Last of the Thunderbirds - Inuit

A story from Norton Sound, Alaska


In ancient times there were eagles of tremendous size frequenting the tops of
the highest mountains in the interior and preying upon whales and full grown
reindeer, and even upon men. A volcanic crater of very
regular outline, situated upon the summit of a mountain near the lower Yukon,
was the nest of the ancient Mutughowik (thunderbird).

Around the rim of the crater are differently colored stones which, the natives
claim, were gathered by these birds to ornament their nest. When the birds sat
here, overlooking the Yukon on the one side and the sea far away to the horizon
on the other, their screams could be heard for miles. Many luckless creatures
were caught in their talons and carried swiftly to their eyrie where they were
torn into fragments and devoured.

Year after year these birds remained, until men were afraid to go out on the
broad bosom of the Yukon for fear of being caught by these terrible guardians of
the mountains overlooking the village. Each year the young were raised and flew
away, none knew whither, so that never more than two old birds inhabited the
mountains.

One spring after the birds had hatched their young, a famous hunter of the
village went out alone to attend to his fish nets. While he was out one of the
eagles soared high over the village and seeing the hunter's wife outside of the
house, swooped with a mighty rush of wings and carried her off to feed the
nestlings. Ere long the hunter returned and with wailing cries his friends told him of
his loss. For a time he was inconsolable but at length seized his bow and
examined it carefully. He then selected a quiver of his best arrows and heedless of
remonstrance began climbing toward the nest of the eagles.

When he had nearly reached his goal he heard the whistling of great wings and
crouching behind a huge boulder with an arrow drawn to its head, he waited. In
an instant the female bird was seen descending, her terrible eyes fired with
rage; but just as she was about to grasp the hunter in her talons he buried an
arrow under her wing and she fell far down the mountain.

He then advanced and in a short time reached the summit of the mountain,
finding the young so large that they entirely filled the enormous nest. All about
were strewn fragments of men and animals, among which were seen the frames of many
kayaks. With vengeful heart he shot arrow after arrow until the last of the
brood lay dead. He had scarcely finished when a wild cry was heard close by and
he saw the male bird approaching

At the same instant the bird caught sight of its slain young and the hunter. A
still louder and more terrifying cry was heard which made the villagers below
shudder for their friend. The eagle darted at its enemy. With unshaken courage
the hunter met each assault with a well-directed arrow until the bird, pierced
with many wounds, turned and on outspread wings slowly glided away; vanishing
far off to the north.

Since then none of its kind has ever been seen and men have been able to hunt
without fear. The villagers afterwards visited the nest with their deliverer and
found many relics of friends who had perished and it was only a few years ago
that the remains of the kayaks were still to be seen about the nest. This story
is implicitly believed by the natives of the Lower Yukon and adjacent seacoast
and the bald eagle is known by the name which they apply to the bird of their
legend-
Mutughowik.