THE DEER WOMAN OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST (USA)

THE DEER WOMAN OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST (USA)

• A creature that features in the mythology of several Native American tribes, most notably the Chippewa. Her form alternates between that of an old woman or a deer, but she mostly favors the form of a young and beautiful maiden with the feet and legs of a deer.
• The Deer Woman often enjoys standing just off the hunting trail, hoping to lure young men over to her so that she can trap them with her magic before it’s too late.
• She is also fond of dancing, known to enter dancing circles to dance the night away, occasionally using her beauty and dancing ability to lure young men out into the forest.
• According to the Chippewa, she can be chased away with a chant, tobacco, or by simply noticing that her feet aren’t human.

In culture after culture, people believe that the soul lives on after death, that rituals can change the physical world and divine the truth, and that illness and misfortune are caused and alleviated by spirits, ghosts, saints … and gods.

― Steven Pinker