Category: Inuit

The girl who married an Atliarusek

An elderly couple, protective of their daughter, rejected suitors until a determined man fought for her hand. Forced to flee, the family relocated, where the daughter secretly married a capable hunter, an atliarusek. He brought them prosperity, even aiding those who scorned them before. The tale celebrates resilience, kindness, and eventual triumph over adversity, as the once-rejected family earns respect through generosity and hard work.

Source: 
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo 
by Henry Rink 
[William Blackwood and Sons] 
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The daughter’s secret husband is an atliarusek, a supernatural entity from Inuit lore, akin to elves or gnomes dwelling within coastal rocks.

Transformation through Love: The daughter’s union with the atliarusek brings prosperity and respect to her previously scorned family, highlighting how love can lead to positive change.

Community and Isolation: Initially isolated and mocked by their community, the family’s fortunes reverse due to the daughter’s marriage, emphasizing themes of belonging and societal acceptance.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

The atliaruseks, probably identical with the ingnersuaks, were a sort of elves or gnomes, supposed to have their abodes within rocks along the sea-shore.

An aged couple had a daughter who had a great many suitors; but the old people were very selfish, and wanted to keep her at home. Meanwhile a man came who was very anxious to get the daughter. At last he fought them, and had nearly killed them; but the old man escaped, and got into his boat. The other men of the place despised and scorned him; but they got the boat loaded, and left. The others shouted to him contemptuously, “It won’t be easy for thee to get a husband for thy daughter! The poor old thing, who is quite unable to hunt — he to dare reject any one! Only let him come to be in want of necessaries, and then look out if there be any one to help him!” But he set off without deigning to answer them, and landed at one of the outermost islets. There they built their house, and put up for the winter. One morning the old man awoke, saying, “I wonder what I have just been seeing? Methinks I saw a man gliding through the doorway.”

► Continue reading…

He questioned his daughter; but she keeping silence, he got suspicious. When he awoke the next morning, he saw a real man slip out of the doorway; and on being closely questioned, the daughter confessed that she was married to an atliarusek. On hearing this, the father was very happy; but she went on saying, “For fear thou wouldst not like him, he keeps out of sight; but if thou dost not mind, he will come and live with us.” The father said it was all right, and he might come and take up his quarters with them at once. The next morning the old man, on awakening, turned his eyes towards the entrance, but saw nothing remarkable there; but on turning round to his daughter’s resting-place, he saw a stout man sitting there beneath her lamp. The father was very well pleased, and leaned back on his couch; but listening again, and peeping out, the man was not to be seen. Towards evening the daughter several times left the room. At last she stayed away rather long, but after some time returned with a hunting-line, which she hung up on a nail to dry, saying that he had returned and brought home the produce of his hunt, but that he must take some part of it to his relatives. When her parents went outside, they saw many seals on the beach, and they rejoiced very much at their sudden prosperity. The following morning the old man peeped over the screen of the ledge, and there beheld the stranger reposing beside his daughter. The old man again lay down, believing him to be asleep. In a little while, however, he heard something stirring, at which he arose; but the son-in-law had already taken himself off. He again spoke to his daughter, saying, “Why do you not make him come and stay with us? We like him very well indeed.” In the evening, when he again returned with his catch, he went inside and made himself at home; and the parents were very civil to him. In the spring he wanted to go further inland along the fiord-side, as was generally his custom, but told them that he was obliged to join his parents, he being their only son, and as such he ought not to let his sisters be without protection. He then went away to his own home; and when they again met, he told them that now they were ready for starting. On hearing this, his father-in-law likewise put his boat into the water; and when it was ready loaded, and they were going to set off, another boat appeared, coming straight out of the beach. Both went along together, and made the land at the same time in the evening. Next morning they again started; and when they approached an inhabited place, the head-man of the atliaruseks told them always to keep close in their wake; and all of a sudden they saw his boat sink beneath the surface, and totally disappear. At this sight the old man got rather frightened; but on arriving at the spot, their boat dived down in the same manner, without any damage to the crew. Presently they caught sight of their companions’ boat right ahead of them, and they continued their course beneath the waves of the sea. Having safely passed the inhabited places, they once more rose to the surface, and continued their voyage without further peril; and when they had arrived at their place of destination, went reindeer-hunting, and got their boats fully laden. When the old people had again taken up their winter-quarters, the son-in-law provided amply for them, and they prospered and were well off: About this time intelligence reached them that the men who had once scorned and abused them were living in great want, and the old man determined to help them. He loaded his kayak with matak, and brought it to them. On his arrival, they asked him whence he had got it — whether it was not taken from the carcass of a whale that had been driven on shore accidentally. However, he left them without deigning them an answer to this question; and talking over this matter on his return home, the son-in-law exclaimed, “I should really like to have a look at these people;” whereat the old man went back to fetch off all the men who had formerly been his daughter’s suitors, and returned with a large train of kayaks following him. They landed, and were very hospitably received, and regaled with reindeer-meat and seal-flesh; and when they had satisfied their appetite, the old man accosted them thus: “I wonder if ye can still remember what ye were telling me a long time ago when ye had nearly killed me, wanting by main force my daughter for your wife? Your words were these: ‘Thou wilt surely never get a clever husband for thy daughter.’ But you see I have, for all that. Likewise ye said that ye would deny me your assistance if ever I came in want: now help yourself, if ye please, and eat as much as ever ye like.”

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Avarunguak or Agdlerut

The tale of Avarunguak recounts his journey from an isolated upbringing to integration into a society where he marries and becomes a skilled hunter. Drawn south by tales of rich hunting, he encounters a mysterious “huge man” and his family, who reveal their true nature as bears in human form. Despite conflicts and trials, Avarunguak survives through cleverness and amulets. Ultimately, the story blends themes of human-animal transformation, survival, and cultural taboos.

Source: 
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo 
by Henry Rink 
[William Blackwood and Sons] 
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The story features beings who can shift between human and animal forms, specifically bears adopting human appearances.

Quest: Avarunguak embarks on a journey southward, driven by the allure of abundant hunting grounds, leading to significant personal experiences and challenges.

