Why the Birch Bark has Black Marks

This story was told by the Ojibwe people who lived in the area now known as Michigan.  It is about a giant by the name of Nanabozhoo.  The giant was big and strong and sometimes he was wise and helpful.  The people believed he invented the birch bark canoe and taught the them how to build their own.  But Nanabozhoo was also a trickster.  There are many stories about the giant Nanabozhoo.  In this one, he loses his temper and leaves his mark in the forest.

Once upon a time, Nanabozhoo the Giant was walking through the forest and became very hungry.  When he saw a fat black bear digging for roots, he quickly pulled a small tree right out of the ground and used it to kill the bear for his supper.  He chanted a prayer of thanks to the forest spirits as he built a fire to cook the meat.  When his dinner was ready and the giant was about to take his first bite, he heard a strange sound from some nearby birch trees.  "Greedy fellow, greedy fellow!" the trees seemed to say as they swayed against each other in the wind.  The giant became very angry.  He thought the birch trees were scolding him for not sharing his food.  He yelled at them to be quiet but the trees kept swaying in the wind and rubbing together, making the sound "Greedy fellow, greedy fellow!"  Nanabozhoo became so angry at the birches that he jumped to his feet and ran toward the trees.  With his great strength, he tried to pull the two trees apart so they would no longer rub together and make the noise.  But the wind was strong and the giant's hand became caught between the trees.  He pulled and pulled but could not get away.  Meanwhile, a pack of hungry wolves had smelled the cooking meat and came to the fire to investigate.  They were happy to find delicious bear meat roasting on the fire and quickly "wolfed" it down.  The giant pulled harder as he saw his meal disappearing into the jaws of the hungry wolves and finally he escaped.  But it was too late.  The wolves had swallowed the last of the meat and ran laughing away.  Nanabozhoo was so angry he grabbed a willow tree and made a huge whip.  He used it to lash with all his strength at the birch trees that had held him prisoner.  He beat the trees with the whip again and again until finally he grew tired and shuffled away, hungrier than ever.  And from that day to this, all birch trees show the black marks of his whip on their beautiful white bark.