OCTOPUS STORIES, LORE AND FACTS
(excerpts from posts)
(If you want to retell any of the stories listed below, be sure to obtain permission from the copyright holder if the material is not in the public domain)

1) The Octopus: Phantom of the Sea by Mary M. Cerullo. Cobblehill Books, 1997. Monkeys aren’t the only ones who see and do. Learning by watching is considered an advanced form of intelligence, and this ability has earned the octopus the distinction of “primate of the sea.” Surprised? Read and find out more about this elusive creature.

2) Beneath Blue Waters: Meetings with Remarkable Deep-Sea Creatures by Deborah Kovacs and Kate Madin. Viking, 1996. Join the crew of a research submersible to explore the depths of the sea. Meet the creatures that call the ocean home and learn about the adaptive strategies that allow them to survive.

3) About Octopi (Mote Marine Laboratory)
http://www.marinelab.sarasota.fl.us/OCTOPI.HTM
This site includes information, pictures, and web links.

4) Johnny Moses recorded a wild story about a crow who says "I know" who gets eaten by an octopus. It's called Octupus and Crow but is also listed as Crow and the Octopus Lady.

5) Old Stormalong. Here is an online version.
Click here: Act!vated Folktale Old Stormalong - page 1 of 2
http://www.activated-storytellers.com/folktales/old_stormalong.html

6) This has some interesting info on the sea creature along with some historical references.
http://www.amnh.org/naturalhistory/editors_pick/0600_pick.html

7) Na Kika
The Octopus God (kika = octopus), whose many arms served him well when he shoved up the earth from the bottom of the sea to form the islands, the beaches and the rocks.
http://www.collectors.co.nz/kiribati/myths.html#top (this New Zealand link seems to be temporarily out of order on 8/9/02)

8) Information and one myth
Giant Pacific Octopus
http://www.pwssc.gen.ak.us/pwssc/staff/scheel.hard/octopus.html

9) Click here: Cephalopods in Myth
http://www.pwssc.gen.ak.us/pwssc/staff/scheel.hard/octopus.html

10) THE LEGEND OF KUPE..
http://www.att.virtualclassroom.org/vc98/vc_52/lytton/myths_and_legends.htm
Myths and Legends
It is said that the cause of the voyage that led to the discovery of Aotearoa is to be laid at the feet of Muturangi and his pet octopus. Te Wheke-o-Muturangi. Te Wheke had many children who were in the habit of stealing the bait off the hooks of Kupe and his fellow tribesmen while they were out fishing in open ocean. The next morning, before first light, the fishermen set off from the village in their canoes, aiming to get to the fishing grounds and carefully let down their fishing lines. Unbeknown to the octopus, however, the fishermen hadn't lowered their lines as deep as usual, and so were able to detect the Wheke as they wrapped their tentacles around the bait .By gently pulling up their lines Kupe and his companions were able to raise the unsuspecting baby octopuses to the surface ,where they slaughtered large numbers of them. Kupe then chased Te Wheke's octopus to New Zealand and that's how he discovered New Zealand.

11) Hunting the Great Devil - information and some true stories
http://rbcm1.rbcm.gov.bc.ca/hhistory/huntingthedevil-1.pdf

12) Gittins, Anne. Tales from the South Pacific Islands. Stemmer House, 1977. Octopus helps Lasa build a canoe, advises Lasa to take along anyone who wants to come. Helpers help Lasa to pass a series of tests. Cook Islands. 79-81. Giant Octopus. Ratu defeats giant clam and giant octopus,rescues parents from inside giant blue whale. Cook Islands. 66-71. Octopus forces shark to promise to leave men alone. Fiji. 32-36. Berry, Erick. The Magic Banana and other Polynesian Tales. NY: John Day, 1968. 30-44. Octopus forces shark to promise to leave men alone. 30-44.

13) Colum, Padraic. Legends of Hawaii. Yale Univ. Press, 1937. 77-83.
Octopus forces shark to promise to leave men alone. 77-83.

14) Hearn, Lafcadio. Japanese Fairy Tales. [Many editions, page numbers may vary.] Why Octopus [or jellyfish] has no bones. [Some versions may be about jellyfish instead of octopus.] 35-41. Why octopus lives alone. 83-86.

15) Te Kanawa, Kiri. Land of the Long White Cloud. NY: Pavilion, 1997. Islands formed during fight with giant octopus. New Zealand, Maori. 28-34.

16) Robertson, Dorothy Lewis. Fairy Tales from the Philippines. NY: Dodd, 1971. Octopus beats jellyfish and is banned. Philippines. 43-52

17) Eastman, Carol M. and Elizabeth A. Edwards. Gyaehlingaay: Traditions, Tales and Images of the Kaigani Haida. U. of Washington P, 1991. Raven people mistreat baby octopus, octopus people retaliate. Ultimately reconciled. Kaigani Haida. 35.

18) Caduto, Michael J. and Joseph Bruchac. Octopus and Raven from Keepers of the Animals: Native American Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children. Golden, CO: Fulcrum, 1991. Raven is rude to Old Woman Octopus as she was digging clams. Octopus teaches Raven manners by holding him under water as the tide rises. 73-74.

19) Moses, Johnny. American Indian Voices Presents Johnny Moses. 1992. Octopus and Crow.

20) Berry, Erick. The Magic Banana and other Polynesian Tales. NY: John Day, 1968. 30-44. Octopus forces shark to promise to leave men alone. 30-44.

(This web page updated 8/12/03)