Trials and Tribulations: Throughout his journey, Avarunguak faces various challenges, including interactions with mysterious beings and the need to survive in unfamiliar territories, testing his resilience and resourcefulness.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

At a well-peopled place the trick of pinching was a favourite amusement with the inhabitants. One night a girl, who was an only sister with a number of brothers, came running in, crying, “I wonder who it can possibly be who is always running after me and paying court to me?” They told her that when he again made his appearance, she had better bring him into the house. When at length she brought him in, it was a man totally unknown to all of them. Avarunguak — such was his name — had grown up in solitary places, and when he came among people he married this girl, and after a while learned to manage a kayak, and grew an excellent hunter.

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Once they had some visitors from the south, and an old woman of the party accosted Avarunguak thus, saying, “If Avarunguak were to hear of the nice hunt, and the many auks we have down in the south, I am sure he would be wanting to go there!” So saying, she went away; but having heard her, Avarunguak could not sleep, so great was his desire to go at once. Already the next morning he ordered his housemates to make ready for the voyage; he wanted to be off for the south, he said. They loaded the boat and got under way. On the way out they asked the people they encountered whether the place was still far off, and all made answer that it was not very nigh yet. At length they put on shore, to rest from the toil of rowing, at a place where the people said that tomorrow they might possibly gain their destination. “When ye leave here, and have doubled the cape, ye will come in sight of a very large tent — this ye must shun; but soon afterwards ye will perceive a little white point, and having also passed this, ye will fall in with a great many people. To those ye shall go up.” On leaving, they soon observed the little white promontory right enough. Avarunguak steered his boat towards the large tent, unheeding the advice of his companions. On landing, a huge man came out from the tent towards them, and receiving them very civilly, went on saying, “It is really a matter of difficulty to get any one to keep company with here; pray stay and live with me;” and accordingly they prepared for wintering there.

Every morning Avarunguak awoke at an early hour, but somehow his housemate was always out and off before him. One day in autumn he happened to meet him on their look-out hill; and when the huge man observed him, he said, “It will soon be the time when the auks will come screaming across the country; then thou must be sure to get up in good time.” But rise as early as he might, Avarunguak was never able to be beforehand with his companion, but always found he had gone out first. One day, when he again overtook him on the hill, he said, “There, the auks are coming across the sea. Make haste to thy tent; but mind, shut the curtain closely, so that only one bird can get in at a time; and do not begin to catch any of them until the tent is quite full.” When Avarunguak had entered and drawn the curtain close, he heard a tapping and rustling, and the birds began to flutter in. He could not, however, take time, but began catching them too soon, upon which the birds instantly left; and at the same time he heard the man scolding, and saying, “Didst thou not mind my telling thee that thou wert not to catch them till the tent was quite full, lest I should be in want of food?” Still, Avarunguak had got a great many birds, quite sufficient to live upon for a good length of time. Some time after, his house-fellow said, “Now it is near the time for the walrus, but I do not pursue them; the red walrus is a very ferocious beast, and at that time I do not venture out at all.” When these animals appeared, Avarunguak grew very excited about going, taking a great interest in all kinds of hunting that were new to him. When he landed his first walrus, his big companion came down to the beach, took hold of the walrus, and dragging it along with only one hand, passed by Avarunguak’s tent, and carried it off to his own. Avarunguak wondered, and said to himself, “I doubt if I shall have a taste of my first walrus;” and entering, he saw the big man busy eating it all by himself, his wife and daughter only looking on; but he did not dare to make any objections. Next time he got a walrus the big man’s wife came, and at once carried off his prize, and, after her, their three daughters did the same by turns. Not until they had all got their walrus did they desist; and then, at last, he could think of providing for the ensuing winter. In the beginning his huge friend proposed that they should come and live all together in his house; and when Avarunguak consented, the big man added, “We are five individuals ourselves, and consequently have five windows. Now I suppose that thou wilt add as many as ye count persons.” To this Avarunguak answered, “Why, we have never built any more than two or three windows for a company of travellers, with only one boat, whatever their number may be.” [A house with three windows is considered a very large one; those with five must have been very rare.] “Then just do as thou mayst like, and put in two or three windows, but only do come and live with us.” In the beginning of winter Avarunguak always caught plenty; but the big man having no kayak of his own, never went out. As time wore on, the sea froze up, and all hunting ceased. The master of the house then spoke, “Here we are all badly off; but I know that behind our country there is good hunting enough, and thither we intend to go tomorrow.” Avarunguak had a great mind to accompany them; but the other asked him, “How swift mayst thou be?” “Why, I think I can run a race with any of the quadrupeds.” But still the man was very unwilling to take him with him, and only consented at last after much beseeching. The next day they departed, all of them carrying cords of sealskin round their necks. They crossed the neighbouring mountains, and in the distance beheld a bare land, and then the big man spoke: “Dost thou see yonder lofty mountains far away? Behind, there is a sea where the white whale in abundance are found; but when we get so far, thou must only aim at the small ones, because thou wilt not be expert enough to carry home one of the larger ones.” As they wandered along, the daughters had to take hold of Avarunguak by his arms to help him along, because he was not quite able to keep up with them. When they reached the appointed place, each of them watched at a cleft in the ice. No sooner did Avarunguak see a huge white whale rise to the surface than he at once aimed at and killed it. Then the other party came on, each of them bringing up two fish; but when the master saw that Avarunguak had disobeyed his orders, he gave him a scolding; and when they prepared to return, they wanted to tie his fish to their own, and make him sit down on the top of it, and thus be dragged home. But he answered, “Since I commenced hunting I have never let my game be carried home by any one but myself, nor shall I do so now. I have caught the fish myself, and will take care to bring it home.” They let him have his own way, but in a moment they disappeared from his sight, as if they had been blown away. It was evening, and again beginning to dawn, before he could even see his home, and he met the others coming back to fish anew. It was not till the fourth day he got home; and on the way he had been obliged to eat all the matak (skin) of his dolphin. Meanwhile his relatives had been very anxious about him, thinking that perhaps his companion had killed him. About this time, Avarunguak’s people had a dog that happened to whelp. When the first whelp appeared, the huge man whispered something to his wife, on which she brought it him, and he took hold of it and examined all its joints. The wife then put it back in its place, and subsequently brought each new-born whelp to him to be examined in the same way; but when they had handled the seventh, which was also the last, they were heard saying, “This one is perfect; there is not a limb wanting.” From that time they seemed despondent; and Avarunguak, who began to fear their intentions, one day said to them, “If you would like to have a dog, you are welcome to take the one you like best.” This seemed to please them highly, and they chose the last born, and became so fond of it that they let it stop on the ledge and sleep at night beside them. From this time Avarunguak himself became a great favourite with his other house-fellows. While the winter lasted, the big man once spoke as follows, “We intend soon to go and visit our enemies.” Avarunguak was very desirous to join the party, but his house-master answered him, “No, friend; thou wouldst too soon be worn out: for, in the first place, thou canst not eat blubber and flesh enough; and secondly, because of thy clumsiness and want of speed.” He answered, “As to the blubber and flesh, methinks I do well enough as regards both of them.” Whereat the big one rejoined, “Well, then, try to lick out the oil of all the lamps here, beginning with the outermost.” Avarunguak succeeded; and only a few days after, the leader told him “that now he might accompany them to their enemies,” adding, “when we have entered, and begin licking the oil, thou must be sure to help us. Next they will present each of us with one large white fish, and thou must thrust thy knife right into it, turn it round, and put the piece thou has cut out into thy mouth, and suddenly exclaim, ‘I must go outside, but I will be back in a moment, and go on eating; I enjoy it very much.’ But when outside take to thy heels, and run for home as fast as possible, and before thou hast been off long, we shall empty the lamps, and soon overtake thee.” Some time after, they carried out their intention of visiting their enemies in their place of abode. They at once set about licking the oil of the lamps, beginning with the first, Avarunguak joining them to the best of his ability. When the hosts saw a stranger among their visitors, they regarded him keenly, so that the huge man interposed: “That is a new housemate of ours; he is living with us at present, and assists us every way,” — and they went on praising and flattering him very much, and making a great deal of his dexterity and strength, adding that he was more than a match for them every way. This was anything but the truth; but they dared not do otherwise, for fear of their enemies. The host now said, “Bring in the meal for the visitors,” and the women instantly went out, and returned, bringing in large white fish. The guests soon fell to; but Avarunguak forgot he had been advised to leave off in good time, and never remembered till he was quite satisfied. He then observed his companions making signs to him, and quickly pronouncing the words he had been told, took himself off, and commenced running as fast as possible. On coming near their own house he turned round, and looking back, he saw that the creatures he had been visiting were transformed into bears, pursuing him closely; but his own housemates soon overtook him, and the daughters again took him by the arms to speed him on. When they had almost reached the house, the enemies seemed at their very heels, and Avarunguak was deserted by his protectors, who gave him a blow, so that he fell, and the bears instantly gathered round him. But he chanced to have a salmon for his amulet, and this did him good service in making him too slippery to be caught hold of, and thus he escaped. When spring came round, Avarunguak took a fancy to remove to another place; and on departing, his huge companion said to him, “I hope thou wilt soon return and stay with us; but wherever thou goest, mind to tell the people never to kill a bear when one appears.” Thus they departed; but on turning round, they now saw that their housemates too had been transformed into bears: they had been wintering among bears in human shape. Later on they heard that some people in the south had killed a bear, and still later Avarunguak and his wife died.

