Old Canadian fairy tales & Indigenous short stories
It's (probably) fairly well-known that the fairy tales we remember from childhood are generally sanitised versions of the original stories they were based on.
And when you look into local tales collected from different regions, you find all kinds of fun - and also sometimes slightly dark - little stories you’ve never heard that are both entertaining and often, thought-provoking.
I rescued these Canadian fairy tales from an obscure early 20th century book - stories collected by the author from a broad cross-section of Canada including its Indigenous peoples, sailors and foresters.
Although they were called fairy tales, many of them cross over into myth, where they explain the foundational beliefs and explanations for things in the natural world.
So I've grouped these short stories by theme to illustrate common tropes often found in these folklore tales. Enjoy!
Published: 16th Sep 2025
Author: Sian H.
Origin stories & explaining the natural world
A significant portion of the fairy tales I found in this book are origin myths, explaining how animals got their characteristics, how natural phenomena began or the origins of cultural practices.
The Giant with the Grey Feathers
Or also - how the raven became associated with bad omens...
During a great famine, the Great Chief of the Blackfeet Indians and a young warrior discover that a giant has stolen all the buffalo and is hoarding them in a cave.
To get close to the giant, the Chief transforms himself into a dog and the youth into a straight stick. They’re found by the giant's son and taken into his home.
As the dog and stick, they find the cave and release the buffalo, driving them back to the plains. The giant, in the form of a large grey bird, pursues them.
The Chief then transforms into an otter, pretending to be dead. The bird-giant swoops down to eat him and the Chief captures him.
As punishment, the Chief holds the giant in the smoke of his tent all night, which turns his grey feathers permanently black, transforming him into a raven, a bird of ill-omen.
This certainly isn't the only folktale about the "evil" ravens -
see more raven folklore here.
Rabbit and the Moon-Man
Rabbits and hare's are some of the most common animals associated with global moon mythologies. And this Canadian version, whilst classed as a fairy tale in this old book, also crosses over into myth.
The story goes that Rabbit's traps are consistently being robbed by someone who leaves a long, narrow footprint.
Determined to catch the thief, Rabbit sets a snare made from a bow-string and watches through the night. He catches a being of brilliant white light, who turns out to be the Man in the Moon.
Frightened but angry, Rabbit's eyes are hurt by the bright light. He throws snowballs at the light, which melt and then throws handfuls of black mud, which stick to the Man in the Moon's face, creating the dark spots we see today.
The Man in the Moon promises never to return to Earth if Rabbit releases him.
Rabbit does so, but not before being scorched by the heat, which is why rabbits' eyelids are pink and their shoulders are often yellow in their winter coats.
The Boy of the Red Twilight Sky
A woman living by the sea wishes for a child and is told by a Kingfisher and a Sea-gull to "look in the sea-shells."
She finds a baby boy in a large shell and raises him as her own (as an aside, in Indonesia there is a story about a child born from a cucumber which always makes me smile).
Anyway, the boy grows to have a golden hue to his skin and possesses magical powers, particularly over the weather and the sea.
One day, he goes out fishing with his foster-father during a great storm and calms the sea, overcoming the Storm Spirit. He later reveals that he's the offspring of the sun.
He demonstrates his power by putting on the skins of different birds, changing the color of the sea and sky.
He then bids his foster-parents farewell and returns to the sky, promising that a red twilight sky will signal fair weather.
He also - rather randomly - gives his foster-mother a magical robe with which she can summon the wind.
Heroic quests and overcoming great evil
These are classic adventure tales where a hero, often with magical help, embarks on a dangerous journey to defeat a monstrous evil and save their people or a loved one.
Saint Nicholas and the Children
The stories of the virtuous real St Nicholas have a lot to do with the mythology of Santa Claus. And in this Canadian Christmas fairy tale he does much more than just give out gifts...
Two young twins, Pierre and Estelle, live with their grandmother who falls gravely ill and needs meat broth to recover.
The children set out in search of meat and encounter an old man making willow whistles for Saint Nicholas. He warns them of a wicked butcher nearby but gives them each a whistle that will summon Saint Nicholas in times of trouble.
Despite their fear, the children go to the butcher's shop. The butcher, who is in league with a child-eating giant, tricks the children and throws them into a pickling barrel. The giant arrives and they celebrate their catch.
Meanwhile, Saint Nicholas hears the children's whistles and, after finishing his gift-giving, makes his way to the butcher's shop.
