Miscellaneous Legends This section is a mish mash of various stories told by carvers and gleaned from my many wanderings through old magazines and books etc. Each though tells a moral.   The Weasel and the Muskox One time during one of the seasons, much starvation spread across the land, so much so that there was nothing to eat. A group of hungry foxes spying a big fat muskox turned to the wolf and said " Please go kill the muskox so that all of us can eat and we will survive". The wolf responded " I am too weak and can not kill such a big animal". Suddenly a small voice piped up, it was the weasel who said, "If you wish, I will kill the muskox and there will be food for all". All the animals laughed at him for how could such a small insignificant animal such as a weasel harvest a muskox when the mighty wolf could not. The little weasel went off, sneaking and creeping around the muskox, then swift as a striking snake, the weasel dug into the muskox behind and the muskox bled to death. The weasel became a hero to the other starving animals for with his cunning he saved the day. Moral: Even the smallest can triumph.   Two Shamans Contest Once upon a time, in a large camp, lived a shaman. He was good and benevolent and had the power to change his form into whatever animal he wanted. He helped his people and was considered a fair and just man. But in the camp lived another, a hunter who was jealous with the respect that the shaman had gained with the other people. Secretly, this hunter began to practise shamanism, after many months he had gained the power to shape shift too. One evening when all were assembled for games, singing and contests, the evil hunter adressed the respected shaman. "You are getting old shaman, and should be replaced". This was shouted over the din so all people could hear. The old shaman just smiled. The evil hunter challenged the shaman to a contest, let us see this shape shifting ability of yours, perform for us. The shaman would not do so at first. Finally, after being continuously harrassed by the evil hunter the shaman agreed to a shapeshifting contest, noone knew that the evil hunter had gained the ability to change form. The old shaman demonstrated his powers, first changing into a graceful bird, flying around the sky, then changing into a playful seal and finally, into a bear. All who were there clapped at this display of magic. The evil hunter laughed and said "Watch this". He turned from sight and then turned back, before the assembly stood a man with a caribou head, so shocked was the man's wife and child, they dropped dead from fright. So grieved at what he did, the evil hunter forgot the magic words to transform back. Moral: Do not try to bend others to your will, you may not like the consequences.   Owl and the Rabbits Once upon a time, there lived an owl, he was a most powerful beast, strongest among his peers and he was filled with pride. Always he would boast and brag and preen himself to all the other owls. One day as the owls were gathered, two rabbits were spotted travelling together. One of the owls said "Look at those plump rabbits, let two of us fly down and get our lunch". The powerful owl laughed and said "There is need for more then one owl to catch two rabbits? Bah, I will go and get them myself." With one fair swoop, off went the powerful owl, flying high up until he was but a speck in the sky, then he hurtled himself to the ground towards the rabbits, claws outstretched. With such speed, he grabbed each rabbit with on claw so that he did inded have two. But the rabbits were smart, and with the touch of the claw upon their back, they ran in opposite directions, thus the powerful owl was torn in two and the rabbits survived. Moral: Never bite off more then you can chew or could it be..Pride cometh before a fall?