Yu.E. Berezkin, E.N. Duvakin

Thematic classification and distribution of folklore and mythological motifs by area

Analytical catalogue

Introduction
Bibliography
Ethnicities and habitats

M61a3. The character fights fish. 43.45.46.

The character tells each of two different species of fish how the other allegedly used to be hostile or offensive towards the former. Fish kill each other and the character prepares them to eat.

Menonyme, Western Ojibwa, Naskapi, Assiniboine.

The Midwest. Menominee: Skinner, Satterlee 1915, No. 18 [Meanyabush (=rabbit) young Pike: Old Pike promises to beat you; old: Young Shuka promises to carve you out; pike fight, kill each other; Meanyabush eats plenty; falls asleep; Wolves steal what's left], II30 [as in No. 18, protagonist Mink]: 293-294, 405-407; Western Ojibwa: Barnouw 1977, No. 37 [Mink alone Pike: the other says you're eyed; she replies: Her teeth are like a saw and a long muzzle; Mink transmits; pike fight, kill each other; Mink cooks fish, falls asleep; swimming people steal it by, put guts filled with stones instead, Mink breaks teeth against them]: 152; Jones 1916, No. 39 [Mink sets old and young Pike against each other, they kill each other (brief version)]: 385.

Northeast. Naskapi [Wolverine tells Char (fish) that Salmon said he swam into Muskrat's ass and enjoyed it; Char replies that Salmon loses consciousness if he tries to copulate with his wife; Wolverine transmits these words to Salmon, etc.; Char and Salmon fight, kill each other; Wolverine cooked them, put them in a bag, fell asleep; Muskrat replaced fish with stones; Wolverine ate stones; Muskrat I also tried to gnaw stones, broke my teeth]: Millman 1993:33-34.

Plains. Assiniboine [Sitkonsky asks the partridge chick what his name is; Chicken; asks again, he says his name scares everyone; S. defecates on him; Mother partridge takes off, S. falls into the river; Laska asks him to catch fish; S. says to one that the other calls it names; fish fight, one kills the other, S. finishes off the winner; Laske gives nothing; he stole fish; S. says to Grom that everyone treats both of them badly; Thunder causes a flood; everyone without wings drowned, after the flood S. revived everyone]: Lowie 1909a, No. 14:110-111.