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Navaranak or Javraganak

This apparently historical tradition has been given in two separate narratives, the original copies not agreeing sufficiently to admit of their being combined into one, although they have evidently sprung from the same source. The variants of this tale exemplify in a very remarkable manner how the narrators have practised their habit of localising events. The first copy is one from North Greenland, where the inlanders are meant to represent the fabulous inhabitants of the interior of Greenland; the second is one from Labrador, in which the native Indians of that country are plainly alluded to; and it is very remarkable that a third record of the same events has been received from South Greenland, in which the inlanders are represented as being identical with the ancient Scandinavian settlers in those parts of the country.

Source: 
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo 
by Henry Rink 
[William Blackwood and Sons] 
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Trickster: Navaranak embodies the trickster archetype by deceitfully manipulating both groups, inciting hostility through her cunning and falsehoods.

Revenge and Justice: Following the inlanders’ attack, the coastal people seek retribution, culminating in a violent confrontation to avenge their slain kin.

Conflict with Authority: Navaranak’s actions challenge the existing harmony and social order between the two communities, resulting in chaos and upheaval.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

The inlanders and the coast-people in the beginning were friends. A servant-maid called Navaranak used to be sent out by the inlanders to the coast-people in order to fetch back matak (edible whale-skin), and in exchange brought them reindeer-tallow; but after a time she grew weary of this work, and resolved to free herself by making them enemies. For this purpose she told the inlanders that the coast-people were going to attack them, and to the coasters she asserted that the inlanders were making ready to invade them. At length she provoked the inlanders to such a degree that they resolved upon attacking the coast-people.

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They chose a time when they were well aware that the men had all gone out hunting; and, accompanied by Navaranak, fell upon the helpless women and children. In their fright some of the mothers killed their own children, but one woman who was pregnant fled down beneath the ledge; and when Navaranak was sent back by the inlanders to find her out, she promised her all she possessed not to betray her. Some also escaped by hiding themselves among the rocks, but all the rest were killed. When the men returned, those who were left alive ran down and told them what had happened; and on coming up from the beach to their houses and beholding all their dead, the men were almost desperate. When the time came for flensing and cutting up the whale, Navaranak did not arrive as usual; she seemed to have disappeared altogether. When summer had again come round, the men prepared a great many arrows, and set out for the interior to take revenge on the inlanders. On their way they called out, as was their wont, “Navaranak, come on; we have got matak for thee!” but no one appeared. Again they went on a good distance, and then repeatedly called out, “Navaranak,” &c. And this time she answered the summons, and went up to them. On noticing their arrows, she was about to take flight. Reassuring her, however, they told her she had no need to do that. When she had ventured quite close to them, they asked her where her countrymen were to be found, and she said, “Further away in the interior of the country!” but now they made her fast to a rope, and dragged her along with them until she perished. At length they arrived at a very large lake, where the tents of the inlanders were pitched all around, and they saw people going out and in. But they waited till all had entered the tents, and then they made their attack. Arrows came flying from both sides; but those of the inlanders soon grew fewer in number, and the coast-people remained all unwounded. When they had done with the men, they went inside, killing women and children; and having thus satisfied their revenge, returned to their homes.

