Reading Notes: Blackfoot Stories Part B

The Red Eyed Duck

Plot: The Old Man was walking on his travels when a group of ducks persuaded him to stop. They wanted him to sing so they could all dance. The Old Man acquiesced and told the ducks that the next song was a medicine song and they must keep their eyes closed or they will turn red. As the ducks kept their eyes closed and danced around he would beat ducks that came near him with a bat and kill them to eat later. One little duck could feel that there were less ducks around and opened his eyes. He warned the remaining ducks and they flew away. That little duck's eyes were forever red and it became a horned grebe. The Old Man took the remaining ducks and roasted them on a fire. He then fell asleep. A coyote came along and saw the ducks and ate all the ones roasting above the fire. He then found the remaining ones roasting under the fire, ate their insides, and filled the skin with ashes. Then he left. The Old Man woke up and saw all his ducks were eaten but was happy that the ones he had hidden were still there. He went to take a bite and his mouth was filled with ash.

Lesson: This is both an origin story for the horned grebe and a lesson in trickery. The Old Man is both the trickster and the tricked.

Ideas: I like the idea of doing just a straight retelling. I thought the story was clever and interesting in both parts.

Story Source: This story is from Blackfeet Indian Stories by George Bird Grinnell

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