Malarsuak searched for his lost sister, finding her among cannibals. He killed a hideous youth, prompting the host to discard the body under a bench. Later, the youth’s mother lamented his death. Malarsuak returned with his family, but the cannibals stole their child. Escaping pursuit by sabotaging sledges, he forgot one, but killed the driver and fled safely.
Source:
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo
by Henry Rink
[William Blackwood and Sons]
Edinburgh and London, 1875
► Themes of the story
Quest: Malarsuak embarks on a perilous journey to find his lost sister, demonstrating the classic quest motif where a protagonist undertakes a challenging expedition to achieve a significant goal.
Mythical Creatures: During his journey, Malarsuak encounters cannibals, who are often depicted as supernatural or monstrous entities in folklore, highlighting the theme of human confrontation with otherworldly adversaries.
Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on Malarsuak’s determination to rescue his sister and the subsequent familial interactions, emphasizing the complexities and bonds within family relationships.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Inuit peoples
A story from East Greenland
A man named Malarsuak started in search of his lost sister. Travelling by sledge, he came to houses inhabited by cannibals, with one of which he found his sister domesticated. A hideous-looking youth came into the house, whom Malarsuak killed by piercing his head with a bear’s tooth fastened into a stick, whereupon the host threw the dead body under the bench.
Some time after a woman appeared, saying, “Is this not my miserable son here — I mean the one who ought to serve as food for his brothers?” Malarsuak travelled homewards, but came back on a visit, bringing his wife and a little child with him. The cannibals robbed them of their child.
► Continue reading…
When going to leave, the brother-in-law tried to persuade him first to cut all the lashings of his place-fellows’ sledges, in order to prevent their pursuing the travellers. Malarsuak took his advice, but happened to forget one of the sledges, which came speeding after him; but he killed the driver and made his escape himself.
Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page
Dreamtime Whispers 
One thought on “Malarsuak”