Ojibwa myths and tales

The Tailless Sturgeon.

Reading edition

Told by John York.

One time there was a family camping at Sturgeon Lake (Victoria County). One day the old man went out to fish through the ice, and while fishing he saw a queer-looking fish. He speared it and killed it, then took it home and cooked it; all the family ate of it, and in a very short time they all took sick and died. These sturgeon from Sturgeon Lake are descended from a serpent which was cut in two a long time ago, but lived and bred young ones with no tails.

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Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · Note.—John York said he used to camp at Sturgeon Lake years ago. Had heard these sturgeon jumping at night, but had never caught any.Note 2 · Sturgeon Lake has no sturgeon. The name may be given to it from its shape. There are no sturgeon in this chain of lakes, now known as the Ka