This story teaches children not to laugh at anyone who is in trouble. There were once two families living together during winter who lived mostly on hunting rabbits. One day, one of the hunters came back earlier than expected with blood covering his hands from a rabbit bite and was laughed at by his companion. His companion thought he was inept and that angered the hunter who decided to cast a spell on the one who laughed at him. The next day, the companion went on the rabbit hunt and was confronted by waves of increasing numbers of rabbits until there were too many to kill. The rabbits feasted on him and all that remained days later were his bare bones on the snow.

When Xavier, the narrator, was a child, his family had a beaver for a pet. During the day he slept but during the night he worked hard at cutting willow sticks until there was a pile blocking the door. He worked hard to close the door completely like he would on the river and in the morning he would be asleep.

Xavier, the narrator, used to have an otter as a pet. He slept at night and was up early in the morning but returned to bed in the afternoon. In winter, his family would cut two holes in the ice and tie a string around the otter's paw. The otter would dive into one hole and come out the other, effectively placing the string for the net under the ice.

Xavier, the narrator, used to have hawks in his family's care from the time when they didn't even have feathers yet. They ate a lot of fish, once a day, and when they grew bigger they didn't want to leave. Also, the hawk was useful in keeping mice away.

Willie Frenchman recounts a harrowing, months-long canoe expedition.

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.

Willie Frenchman recounts more perilous hunts and encounters, and how he survived crossing a near-frozen river.

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.