On the island of Okak, in Labrador, this tale is told as follows:

At Kivalek, on the island of Okak, there once lived a great many people, among whom was an Indian woman named Javraganak. From her childhood she had been living with the coast-people, whose servant she was; but nevertheless she had always remained a stranger among them. One day when she was hungry, and longed for one of her Indian dishes, she said, “At Pangma my countrymen have plenty of tongues;” upon which an old man sneeringly replied, “I daresay thou hast many brothers and relatives away there; thou hadst better make them come over here,” — and at night she wandered away to give them warning. In those times hares were very abundant, and sometimes you might even hear them run about on the house-tops. One night when Javraganak had come with a great number of her countrymen, those within heard a murmuring sound outside, and the old man said, “Well, if that is not the hares again! They are very lively, it seems.” Besides him there was not a man at home; they were all out hunting. And so it happened that all the inhabitants were put to death by Javraganak’s Indian countrymen. Many of them sought refuge in a cave, where some were suffocated and others murdered. On their return the men found their wives and children all killed; but shortly afterwards they set out to kill the murderers. Among these men was an angakok, who made a road for them right through a mountain, and the countrymen of Javraganak were all destroyed. She, however, was not to be found, having gone to hide herself; but the men had great trust in their angakok. At last a man happened to call out, “How I wish that Javraganak would serve me again!” upon which she immediately appeared, looking very comfortable. But they soon all fell upon her, wound a cord around her body, and dragged her along the ground till she died. And in this way she was paid back for what she had done to them.

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Malaise — the man who travelled to Akilinek

Malaise, a prosperous and fearless man, lived with his two younger sisters at the mouth of a fjord. After a storm stranded the sisters on icy seas, they survived on salmon and seals before being taken as wives by hunters. When faced with danger, they escaped, reuniting with Malaise. Later, Malaise sought revenge for their plight using magical tactics, returning victorious and living contentedly.

Source: 
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo 
by Henry Rink 
[William Blackwood and Sons] 
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Quest: Malaise embarks on a journey to rescue his sisters and seek revenge, demonstrating the classic elements of a quest narrative.

Good vs. Evil: The story portrays the struggle between opposing forces, with Malaise confronting those who wronged his sisters.

Transformation: The characters undergo significant changes, both physically and emotionally, as they navigate their challenges and ultimately reunite.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

This story has been collated from two separate copies, one of which was written down from the verbal narration of an East Greenlander. Akilinek signifies a fabulous country beyond the seas.

We are told that Malaise (pron. Malysee) was a jolly, fearless fellow, who lived in prosperity with his two sisters, both younger than himself, and that he had his winter-quarters at the mouth of a fiord. When he went out kayaking, his sisters followed him on foot, going along the beach; and returning as soon as they saw him put back, they reached home at the same time. One day when the sea was all covered with ice the sisters went away to the outermost islets, to gather some roots. Suddenly an eastern gale overtook them; the ice broke up, and they were taken far out to sea in very bad weather. After a while the sky became clear, and they came in sight of some high land. They drifted on towards it and landed safely, but almost starving with hunger. On looking round they saw that the ice-floe on which they had floated had turned into foam. Each of them had part of a gull for an amulet.

