And every time you come to this place and you wanted this powder, well, you climb the hill there and take some of it. But every time you take it, you have to Buy it and place something in place of it. For instance, you put like little bit of tobacco or tea or tobacco or matches or whatever you you want to put in place of it is what you put there, and then this way you get away from the wind. But if you just take it and Don't put anything there while you're putting yourself up against a big windstorm. That's about all I have to say about it. But in other words, there was one time a few families coming through this rock river and they all, oh, it was quite a few women, took this powder there and they all put tea and Tobacco, matches, and stuff like this. After they took it, there was another hunter came by and picked up all this stuff that was put there in place of this yellow powder. And he came back to the camp, and this man gave it all back to the woman that put it back, put that, took the powder. After that, the wind started and it blew for 7 days straight. So they couldn't travel along the mountains, so they had to go further west and go through along the timberline. All this time the wind was blowing, the women were really disappointed with this man. But there was nothing they could do about it because they got these things that they put in their bag and they thanked him for And now we got, uh, Edward Snowshoe here.

He's gonna tell a story about Charles Coy.

When Charles Coy was a young man, he wanted to get married, so he looked around for a girl. Then he finally found Elijah Andro girl, but he kind of scared to ask him because he ain't got nothing. So once he figured out, if I tell a lie, I guess I could murder her. So he went over to Elijah and told Elijah, I want to get married to your girl. I got 10 horses, I got a canoe. That wasn't belongs to him. So Elijah was agree because Jalis told him, as long as you live, he said, you'll never see with me, with me, without 10 horses and a canoe. You'll have a fast ride every day of your life. So Elijah said, all right. So he said, all right. And then when Elijah was in the Delta, So Charles, in the springtime for him to get married, so he went down to Ten Horse. That was all Androquois outfit, does not belong to him. And Elijah didn't know that. He figured he's going to have his right every day of his life as long as he got jealous, so he gave his girl away. So when they came up here, Charles got married. After he got married, he got no way to go anyplace. So Andrew took away, took all his outfit. So I don't know, Charles, what he's going to do. He's got no outfit. So Andrew told him, you and your wife, you could sit at the head to Martha Peabody. That's about all the best I can do for you. This is the way Charles got married.

Well, we got Charles and Charlie Snowshoe back again to give us some music on Walls.

Great.

So now we're gonna have, uh, one of the all-time square dance reels. Okay, Charles. Pretty good, Charles. Pretty good. It's another old-time music coming up. Uh, it's— the name of it is, uh, Double Dick. We got Edward Snowshoe here again to tell a story.

There's one story about one time, Ardigan MacDonald's wife, Julia MacDonald. All her girls, all— most of her boys died, and her husband. And then she went through by United States And she came up, up to Old Crow. All this time he was thinking of his people at Fort McPherson, that he's going to visit them one more time after her husband been there so long. So he told Lee McDonald— Neil McDonald was over Old Crow— and he told him to try and kill all the caribou he could for her so she could bring some meat over here. and then make a feast, a big party with the people here. Then the people found out that Mrs. McDonald's over the pier house. So at that time, people think of dogs, people think of dogs. Some people got good dogs and other got good dogs, and other people think, I got better dog than that fella. So they start talking about one another. I could beat him, I could beat him. So there's Peter Luxy, there's Johnny Kaye, there's Abraham Francis. And Abraham Francis, everybody thinks he's got the best team, but these people, those other 2 persons, they figure, oh, that's his dog, he's no good, I could beat him. So Chief, Old Chief was still living, Old Chief Jules, so he called the people for meeting. But then, then it's already Mrs. MacDonald She was here. Somebody went over and got her. So they made meeting and they were talking about what Mr. McDonald did for them and her wife came from a long ways to visit them and they had little meat over there to have party for them. So Chief Jules got up and he says, no use talk, talk about one another when you don't see one another. I want to send you just to have a good time. It's close to Christmas, so have a good time. There's Peter Lexi gonna go, Johnny Kaye gonna go, Abraham Francis gonna go. So Donald was gonna go over for somebody else too. So he called him and instead he says, no, no, no, Uncle, I'm not in it. He said, I'm not in that dog trouble. He says, I'm gonna go myself. So he went over and they made the trip, but they found out that Abraham Francis got the best dog.

