When the first airplane arrived at Moose Factory, the residents panicked. Some believed a windigoe had come to kill them and so they shot at it. The older people believed it was the end of the world. One man, Jimmy Asheesh, had a dream that he would see this arrival before he died. He passed away soon after.
Long ago, the muskrat's tail was big and flat and he disliked it very much. He went around the creek singing about his tail until it was cut off on both sides like it is today.
The squirrel has red eyes because, when he nominated himself as leader of the forest, the other animals ridiculed him. He cried and rubbed his eyes to the point where they became red forevermore.
It is said that the loon's feet are near its tail because, during a feast, the loon tried to seduce Shingibish's wife. Angered, Shingibish kicked the loon as he tried to run away and crippled his feet to that position near its tail.
The bear has a short tail now because of his greed. Long ago, a fox told the bear that if he dipped his tail in a hole in the ice, fish would come and nibble it and when he jerked up the fish would come out. The bear, however, didn't jerk up when one fish bit his tail, he wanted many more but he waited until his tail was frozen in the ice and when he jerked up, his tail tore off.
A father and son duo have killed and eaten other Indian families for 20 years until the son is set to marry a girl and his father confesses to what they've done. The new bride's brothers attack and kill their brother-in-law and burn both him and his father.
Hannah Loon recalls several childhood memories and traumas. For example, while taking care of her older sister's children, she witnessed her friend's mother set herself on fire and had to protect the children against the spreading fire.
James Bay is salty because, when the wolverine wanted to attend Weesahkwechahk's feast, a skunk repelled him with its spray and the wolverine had to wash it off in the bay.
Sophie Gunner describes the process of making rabbit-skin blankets and the challenge in making large ones. She also talks about other clothes made of rabbit-skin.
Weesakechahk enticed all the birds into a trap by tempting them with his singing and building them a lodge in which to listen to him. Only the loon escaped the line but Weesakechahk chased him and flattened his back with a kick until he was dead too. Then he decided to cook them all in the hot sand, and before he fell asleep, he instructed his rear end to make a sound if anyone came. The next morning, however, all the birds had been taken, only the feet remained. In his anger, Weesakechahk put a rock in the fire until it was white-hot and then sat on it. As he walked around after though, the scabs on his rear got itchy and he peeled them off and plastered them on the trees as he walked by them. That is why trees have scabs, they say.
Chahkabesh makes giant girls laugh by sticking out his genitals until their mother spots him and puts him in a boiling pot of beaver. He eats the beaver and escapes.
Hannah Loon remembers how a whiskey-jack kept swooping down and carrying the mouse away only to have his prey fight back and fall from his clutches. This happened many times until they had an open fight on the ground and the mouse won.
Ellen McLeod tells Hannah Loon how she left home to catch up to her brothers who were going to the settlement for Christmas. Her father, who didn't want to go, actually met them there.
Gilbert Faries