Motif
Animal witch arriving as a bird
animal_witch_arriving_as_a_bird
A motif of the Shapeshifter and Transformation family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
native american northwest coast
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Tlingit Myths and Texts FOOTNOTES: / FOOTNOTES: / FOOTNOTES: / FOOTNOTES:; lines 9396-9478 confidence: medium
After people are assembled, the spirits say the witch’s road is clear and straight for the house and that the witch is coming. A whistling bird approaches; the door is opened; a wild canary appears, is told to sit between the sick people, and has its wings tied.
The witch identified by the shaman’s spirits appears as a wild canary, is restrained, and remains the central harmful agent.
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