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They now wandered across the country, and arrived at a little bay into which a river emptied itself, and the eldest said, “There will be salmon yonder, I warrant, or there would not be so many gulls about. Let us go and have a look at the place.” Coming down to the riverside they found it abounding in salmon; and having instantly caught one, they made a fire by rubbing pieces of wood together, and put the fish on a slab to fry it: but though they only ate half of the tail-piece, both were quite satisfied. It was now getting low tide, and they saw the beach turning quite dry, and all along the coast there were numbers of spotted seals (Phoca vitulina), and various other kinds besides, of which they killed as many as they required with big stones. Having taken up their abode in this place, they one day observed two kayakers, who were out hunting for spotted seals. On seeing the girls they were heard to exclaim, “Well, he who gets ashore first shall marry the prettiest of the two;” upon which they both took to their paddles, and he who first reached the shore touched the elder sister, the other one taking the younger; and quite forgetting their hunt, they hastened home to fetch a boat. Before long they returned with a good crew, got the girls into the boat, and brought them to their house, where they lived as happy as could be for some time. After a while each of them had a daughter; but subsequently the eldest one noticed that her sister had quite lost her spirits. One day, when the two happened to be all by themselves, she asked her why she was always sobbing and crying; and the sister answered that her husband had told her that he would kill her if she next time bore him a daughter. The eldest sister advised her to feign that she was quite content, and went on saying, “We’ll pack up our clothes, and as soon as the ice forms, we’ll return to our old home; but don’t let them suspect anything.” They now made themselves new clothes, and put them by in their bags, which had been concealed beneath the boat outside about the same time that the ice covered the sea. The seal-hunting ceased; and the men having nothing else to do, went out visiting at a large house close by, where they amused themselves with dancing. The elder sister now proposed that they should try to make their escape at a time when the men had gone away to their dancing; and they only waited a convenient opportunity. One night when there was to be a dance, and all the other women had gone to look on, so that nobody was to be seen outside, the sisters first walked up and down outside the house, lulling their children to sleep. That they might not be suspected, they had only put on their short breeches. The little girls who used to nurse the children came running out after them, so that they could not get off immediately; but soon afterwards they heard singing within the house, and as it seemed to be a funny song, the girls went in to listen. Upon this the sisters hastened away to the boat, and having got on their breeches and put the babies into their amowts, [amaut, hood on the back of a woman’s jacket to carry the child in] they started. At first they kept on shore, but subsequently went out on the ice, and there they wandered all the night long. At daybreak they went to hide behind some blocks of ice, and before long they heard the sound of sledges, and perceived that their traces had been followed. Where their footprints were lost, they heard their pursuers halt and call out to them, “Your poor little children are crying for you;” but they did not leave their place of retreat until evening. They then set forth and continued their journey; but on the way they suffered their babies to freeze to death, and having put them down on the snow, left them there. Some time afterwards they reached land and recognised the place where they had formerly had their winter-station. They proceeded a little further, and behold! there was their own little house, just as they had left it. Malaise was very much astonished to see his sisters entering, and immediately questioned them about Akilinek and the hunting in those parts, but he could not make them tell anything. After the return of his sisters, Malaise displayed great energy in fishing and hunting. When the days were beginning to lengthen, he one morning came back to the house, having put on his kayak-jacket, and stepping inside he said, “This is a fine day to go out kayaking;” upon which the sisters turned to him, saying, “Though almost nothing is to be got in this poor country, it cannot be denied that Malaise strives hard enough to provide for us; but, to be sure, in Akilinek there is something for a hunter.” Hearing this, he put his jacket aside and said, “Well, then, let me hear something about it;” and from that day they began telling him all he wished; and even in fine weather Malaise did not stir out. Once when they had been telling him of the many seals they had found on the dry beach, he could not forbear saying, “I really must try Akilinek — in spring when the saddleback-seals [the most common of the large seals, their skin is used for boat-covers] appear. I will give my women’s boat a threefold covering. Then his wife began crying, being of a very timid disposition; but Malaise only laughed at her. As soon as the seals appeared, he caught as many of them as they wanted for his purpose. The boat got three coverings; and he only waited a favourable opportunity for starting. One day he rose very early, went outside, and ascended a hill to ascertain the state of the weather. On finding that not a breath of wind was stirring, he returned, and on entering the house, observed, “The day is fine and it is quite calm now; let us be off for Akilinek.” His wife again cried; but Malaise laughed down her fears, and made preparations for their departure. When the boat was ready, his wife, still sobbing and crying, was put into it; then they pushed off from shore, and heading westward, at once put out to sea. The sisters had to row all by themselves, and their sister-in-law continued crying in the bottom of the boat. When at last she left off a little, Malaise, further to tease her, rose from his place, and looking aft, observed, “I think we are going to have a gale, it is getting quite black out there!” after which she again commenced crying in good earnest, to his very great diversion. At last they entirely lost sight of their own country; but Malaise thought they were very slow in getting on, and he cut the outer covering away because it had grown too wet. Before they had sighted any land, he likewise cut off the second cover, and then they again went on a good while; but all on a sudden Malaise sprang to his feet, saying, “I see the loom of the land yonder!” On hearing this, his wife also got up and stuck to the oars bravely. They soon came close to this land, and the sisters recognised the bay in which they had first landed, and at the same time observed their former husbands, who were now coming on to attack them. Before their departure, however, Malaise had been out to the grave of some relative in search of a pair of reindeer-skin stockings, which he had brought away with him. He now took a drinking-vessel, which he filled with water, and having poured some dust mingled with the hairs of the stockings into it, he put the tub down on an adjacent rock, where their adversaries were obliged to pass by. When the eldest came up to it, he took a drink of water, but was at once transformed into a reindeer, which was shot by Malaise, and rolled into the sea. The other one had no better luck; and in this manner Malaise killed all their companions excepting one, to whom he said, “I will spare thee that thou mayst live on, a miserable specimen of thy countrymen.” Some time afterwards he again gave his boat three separate coverings, filled it with narwhal-horns, matak (the edible hide of the whale), salmon, and many other valuables, and reached his former home, where he stayed content until his death.

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Tiggak

Tiggak, a renowned sorcerer, faced disdain from his brothers-in-law for his laziness but redeemed himself during a harsh winter by providing seals. His magical prowess saved them from peril at sea, including summoning water and defeating a malicious giant. Through cunning and courage, he overcame deadly challenges and transformed himself and others into bears to journey home. Their transformation symbolized survival and resilience, restoring unity among them.

Source: 
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo 
by Henry Rink 
[William Blackwood and Sons] 
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Transformation: Tiggak evolves from a neglectful individual to a responsible provider, showcasing personal growth and change.

Cunning and Deception: He uses his wit and magical abilities to overcome challenges, such as defeating a malicious giant and transforming into a bear to ensure survival.

Conflict with Nature: The narrative highlights the struggle against natural forces, including harsh winters and treacherous seas, emphasizing resilience and adaptability.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

This is an abstract from three somewhat varying copies received from Greenland. In one of the Labrador legends traces of the same tale appear.

Tiggak was a famous angakok and sorcerer. He married a girl who had a number of brothers, and after this he grew neglectful of his duties, and gave up hunting. When the brothers-in-law left home in the morning, they could not persuade him to follow them; sometimes he even slept till the first of the kayakers returned, and then did nothing but keep his wife company, and dawdle the time away till bedtime came round again. This offended the other men, and they let him understand that they were vexed with him. One evening, when one of the brothers had ordered some boiled briskets, he said to Tiggak when they were served up, “Do eat some meat — that is easy work.” Tiggak took a considerable quantity, and did not pay any attention to the brother-in-law’s remarks, but ate away without giving any answer. In the midst of winter, they were one evening awakened by the noise of the wind. A gale from the north set in.

