Tradition: American Mythology
Alternative Names: Ugjuknarpak, Giant Mouse of the Colville River
Category: Rat
The Myth
Ugjuknarpak is a gigantic, mouse-like monster from Inuit folklore in Alaska. It was said to inhabit an island in a long, narrow lake near the source of the Colville River. Although resembling an ordinary field mouse, it possessed impenetrably thick skin that could withstand even the largest harpoons, knives, and arrows. Its long, prehensile tail could coil around its prey, making it a terrifying predator.
The Inuit travelling by umiaqs to trade with the people of Point Barrow feared Ugjuknarpak greatly. Any noise near its island could alert the monster, which would rush at passing boats, capsize them with its powerful tail, and kill and devour their occupants. Despite this danger, travellers had to journey downriver to obtain blubber and return before winter froze the river, when caribou hunting became essential. In one tragic incident, a girl survived because her father placed her in a quieter boat ahead of the main fleet. A dog’s snarl alerted Ugjuknarpak, which attacked the other boats and killed her parents and brothers.
The girl eventually married and had a son, whom she named Kugshavak, meaning “Woodpecker.” She deliberately told him that he would never be strong enough to avenge his murdered relatives, knowing that this challenge would inspire him to prove her wrong. He was later joined by his brother Hagáneq, meaning “Fellow,” whose hands resembled the flippers of a bearded seal. Together, the brothers grew into powerful heroes and eventually set out to kill the monster.
Approaching the island silently, the brothers discovered Ugjuknarpak waking with jaws so enormous that they could see the dawn through its open mouth. They lured it towards a riverside plain, dodging its attacks while searching for a weakness. Eventually, they noticed a wrinkled patch of skin on its neck. Armed with flint knives mounted on long spears, they repeatedly stabbed this vulnerable spot until the monster collapsed and died. The brothers severed its head and displayed it at Ivnaq, where passing travellers could see the remains of the once-terrifying beast. Although the head eventually decayed, its enormous size, long fangs, and gristly mouse-like snout continued to frighten travellers, who passed it in whispers and restrained their dogs to prevent them from making noise.
Sources
“Ugjuknarpak.” A Book of Creatures. https://abookofcreatures.com/?s=Ugjuknarpak