Yeah.

And when they came back here, Donald had a real good dog, and when he was— when he came back here, he was real broke. He got nothing, got no money. So Abraham Stewart was still living at that time. So he went over to Abraham Stewart, told him, well, my friend, he says, I'm broke. This is towards the New Year now, I'm broke, or Christmas or whatever it is, I don't remember right. He says, could you buy me, buy me 3 dogs out of me? He said, Abraham Stewart Holm, I haven't got very much money myself. But anyway, what you got? So many Ming, that's about all. Well, give me them Ming and give me a spring bed, so I'll give you 3 dogs. So he gave him all that Ming and he gave him a spring bed. After that, he told him, how about give me 1 dog beside? He said, sure, I'll give you 1 dog over there. You can take them anytime you want it.

Okay.

So all this time, all this time, this dog, he gave it to Donald. He never feed him. He's got nothing to do with it no more. Donald never came around and pick up that dog. And I guess this dog was very poor. And pretty soon his people from McClavick came too. They're all going back. So Abraham's sure he's got a good dog there now after he bought them 3 dogs. So he's going to go down to visit McClavick. So then Donald started looking around for dogs, trying to get dogs there and there. And some people got the starving dog, he pick up that, and pretty soon he thought of that Abraham Stewart gave him one dog one time ago. So he asked him, where's that dog? He said, well, it's tied there. It belongs to you, it still belongs to you, take it. So Abraham Stewart beat it. Then everybody know Donald was funny, so when they got to Husky River, everybody's waiting for Donald to see what he'll say. What did he say? So pretty soon they said, Donald, Donald's coming, Donald's coming now, see what he'll say. So everybody's waiting for him, sitting around, and when he came in there, first thing he said was, where's Mr. Abraham Stewart? Right here, right here, he said. In the first place, when I give you 3 dog, you give me 1 dog de boot. You should not said dog, you should have said, I'm going to give you 1 skin de boot. That's the end of the story.

Here's a story. It's going to be told by John Charlie again.

Okay, John.

This is the story of 2 natives, and it is written down, written out by George Robert, and will be announced by myself. This is a story of 2 natives, natives of Fort McMurray. One was James Francis and Donald Greenland. It was early in the fall. The ice was still not strong enough to hold the dogs up, and James Francis was young. He was hurried to drive, drive dogs. He went out, but his dogs went through the ice. But he got them out safely. And when he got home, he took his dogs in his house, 2 dogs in front and the other 2 at the back, and James was sitting to the stove facing the door. While that Donald Green went to visit James, he knocked on the door and James said, come in. And Donald opened the door, he stopped there, he saw the dogs, he said, excuse me, I didn't know you had visitors. He closed the door and went home. This is the short story by George Robert.

Oh yeah, oh yeah, now you can go.

You're here to occupy, both of you.

They—

this is— I'm going to tell a story about myself. It's not a nice story to listen to, but it's better than nothing. So this is Charles Koo telling a story about my home. I had a lot of family, a few small kids. I just had one bed. I take one kid over to the other bed. They both yell, sleep with Daddy. And mom, so they all go in the same bed with us. So one night I went out visiting and my wife was already sleeping, so was the kids. I see that bed, I haven't got no room for me to lay alongside the old lady. So I thought to myself, we're gonna sleep like a sardine.

Yeah.

So then my wife got up. She told me, what are you doing here? Well, my bedtime, I guess. I tell you, Julia, the bed is kind of small. We're going to sleep like sardines. You put your leg towards my head, and I'm going to put my leg towards your head. So, okay. And I was sleeping. We were both sleeping. So pretty soon we're sleeping away and I kept turning around. Boy, the old lady was really squeezing me. I find out I'm not gonna have a very good sleep. So anyway, I went to sleep again. I had my head right against the bed, bed rail, you know. So pretty soon I was dreaming somebody was really choking me. And I tried to fight for my way out. And goodness sake, my wife had her feet right against my throat against the bed. Boy, oh boy, I tell you, I really worked. And I got up with sweat right on my face, and I really pushed her. I told her, what's the matter?

