Eskimo Folk Tales Part 32

KaNAGSSUAQ

Kanagssuaq, men say, went out from his own place to live on a little island, and there took to wife the only sister of many brothers. And while he lived there with her, it happened once that the cold became so great that the sea between the islands was icebound, and they could no longer go out hunting. At last they had used up their store of food, and when that store of food was used up, and none of them could go out hunting, they all remained lying down from hunger and weakness.

Once, when there was open water to the south, where they often caught seal, Kanagssuaq took his kayak on his head and went out hunting. He rowed out in a northerly wind, with snow falling, and a heavy sea. And soon he came upon a number of black seal. He rowed towards them, to get within striking distance, but struck only a little fjord seal, which came up between him and the others. This one was easier to cut up, he said.

Now when he had got this seal, he took his kayak on his head again and went home across the ice. And his house-fellows shouted for joy when they saw the little creature he sent sliding in. Next day he went out again, and caught two black seal, and after that, he never went out without bringing home something.

The north wind continued, and the snow and the cold continued. When he lay out waiting for seal, as was now his custom, he often wished that he might meet with Kiliteraq, the great hunter from another place, who was the only one that would venture out in such weather. But this did not come about.

But now there was great dearth of food also in the place where Kiliteraq lived. And therefore Kiliteraq took his kayak on his head and went out across the ice to hunt seal. And coming some way, he sighted Kanagssuaq, who had already made his catch, and was just getting his tow-line out. As soon as he came up, Kanagssuaq cut away the whole of the belly skin and gave to him. And Kiliteraq felt now a great desire for blubber, and took some good big pieces to chew.

And while he lay there, some black seal came up, and Kanagssuaq said:

"Row in to where they are."

And he rowed in to them and harpooned one, and killed it on the spot with that one stroke. He took his bladder float, to make a tow-line fast, and wound up the harpoon line, but before he had come to the middle, a breaking wave came rolling down on him. And it broke over him, and it seemed indeed as if there were no kayak there at all, so utterly was it hidden by that breaking wave. Then at last the bladder showed up behind the kayak, and a little after, the kayak itself came up, with the paddles held in a balancing position. Now for the second time he took his bladder and line, and just as he came to the place where the tow-line is made fast, there came another wave and washed over him so that he disappeared. And then he came up a second time, and as he came up, he said:

"I am now so far out that I cannot make my tow-line fast. Will you do this for me?"

And then Kanagssuaq made his tow-line fast, and as soon as he had taken the seal in tow, he rowed away in the thickly falling snow, and was soon lost to sight. When he came home, his many comrades in the village were filled with great thankfulness towards him. And thereafter it was as before; that he never came home without some catch.

A few days later, they awoke and saw that the snow was not falling near them now, but only far away on the horizon. And after that the weather became fine again. And when the spring came, they began hunting guillemots; driving them together in flocks and killing them so. This they did at that time.

And now one day they had sent their bird arrows showering down among the birds, and were busy placing the killed ones together in the kayaks. And then suddenly a kayak came in sight on the sunny side. And when that stranger came nearer, they looked eagerly to see who it might be. And when Kiliteraq came nearer--for it was Kiliteraq who came--he looked round among the kayaks, and when he saw that Kanagssuaq was among them, he thrust his way through and came close up to him, and stuck his paddle in between the thongs on Kanagssuaq's kayak, and then loosened the skin over the opening of his own kayak, and put his hand in behind, and drew out a splendid tow-line made of walrus hide and beautifully worked with many beads of walrus tooth. And a second time he put in his hand, and took out now a piece of bearskin fas.h.i.+oned to the seat of a kayak. And these things he gave to Kanagssuaq, and said:

"Once in the spring, when I could not make my tow-line fast to a seal, you helped me, and made it fast. Here is that which shall thank you for that service."

And then he rowed away.

Note.--The particular sources of the various legends are as follows:

Polar Eskimo, Smith Sound-- Page

The two Friends who set off to travel round the world 15 The coming of Men, a long, long while ago 16 The woman who had a bear as a foster-son 40 The great bear 81 The man who became a star 82 The woman with the iron tail 83 How the fog came 84 The man who avenged the widows 86 The man who went out to search for his son 88 Atungait, who went a-wandering 90 k.u.magdlak and the living arrows 93 The giant dog 95 The Inland-dwellers of Etah 97 The man who stabbed his wife in the leg 98 The soul that lived in the bodies of all beasts 100 Papik, who killed his wife's brother 104 Patussorssuaq, who killed his uncle 107 The men who changed wives 109 Artuk, who did all things forbidden 110 The thunder spirits 111 Nerrivik 113 The wife who lied 115 Kagssagssuk, the homeless boy who became a strong man 117

South-East Greenland--

Nukunguasik, who escaped from the Tupilak 18 imarasugssuaq, who ate his wives 44 Qalaganguase, who pa.s.sed to the land of Ghosts 46 Isigaligarssik 49 The Insects that wooed a wifeless man 52 The very obstinate man 56 The Dwarfs 60 The Boy from the Bottom of the Sea, who frightened the people of the house to death 64 The Raven and the Goose 66 When the Ravens could speak 67

West Greenland--

Makite 68 Asaloq 71 Ukaleq 73 The man who took a Vixen to wife 79 Qasiagssaq, the great liar 123 The Eagle and the Whale 130 The two little Outcasts 133 Atdlarneq, the great glutton 136

G.o.dthaab, West Greenland--

Qujavarssuk 20 Kunigseq 38 angangujuk 139 atarssuaq 142 Puagssuaq 146 Tungujuluk and Saunikoq 148 Anarteq 150 The Guillemot that could talk 152 Kanagssuaq 154

South Greenland--

ikardlituarssuk 75

Upernivik, North Greenland--

The Raven who wanted a wife 77

NOTES

[1] Tupilak: a monster created by one having magic powers, who uses it to wreak vengeance on an enemy.

[2] According to custom. It is believed that the qualities of the dead are thus transferred to the living namesake.

[3] Umiak: a large boat, as distinct from the small kayak.

[4] The first dress worn by a child is supposed to act as a charm against wounds if the former wearer can put it on when a grown man.

[5] The story-teller speaks the dwarf's part throughout in a hurried and jerky manner, to ill.u.s.trate the little man's shyness.

[6] A heavy burden carried on the back is supported by a strap or thong pa.s.sing over the forehead.

[7] I.e. a creature fas.h.i.+oned by an enemy, after the same manner as a Tupilak.

[8] A small black mollusc.

[9] The star is that which we know as Venus. "Listening": perhaps as the old man had stood listening for the breathing of the seal.

[10] A game played with rings and a stick; the "ring and pin game."

[11] Lit., "Meat Dish."

[12] Speckled seal may often be caught in this fas.h.i.+on.

[13] The souls of the dead are supposed to be born again in the body of one named after them.

[14] There is a fabulous being in Eskimo folklore supposed to have cheeks of copper, with which he can deliver terrible blows by a side movement of the head. Naughty children are frequently threatened with "Copper-cheeks" as a kind of bogey.