The Porcupine and the Beaver (Tsimshian)
This Tsimshian myth from the William Beynon collection tells of a time when animals spoke like human beings and possessed great powers to change the weather. Porcupine and Beaver, two animal-people, had a contest of abilities that determined their roles in the world. Porcupine demonstrated his cleverness and defensive capabilities, while Beaver showed his industrious nature and engineering skills. The story carries important teachings about using one's natural gifts wisely and respecting the different abilities of others. It is also an etiological tale explaining the physical characteristics a