Norse stories include the snakes Ofrir and Svafnir who were continuously gnawing at the twigs of the world-tree, Yggdasril.
In North America, the Navaho snake-spirit was involved in a plan with Bear, Frog and Turtle to capture two maidens from an underwater village but the plan went awry and the two girls were killed. Frog and Turtle were lucky to escape with their lives but Bear and Snake fared better. This pair captured two girls who were overcome by the smoke from the kidnappers' pipes which made Snake and Bear appear as handsome braves with whom the girls mated. One of the girls, Glipsa, escaped when Snake reverted to his former shape but he later found her and, once again as a young man, wooed her. He taught her many things, including the Hozoni chant, and eventually allowed her to return to her own people.