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The brothers left off hunting, and lived solely upon their stored-up provisions; but at last these were brought to an end. One day, when they could not even go out in the kayak, Tiggak was missing. Towards evening they looked about for him, and there was a terrible snow-drift. Late at night they heard a call, and they saw him approaching, and dragging two seals along with him. From that time he rose in their estimation, and was now highly thought of among them. He now had the briskets served up, and addressed the brothers, saying, “Now come and fall to; the meat is boiled and served up, and eating it is easy work.” They all ate, but nobody spoke. Next day the same scene was repeated; and all the winter he continued providing for the others: but in the summer he left off, and let his brothers-in-law undertake this task themselves. Subsequently Tiggak adopted a boy as his son. Once more it was winter, and the sea was covered with ice as far as the eye could see. Tiggak was the only one to roam about upon the ice, looking out for the haze and seeking open holes in the ice, indicating the places to which the sea animals resort in order to breathe. Far off, beyond the outermost islets, he went away for seals. One day the sky was cloudless and the wind down. He had resolved to go out on the ice with the brothers, and he turned to his adopted son saying, “Today thou mayst come with us and try thy hand at seal-catching.” On gaining the remotest islets, Tiggak made an opening in the ice to examine the state of the waters beneath. When he had done he said, “I believe it will come to pass; the sea-weed seems to be drifting landwards: just look.” The brothers then saw that the current, setting towards land, was stronger than usual, and Tiggak said, “We shall have a gale presently; let us make all haste for the shore.” And though they could hardly credit his words, the weather being so calm, they left their seals behind and followed him quickly. Then the snow was seen foaming on the mountain-peaks; and when they had only reached the first row of islets, the storm burst strong and fierce, and broke up the ice. Tiggak took hold of his son’s hand, running as fast as possible, and leapt across the clefts in the ice. At last they came to a very broad one near the land, and all of them jumped over to the opposite side; the son only did not dare to try the leap, but kept running to and fro along the edge of the cleft. At last Tiggak took pity on him and returned to him, the others also following him; but now they all drifted away seawards, and now and then the waves washed over the ice-floe they were standing on, and they grew silent with fear. At last one of them remarked, “It is said that Tiggak is learned in magic art, and we are drifting out to the wild sea.” Tiggak said, “I only know a short song treating of the ocean foam;” and he at once began singing. Having finished, they saw an iceberg close in front of them, and in a short time they came up to it, and soon caught sight of an easy ascent. The iceberg, however, kept constantly driving up and down, so that they had to watch their chance to get over. When they were just on a level with the point where they intended to cross, Tiggak took the lead and jumped over, and managed to get a sure footing on it; and after him the others followed. They were all, however, drifting further out to sea, when one of them again remarked, “We will be sure to perish from thirst unless Tiggak knows some charm that will work.” He answered, “I only know this one little song to get water.” Having finished the incantation, a little spring bubbled forth from the centre of the iceberg. The brothers instantly wanted to drink; but he told them to wait, saying that otherwise it was sure to dry up at once. But when he had tasted it himself, he permitted them to drink; and now it could not change. After having drifted about for a long time, they came in sight of an extensive country; and Tiggak said to his companions, “If any of you is fortunate enough to leap ashore, he must not look towards the sea so long as any of us are behind, otherwise our place of refuge will break up and be annihilated.” When they did jump ashore, one by one, none of them looked round; but when the last had safely landed, Tiggak turned round and exclaimed, “Behold our place of refuge!” and lo! nothing remained of it but a heap of foam. They now determined to go and find out the people of the country; and having crossed an isthmus, they came in sight of many houses, and were shortly afterwards invited into one of them. They relieved themselves of their outer garments, and hanging them up on the boat-pillars [poles for supporting the boat during the winter], went inside. During the meal, a squint-eyed youth with a shaggy head of hair appeared in the doorway, and called out, “The strangers from the east are hereby invited to pay a visit.” And shortly afterwards he returned to repeat the same message. The host now remarked, “Since he presses you so ardently, you will be obliged to go.” And so they entered another house, where a great many people were assembled. On the main ledge a disagreeable giant-like man was sitting, and by his side a similar old woman, gnawing away at a big shoulder-bone. The huge man pulled forth a seal-skin, spread it on the ground, and, in a deep-sounding voice, exclaimed, “Now come on for a wrestling-match!” The brothers commenced whispering to Tiggak that he should take the first turn; but he said, “Not so; you go down first, then I’ll follow.” The other guests were all ordered away, and the old hag fastened the door with the shoulder-blade. One of the brothers now hooked his arm into that of the giant. Unable to vanquish him, however, he was soon obliged to give in to the strong man, who, catching hold of his lower parts, fell over him, and, with a deep groan, he was crushed to death. The giant next called out for a rope, and this being immediately let down through the ceiling, he fastened it round the dead man’s body, and had him hoisted up to the roof of the house, where a sound of knives was presently heard, and whence one cried out, “Here is his eye; let it be kept for our master.” Tiggak meanwhile thought, “In this manner I shall soon lose all my brothers-in-law;” and therefore he whispered to him who was going to stand forward, “Just let me take a turn with him!” They now hooked their arms together, and the giant, taking a pull in good earnest, nearly succeeded in hauling Tiggak’s arm across to him. Fortunately, however, he stopped him. Then pausing a minute, he feigned to have been overcome by his adversary, but suddenly threw him down, and leapt upon him. The brothers now came to his aid, and assisted in putting him to death in the same way as he had treated their brother. Imitating the voice of the other, Tiggak now called out, “A rope, a rope!” which instantly appeared, and was made fast round the neck of the giant; and again he cried, “Haul away!” Once more the sound of knives was heard; but after a while all was silent, and at last one cried out, “Are we not flensing our own master? We’ll make them perish down below!” And presently they commenced pouring water down upon them. They tried to leave the house, but found no means of escape. Suddenly, however, Tiggak remembered that his amulet was sowed up in the lining of his outer jacket, which he had left on the boat-pillars on their arrival, and he called out, “Bring me my coat that lies outside; I want it for a shroud!” Contrary to his anticipations, it was instantly thrown down, and catching hold of it, he loosened something from within the fur-lining, and there was his amulet all right. He put it into his mouth, and, after saying “Revenge us!” he again took it out. Already they heard voices outside crying, “He is falling! — and he too! — and there is another one!” and so on; and after a while the amulet returned, covered with blood. Having well wiped and cleaned it, the owner again threw it out and cried, “All of them!” When the amulet next time returned no sound was heard outside. They now pushed forward, and from a corner of the ledge they found their way out. Not seeing any person alive, they went back to the house where they had been first received, and again set to work at their meal. But the silly-looking youth again appeared in the entry, and said, “I’ll tell you what — Apiak is now doing her very worst: she is cooking the brains, hands, and feet of her son.” Tiggak, however, could not understand him. The youth returned and told the same thing over again; but still Tiggak did not understand him, and let him go. One of the brothers — the same who had made the remark that Tiggak was learned in magic art — now said, “It will be the brains, hands, and feet of the one thou didst kill up yonder, and his mother probably intends to regale thee with a dish made of them. When thou hast been asked to go, thou wilt perceive an oblong dish right in front of the entrance, filled with brains nicely served up. On entering the room thou must quickly take hold of it, and standing erect with thy face turned towards her, and with thine eyes shut, thou shalt eat it all up — if thou eatest it with open eyes, thou wilt go mad and die; and after having tasted it, thou must turn the dish upside down, and put it back in its place. That done, open thine eyes again, and sit down beside the lamp. She will then turn her gaze upon thee, and thou wilt still remain unchanged; and when she takes the dish and turns it round, the contents of it will be all restored, and thou shalt say to her, ‘Now, please, eat something thyself, as I have done.’ While she is eating, with her looks turned upon thee, just see what becomes of her!” When the brother-in-law had thus spoken, the squinting youth again appeared, saying, “The foreigner is invited to follow me!” Tiggak walked up to the house of the old hag, and acted exactly as he had been told; and having eaten, the wicked old woman turned raving mad and died. Tiggak now returned to his brothers-in-law, saying, “I have killed the old hag, but they will go on in this manner if we stay here; so we had better leave the place altogether and make for our home again.” They again crossed the isthmus, and saw a snow-covered hill sloping down to the water’s side. There they stopped, and Tiggak asked the eldest brother, “What kind of amulet didst thou take when thou hadst to make thy choice?” He answered, “A small piece of bear-skin.” Tiggak said, “That is first-rate.” He then asked the second one; and he had the same amulet, and so had all of them: but when he questioned the youngest of them, he answered, “I am not quite sure; but I believe it’s a piece of bear-skin;” whereat Tiggak said, “That’s all right; you will all do very well.” When, however, he asked the son he had adopted, he only answered, “I don’t know indeed.” But Tiggak then said, “We shall leave thee behind if thou wilt not tell.” “But I don’t know it.” “If thou goest on that way, we shall certainly leave thee alone; so pray tell us!” He then said, “When I was able to judge for myself, I got a snow-bunting [Emberiza nivalis] for my amulet;” at which Tiggak became silent, and shook his head. After a while he remarked, “And yet it may do; thou must perch down on us;” and Tiggak let himself slide downhill, right down into the sea, where he disappeared, and again reappeared in the shape of a bear. He shook the water from his ears, and turned to the others, saying, “Now follow me all of you;” and they were all transformed into bears. When the son’s turn came, he had not the courage. However, when the others had long besought him to follow them, he went gliding slowly down; and when he reached the margin of the water, he grew a snow-bunting, and as such was able to fly. Meanwhile all the others were swimming homewards; and when the little snow-bunting got tired, he took a rest between their ears. At length they landed a little to the north of their old homestead; and when they first climbed up the shore, Tiggak shook himself well, and his bear-skin glided off. The rest all did the same. When the son’s turn had come, he shook off the snow-bunting’s skin; and thus all of them marched home, except the one who had been killed.

