- A Naskapi Shaman Tale from Davis Inlet, Labrador. narrated by: Uinipapeu Rich, retold by Lawrence Millman.
Once upon a time, a boy fell sick. When he tried to move, he felt pain. In his stomach was a howling which frightened people.
So, an old mistapeo (shaman) came to the boy's tent. "Our son is dying, " the mother told the man. The mistapeo listened to the boy's body, then he looked up and said: "This boy has swallowed a wolf."
"Swallowed a wolf?" exclaimed the father. "Yes, and it's the wolf that's sick. The boy is fine." "We must get the wolf out of him..."
"No," said the mistapeo, "you must not. the boy will die then. Instead, the wolf must be cured."
Now the old man bent down and listened again. He said: "The wolf
seems to need another wolf - a female."
"Isn't one wolf in my son enough?" inquired the father. "He needs two wolves. Otherwise, the one will always be sick." The mistapeo left the tent. He was gone for quite a while. When he
came back, he had a young girl with him. "She has three wolves in her, " he explained. "That's one wolf too many."
Now the girl put her lips to the boys lips. All of a sudden there was a noise like a big animal moving from one den to another.
"Her wolf has gone to the boy, " the mistapeo said, "which means his
wolf will be all right now."
So it happened that the boy got back his health.