He cleverly disposes of both the butcher and the giant by tricking them into falling into barrels of brine. He then revives the children, gives them meat for their grandmother and they all live happily ever after.
Lovely.
The Boy and the Dragon
A young boy, seeking adventure, sets out to defeat a fearsome dragon that can take human form.
He comes to the dragon's lodge where an old woman, a captive of the dragon, gives him magical moccasins and a piece of bark that allows for magical transformations.
The dragon pursues the boy, who, with the help of his magical bark, transforms into a small fish.
The dragon, in the form of a man, questions various creatures about the boy's whereabouts. Finally, the dragon transforms into a snake to cross a river.
The boy, still a fish, creates a powerful, invisible whirlpool in the middle of the river, which drowns the dragon.
From that time on, the snake family has been hated because it was the form the dragon took in his defeat.
And don't ever mock moccasins again!
Tricksters and battles of wit
These stories revolve around clever, often mischievous characters who use their intelligence and cunning to overcome stronger opponents, play pranks, or get themselves out of trouble. Rabbit is the quintessential trickster in this collection and generally these stories can often be considered the opposite of a fable (coming next).
Rabbit and the Grain Buyers
Feeling unappreciated and lazy, Rabbit decides he wants an easy life and resolves to become a grain merchant.
He sets up a sign and takes money from various animals - Earth-Worm, Duck, Fox, Bear and a Hunter - promising them grain that he intends to steal from a nearby farm.
However, the farmer has fortified his field, and Rabbit is unable to procure the grain.
As his customers arrive to collect their orders, Rabbit devises a clever and cruel plan to dispose of them.
He tricks Earth-Worm into hiding from Duck, who then finds him and eats the worm. He then convinces Duck to hide from the approaching Fox, who promptly devours her.
Next, he persuades Fox to hide from Bear, whom Rabbit then incites to kill Fox. Finally, he tricks the hungry Bear into hiding under his bed when the Hunter arrives.
He tells the Hunter there is a bear under his bed and the Hunter kills and skins it.
Having successfully eliminated all his customers, Rabbit decides the life of a merchant is not for him and disappears into the forest.
Moral fables & the consequences of actions
These stories serve as cautionary tales, teaching lessons about virtue and vice. Good deeds like kindness and perseverance are rewarded, while negative traits like disobedience, cruelty and incessant complaining lead to punishment. We could use more of these in the world.
The song-bird and the healing waters
A young warrior's wife is dying from a mysterious plague that is devastating his village.
He sets out on a quest to find the legendary Song-Bird and the Healing Waters. On his journey, he buries the body of a dead man he finds on the path.
The spirit of the dead man, in the form of a fox, appears to him and, as a reward for his kindness, guides him.
He finds the Song-Bird, whose song leads him to a hidden underground spring - the Healing Waters.
The warrior returns to his village, cures his wife and all the people and thus brings the gift of mineral springs to the world.
Spiritual journeys and the power of the unseen
These tales focus on a character's journey into a spiritual or magical realm where they receive wisdom, power, and a deeper understanding of the world.
The Youth and the Dog-Dance
A young man, searching for the source of a mysterious drumming sound coming from a lake, is given a magic wand by an old man.
The wand transports him to a great lodge where the animals and birds, in human form, are gathered.
The chief of the animals is the Dog, who teaches the youth the secrets of the Dog-Dance, a ceremony to make his people strong and victorious.
The other animals - Owl, Buffalo, Porcupine, Bear, Deer, Crane, Eagle, and Wild-Cat - also bestow upon him their various powers and gifts.
The youth returns to his people, teaches them the dance, and they become great hunters and warriors.
And it doesn't get more wholesome than that.
I know we often read stories for mindless entertainment and I certainly do too.
But I often find myself thinking further about the points of the folklore tales I write about (and this is partly why I do this!). On the surface I find them amusing or bizarre, informative, curious or sometimes just wholesome, but underneath - and usually not very far underneath - they nearly always represent some powerful and meaningful guidance on life. Straight from our ancestors.
Think before you react. Never assume what someone thinks or believes. Ask questions. Double check what you think you know before you make rash decisions. The old, never judge a book by its cover. So many misunderstandings and misconceptions lead to so many problems in the world. Take a breath and give it some thought. You'll feel better for it.
And on a lighter note, don't forget to check out my overview article on some more general folklore from Canada!
Article sources
- MacMillan, Cyrus, Canadian Fairy Tales, 1922
More folklore from North America
