A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

Overview

Skunk lives in an underground house with two wives, Snail and Snake. Annoyed by the Prairie Wolf repeatedly passing on hunts, he demands that the route be abandoned. His neighbour leaves red pigment, described as his magical aid, outside the dwelling. Skunk dismisses it and attacks his face. The neighbour seeks help from his friend and protecting spirit, the East Wind, who prescribes face painting. Skunk’s next attack nearly blinds him nevertheless; the wind’s magic cannot defeat Skunk directly.

The defeated neighbour promises to stop passing, but plans retaliation. When Skunk goes hunting, the East Wind brings such deep snow that he cannot return home. Porcupine, portrayed as an old man, knows Skunk is close to death and takes pity. He puts on his magical clothing and shakes his mantle outside. Rain begins and compresses the snow, allowing Skunk to walk home. The resolution belongs to Porcupine’s intervention, not to Skunk defeating winter alone. Neither wife performs a narrated rescue, and the text supplies no reconciliation with the neighbour.

Snail and Snake named as wivesResists protective face paintingEast Wind traps him in deep snowPorcupine’s mantle brings saving rain
01

Origins & earliest records

Boas1895, Indianische Sagen von der Nord-Pacifischen Küste Amerikas, III.10, Das Stinkthier,44–45. The section introduction credits most tales to George Stseélis and his wife without identifying the individual speaker for this item.

02

Records & interpretation

Complete selected German narrative and original pages read, with18–19 collection introduction. No modern community-wide belief or single pan-regional animal biography inferred.

In the literature

“Das Stinkthier hatte zwei Frauen, die Schnecke und die Schlange.”
Franz Boas · Indianische Sagen von der Nord-Pacifischen Küste Amerikas
III. Sagen vom unteren Fraser River; 10. Das Stinkthier, complete pp.44–45; brief exact German prose p.44 · Boas’s German collected narrative witness; no independent Indigenous-language translation claimed

Skunk’s wives are Snail and Snake. Resenting Prairie Wolf’s route past the house, Skunk repeatedly attacks him. East Wind’s initial protective aid fails. Prairie Wolf then seeks revenge through heavy snowfall that traps Skunk; Porcupine takes pity and brings rain, allowing Skunk to return home.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Indianische Sagen von der Nord-Pacifischen Küste Amerikas

    Franz Boas; Lower Fraser narrators include George Stseélis and his wife · 1895

    III.10, Das Stinkthier,44–45. Complete narrative and boundaries, original42–45; collection-level attribution qualified.

  2. 02

    Indianische Sagen von der Nord-Pacifischen Küste Amerikas — III. Sagen vom unteren Fraser River; 10. Das Stinkthier, complete pp.44–45

    Franz Boas; individual Lower Fraser teller not identified for this selected story · 1895

    Berlin: A. Asher & Co.,1895, actual title imprint verified. Complete selected German episode(s) and attached notes independently read; original18–19 introduction and40–45 pages inspected.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Located primary passages

Specific passages supporting details in this entry, grouped by their published witness.

Indianische Sagen von der Nord-Pacifischen Küste Amerikas — III. Sagen vom unteren Fraser River; 10. Das Stinkthier, complete pp.44–45

Berlin: A. Asher & Co.,1895, actual title imprint verified. Complete selected German episode(s) and attached notes independently read; original18–19 introduction and40–45 pages inspected.

  1. Skunk’s wives are Snail and Snake. Resenting Prairie Wolf’s route past the house, Skunk repeatedly attacks him. East Wind’s initial protective aid fails. Prairie Wolf then seeks revenge through heavy snowfall that traps Skunk; Porcupine takes pity and brings rain, allowing Skunk to return home.

    III. Sagen vom unteren Fraser River; 10. Das Stinkthier, complete pp.44–45; Complete III10 pp.44–45

No entire volume, original performance or independent Indigenous-language translation inspected. Collection-wide majority attribution is not converted into a definite individual-teller credit. Adjacent III6–7 seen only incidentally, not claimed as new complete coverage.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Primary textOriginal Boas1895 collected volumeResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

FT·2772 · RESEARCH EDITION 01Back to top ↑