The Lake-Monster

They were far from satisfied with this reply, and insisted on being told at once, and even threatened to disobey her instructions. Much against her inclination, and with fear and trembling, she told them, “On the south side there is a large lake, in which lives a monster so huge that his body reaches from one bank to the other. He has devoured all the people of the village; and I understand that he is coming closer now, for he has had nothing to eat for a long time. You must not go near the lake. One of these days he will come and eat us up.”

The children received the news coolly, and threatened to go the next day to kill the monster. “Ai-Ai-Yah!” cried the mother. “Don’t do it. There were many people strong and brave who could not kill him, and how will you do it?” But the children would not be dissuaded. Under the direction of the girl, the boys worked all night making bows and arrows. In the morning, in spite of the entreaties of their mother, they set out to hunt, and succeeded in killing a fur-seal, which the girl cooked and covered with feathers from her parka. Putting the meat on the platter, she started with it towards the lake, followed by her brothers. From a hill near by they had a good view of the lake and the monster, whose tail was above water. Here the girl ordered her brothers to wait out of danger, while she proceeded. When the monster saw her coming, he opened his mouth, drawing her to him; but before he had quite succeeded, he was obliged to go under. She took advantage of the opportunity, and, after putting down the meat, ran back as fast as she could. When she heard him emerge, she fell down on the ground, clutching with all her might some alder-bushes, and in this way escaped the fate of the meat, which the beast got into his mouth. After the monster had eaten, he went under the water; and in the mean time the girl gained the hill, where her brothers were waiting. They watched to see what would follow, and after a time they were made glad to see the monster appearing on the surface dead. The feathers of the parka in which the girl was born poisoned him, as they would any other animal. With this joyful news, the children hastened home to tell their mother. Around this place the family continued to live, and from them all the inhabitants of Bering Island are descended.

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