You're trying to kill me?

She said, what happened? Well, if you ever know, you'll never do it again all your life. Well, that's the end of this story.

Watch the rabbit dance.

Okay, we got Charles Coy and Charlie again. Oh, he's gonna— they're gonna play us a rabbit dance.

Good, good.

There's a song here going to be played by Charles Quave, the Mad Trapper of the North, of the North, named Albert Johnson. We got George Robert on the violin here. He's gonna play us, uh, Let Down the Saddle. Okay, George, take it away.

Let down the saddle. Gone, I think.

Gone, scratching it.

Good for you, George. Okay, George, this is the old square dance again. Okay, take it away, Smokey.

Good, that's good.

Well, we're gonna have another square dance by George Robert again. Okay, George, let's go at it. Let's get our partners and let's all go. Another square dance by George Roberts. So let's get our partner Edward. Oh, look, come on.

Here we go.

Here we got George again to play us Home Sweet Home. It's too early yet, George.

This story is going to be told by Rachel.

When the Raven was a young boy and he was after one— one old woman had a nice-looking girl and the Raven was after this old woman's girl. And all over the place, they had people coming in to get married with this girl, but the old lady didn't like it. And Pretty soon the raven came, came to this old woman and asked this old woman if he could get married with the girl. And the raven had black suit on and nice shiny boots and a brown hat and necktie, necktie on. And he had a nice engagement ring and he gave it to this old woman to get married with this girl. Pretty soon they got married, and then the raven— they didn't know it was the raven. And pretty soon they got up, they got married, and they went back and they had party and everything. And in the morning they got up, this girl was all dirty. The raven been going She went to toilet on this girl and there's real pretty girl. Pretty soon the old woman went over and the girl was all messed up and really poor looking. And then this old woman told the people, is this my girl? And he said, yes. She said, yes. And pretty soon she went back over there. and she seen the footmarks going down to the shore. It was a raven with 3 foot—

3 toes, huh?

3 toes and pretty soon this old woman said, this must be that raven, or it would be so crooked.

This song, this song is gonna be sung by Annie Barnum Plum.

You see, you see, let any shy.

You see, you see, let any shy.

Wow!

ओही आली है, ओही आली है, कोशियाली है, कोशियाली है, ओही आली है। गुगुबुगा। This next story is going to be told by Mrs. Blake. Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I am here going to tell you a little old-time story, but this is the first time I've been in this business. But anyway, I'll try it, and I can't talk in English very good. But anyway, a long, long time, a story what I heard from my grandfather and my grandmother. mother when I was very small. I even sat in the sled when they were moving the camp, and yet I remember it. Old-time story, as though the time was the flood. We all heard about it in Bible too, but the stories from the Lushu still was on, but some old people now let the people Young people know it. All time when the flood came, not the story before that, but just from start, they said there were lots of people all over the countries, but there are no names of which is the headman that time. But anyway, when the flood came, as all the people make a rush.

Rafts.

Rafts, the biggest rafts as much as they could, very solid ones. And then they put the mud, thick mud on the raft and then brush and all the dry woods and food ahead all they can. But anyway, there were so many days of flood and then wind and all they had that time was the arrows. That's all they used. And spear. Anyway, which anything came along, rat or rabbit, ducks, anything like that came close to the raft, that's all they get and then they live on those. And then they was getting tired and the raft was, when the wind, raft was some blow away, anything like that and they tied together but the The line was made of the caribou skin, cladded, and the moose skin cut in one piece, even that. Anyway, it was the one draft left, and then these men told one another, which is the man they used to be. At those days, they dreamed good, and those days they only believed at them which is the medicine man, anything like that.

Mm-hmm.

But this man, he told this man, well, you used to be a dream and can you do something? We were going to starve now, like, and we don't know which water's getting low or higher and we don't know anything about it. But finally, this one rat always had the nest at the end of a raft with the grass And this man told these people, not touch that rat, just let him stay there. And so this man, all the people told him that and he said, all right, I'll try it anyway. And so this man told these people, just keep quiet, don't make noise till I'll try and go to sleep, like, until I wake up and sit up and tell you people about it.

