At a wintering place, men vanished one by one when venturing out. Two boys explored and discovered a rotating, blood-stained mountain. One boy attempted the bloody path and perished, while the other waited for a safer moment to ascend. Reaching the summit, he found a hunter living by a lake. After aiding the hunter, he safely returned home.
Source:
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo
by Henry Rink
[William Blackwood and Sons]
Edinburgh and London, 1875
► Themes of the story
Forbidden Knowledge: The young lads’ curiosity leads them to explore the mysterious, rotating, blood-stained mountain, uncovering hidden dangers.
Trials and Tribulations: The surviving boy faces the perilous challenge of ascending the treacherous mountain, demonstrating resilience and determination.
Supernatural Beings: Upon reaching the summit, the boy encounters a hunter living by a lake, suggesting an encounter with a mystical or otherworldly figure.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Inuit peoples
Abridged version of the story.
At a certain wintering-place all the men successively disappeared on going out. Two young lads who were still left, while roaming about came to a mountain continually turning round, and on one side all bloody.
One youth tried the bloody path, but fell down and perished. The other waited till the bloody side turned away from him, and climbing gained the summit, when he found a house, and a man who lived by hunting eider-ducks in a lake.
After having stayed some time, and rendered assistance to this man, he returned home safely.
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Dreamtime Whispers 