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Giviok

Giviok, mourning his wife’s death, struggles to leave his young son but eventually flees. Facing perilous sea challenges, he survives encounters with sea creatures, icebergs, and malevolent beings. After aiding kind strangers, memories of his son draw him back. Overcoming the same dangers, he returns to find his child transformed into a skilled hunter, symbolizing resilience and growth despite tragedy and separation.

Source: 
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo 
by Henry Rink 
[William Blackwood and Sons] 
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Loss and Renewal: Giviok’s journey begins with the profound loss of his wife, leading him to contemplate abandoning his son and home. This initial despair transitions into a voyage that ultimately brings renewal, as he returns to find his son grown and skilled, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life and the possibility of rebirth after tragedy.

Trials and Tribulations: Throughout his journey, Giviok confronts numerous challenges, including perilous sea creatures, treacherous whirlpools, and closing icebergs. These obstacles test his resilience and determination, highlighting the universal theme of facing and overcoming adversity.

Family Dynamics: The narrative delves into the complexities of familial relationships, particularly between Giviok and his son. Giviok’s initial struggle to leave his child, the haunting vision of his deceased wife, and his eventual return to a matured son underscore the enduring bonds of family and the personal growth that arises from separation and reunion.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

This tale is chiefly taken from a single manuscript, but nevertheless it is well known all over Greenland. Some slight traces will be found in it of the Indian Hiawatha tale.

Giviok lost his wife, and was about to leave his child and the place where she was buried, in despair. He only waited till the boy had gone to sleep, and then he let himself down from the ledge to the floor; but when the child began crying, he again lay down beside him. Once he was all ready, stooping down to get out of the entrance, but went back unable to leave his son. One day the little boy passionately entered the room, saying, “My mother is walking outside with a stranger.” Giviok answered, “Thy mother is not here; she is lying under the big stones yonder.” [The Eskimo in Greenland and the greater part of their territories have always been buried under heaps of stones.] But the little boy persisted, saying, “Look for thyself, then;” and when Giviok did look out of the window, he actually saw his wife in the arms of another man. At this he got into a great rage, went out, killed them, and put them on top of each other into the stone grave.