Yes.

So this man went to bed and about 1 or 2 hours anyway, then they were up. And then he told his people, well, you told me this, but anyway, we'll try it. Try and tie all the lines and sinew or anything, or bebeesh, anything you had, and tie, soak it and tie it together and make it longer all you can. And so people are glad about— heard about it, so they They did it. So this man told— they tied the end of the line on the rat, and so they told this rat, try and dive with this line, trying to find out how deep it was. Maybe water's getting higher or getting low, we don't know it. And so this rat was to dive, and the big roll of line was right alongside.

Right.

And that rat said to that man, when— if I touch down to the ground, the bottom of the water, and I'll try and pull this line down 2 or 3 times, then trying to pull me up. If I don't, why, I'll be drowned before I'll, I'll do it. But if the line don't Work this up and pull it back. So they were doing it, and last thing, right in the line was the line where they stopped moving. Wait for a while and then they don't move it even that, and they pull it back up and pull it back up and the whole— make the big roll again. And here is the poor rat who was drowned and stepped— he had the mud in his hand and stepped With it, so they know how deep. They found out how deep it was then by that line. And so they were glad, and they were— Ralph was traveling around with them. Well, after that, and this man told another man, you used to dream about the crow, don't you? Can you do something for us now? Yes, I can. Well, this man, they said the same thing again. And so they went to bed and they're all quiet until they were getting up. And then this man told them that while they'll be out, they will see a crow flying around, come and fly around near this raft and don't do anything.

What?

So all the people said, all right, and crew was flying to the raft and fly around 2 or 3 circles and then flying back again. And then this man told these people and trained them all these row, raft and paddling, anything like that, to follow it to where they went. And so they do. So this crow, one place, just fly up on the air and down like that, and there's nothing but water, just out on the sea like. So they got there and this crow told them to go further on. So they went there. Crow said to this man through dreaming, if you seen my walk stick, Out of the water. Just stay there with raft till the water comes down.

Yes.

So they do it. And when that crow was flying back to there and towards the raft and go on like that, and lastly got there, and the people, they never seen those before. That was a brass walking stick. Where'd the crow get hold of the brass anyway those days? That's as sure as a great thing's been sure. So they hang around there, and while after that the water was dropped, gone down slowly, I tell by that walk stick. So alas, was the little ground would show up that was the gravel Lake. That is the top of the mountain. And so people are so very glad. As soon as the ground would show up, and that was the kind of gravel, and so that walk stick was then stuck right on into that ground. That, that's the only way they found out the water was gone down. And then they were glad and their raft was on the ground and they would walk around there and then they seen anything come along and they kill it and they eat those and all the people were glad. They didn't see nobody else. They don't know where other parts of raft went. And they kept this story going when I was small till the other old people all died, I still remember. And that is, I heard this was way down, way down Alaska someplace. That's the place the people, Lushua, started again. And before that, don't know where, where from, what country from. And then And then a crow, that's so the people, old people, they don't want to bother a crow or kill it or nothing or anything like that. And these days, the crow, when they heard, they seen some, some caribou or moose or anything like that, and they kind of know people that was going to kill it, why the crow came along and fly around, make some kind of noise. So these people still know? I'm going to make a noise like crow. This is the noise they were making. That's a good sign for people. So people hunting around and they make sure they were see something and they kill it. They still they were keep those all stone. That's all I know of, but I want to tell the story a lot more, but maybe other people want to tell the story about it. Well, I sure am very glad, and I never been in school and taught in English very good, but anyway, I was telling this much is all I can. If I have time, I'll tell a lot of story.

Thank you.

Ah, c'est ta cliché.

Ah, cliché, pardon.

Cliché.

知少哎，知疏哎，你怎也知出得来？知少哎，知疏哎，人怎也顾得了怎也知出得来？ Je saurai, je saurai, ni t'aider, ni te torturer. Plus de peine, ni de peine ne saurai. Je saurai. The Blue Sea Gimp.

You and I hope you have enjoyed the stories and music.

They bring back very fond memories for us. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. All right.