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Father and son now went to rest: but when the boy slept the father carried out his intention of taking flight; and passing through the doorway, this time resisted the cries of the boy, got into his kayak, and hastened away. He paddled on and on across the wild sea; he came to the whirlpool, and was nearly drawn into it. Somehow, however, he escaped. Then he got among the villainous sea-lice. First he tried to keep them back by striking at them with his kayak-stick; but that was soon devoured. Then he threw out his sealskin gloves; and seeing that they lasted a little longer, he bethought himself of covering his paddle-blades with a pair of old gloves, lest the beasts should attack his paddle before he could slip away from them; and then he managed to get past them. Continuing his voyage, he saw a long black line, and on approaching it he noticed it to be sea-weed, which he found to be so compact that he got out; and lying down to rest, he went to sleep on it. When he awoke, he pushed himself and his kayak on with his hands, and in this manner got across the sea-weed. He continued paddling until he came in sight of two icebergs, with a narrow passage between them; and he observed that the passage alternately opened and closed again. He tried to pass the icebergs by paddling round outside them, but they always kept ahead of him; and at length he ventured to go right between them. With great speed and alacrity he pushed on, and had just passed when the bergs closed together, and the stern-point of his kayak got bruised between them. At last he caught a glimpse of something dark, and soon after he reached a great stretch of land looming ahead of him. Giviok now thought, “If this country be inhabited, I will be sure to find a bare rock;” [a place used for drying provisions, and therefore without moss] and such a one he soon found. He shortly afterwards detected a house by the smoking chimney, and he soon concluded that they were busy cooking inside. He went straight on towards it, upset the funnel, and hid himself close by. Instantly a female came rushing out, saying, “I wonder if any one upset it?” upon which she again put it to rights; and meantime, perceiving Giviok, quickly re-entered the house, but as quickly returned, saying to him, “Thou art invited to step inside.” On entering, he saw a hideous old hag lying beneath a coverlet, who ordered her daughter to go and fetch some berries; and, running out, she soon returned with a great quantity of them, profusely mixed up with fat. Giviok, while he was eating them, remarked, “They are really delicious;” and Usorsak (this was the name of the old hag) rejoined, “No wonder; the fat is of quite a young fellow;” but Giviok answered, “Fie! anything of that kind I cannot eat;” and stooping down, he noticed a lot of human heads all in a row beneath the ledge; and when the hag uncovered herself a little, and turned her back towards him, he saw something glittering close behind her. When they were all ready to go to rest, Giviok said, “I shall just go outside for an instant.” Accordingly he went, and soon found a flat stone to cover his breast with; and re-entering, he lay down on the ledge beneath the window. No sooner did he seem to be sleeping, than he heard the daughter saying, “Now he is sound asleep;” and instantly the old hag came jumping down from her place on the main ledge; but on his feigning not to be quite asleep, she cautiously returned. When he again had become quiet, and lying on his back was exposing his breast, the daughter again said, “He surely sleeps now;” and again the mother let herself down, even quicker than the first time, and jumping up where he was lying, she sat down with all her weight upon his chest, crying out, “Oh dear!” but instantly tumbled down. “What a pity!” cried the daughter; “Usorsak has broken her tail; she provided so nicely for all of us” (viz., killing men by help of her tail). Giviok now got up from his couch, let fall the stone, and escaped through the door, the daughter shouting after him, “Thou rascal! wouldn’t I like to have had a taste of thy fine cheeks!” but he was already in his kayak, where he was nearly upset. Rising again, he broke out, “Shouldn’t I like to harpoon her!” and so saying, he killed her on the spot. He now continued his journey; and after a while again reached a bare rock. At a little distance from it he landed; and, as before, went up to a house where he likewise upset the chimney-funnel, and afterwards hid himself. A woman again emerged from the doorway; and when she re-entered, he heard them wondering at the chimney having been upset, as there had not been any wind. When she again made her appearance, Giviok came forth, and was asked to come inside. Crossing the threshold, he observed that the walls were covered all over with hunting-bladders. Here, also, the inmates consisted of a mother and a daughter. The mother now spoke — “It will soon be low-water; it is a bad job for us that we have no one to haul in our draught when we have harpooned and fixed the bladders to the fishes.” Giviok answered — “I have my kayak close by, and have just come from the bad women yonder, both of whom I have killed.” “Then thanks to thee!” they exclaimed. “We, too, have had men in our house, but these monsters put all of them to death; but now thou hadst better stay here with us.” Giviok at once consenting, they went on saying, “Tomorrow we shall have low-water, and when thou hearest a roaring noise, thou must hasten back; then the high tide sets in, and thou must be back on shore.” They then went to sleep. Giviok was sound asleep when he was awakened by the roaring waters, and saw the daughter glide through the house-passage. He hastened down to the shore; but when he arrived, the women had already caught a number of halibut, which were lying high and dry on the beach. He was only in time to finish off a few when the sound of the rising waters was again heard, and the great waves came rolling over him, so that he had a narrow escape to the coast. The harpooned fish, on account of the bladders, kept floating on the surface, but drove across to the opposite shore. Giviok, however, fetched them back in his kayak, for which the women were very thankful to him; and he remained with them for some time. After a while, the memory of his son haunted him, and he said to himself, “My poor little son! what a pitiful thing it was to hear him cry when I went away! Some day I must go and see him.” So he left the place, and travelled on and on, encountering all the dangers he had met with on his departure from home, but once more happily getting past them. At last he reached the opposite country, and he heard people singing. He followed the song, and fell in with a great many boats tugging a whale along, on which stood a vigorous man. He did not recognise him; but this was his son, and he had been catching the whale. The father left him a weeping child, and now beheld him a great hunter, standing on a whale’s back.

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

The two brothers

Two brothers, living on opposite sides of a Greenland fiord, experience a supernatural tragedy when an otherworldly boat attacks the younger brother’s household, killing all inside. A surviving servant alerts the elder brother, who seeks vengeance with the help of a one-eyed stranger. Together, they confront mystical foes and avenge the slain, blending themes of supernatural folklore, revenge, and alliance against malevolent forces.

Source: 
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo 
by Henry Rink 
[William Blackwood and Sons] 
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The story features an otherworldly boat manned by supernatural entities who attack the younger brother’s household, introducing elements of the mystical and unexplained.

Revenge and Justice: Following the tragic massacre, the elder brother seeks retribution for his slain family members, embodying the pursuit of justice against malevolent forces.

Guardian Figures: The elder brother encounters a one-eyed stranger who assists him in confronting and overcoming the mystical adversaries, acting as a mentor or protector in his quest.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

This tale is compiled from four manuscripts which differ somewhat.

Two brothers lived in the mouth of a fiord — the elder one on the sunny side, the other on the shady side of the inlet. One night the servant of the younger brother happening to go behind the house suddenly perceived something bright glittering out on the sea, and at the same time detected a boat that seemed to grow in size as it approached; on looking sharply she was horrified at recognising it to be an umiariak (or supernatural boat manned with fabulous beings). She wanted to run, but was not able to stir; she tried to call out, but found that she could not utter a sound, and so she must needs keep quiet. The next thing she saw was a number of people landing, all carrying glittering swords, and walking straight up to the tent, and sticking their spears through it from all sides.

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Loud cries were heard from within, and the foreigners rushed down to their boat. She saw the water foaming, and a multitude of seals moving out seawards. She was not able to rise till they were quite out of sight; then she got up and went to the tent, where she found all the inmates killed, and the earth covered with blood. Although it was still dark, she could not possibly wait, but set off at once, and wandered ever so far round the whole bay to reach the opposite shore, where the other brother lived, and having reached his tent she told him what had taken place, and that all her housemates had been put to death. But somehow he got suspicious, and believed that she herself had killed them. Seeing this, she merely said, “First go and look for thyself, and afterward thou mayst kill me if thou likest.” He now went across to his brother’s station, and when he had seen the tent pierced from all sides he was reassured with regard to the servant, and only thought of finding out the enemies. He bespoke an angakok to come and see him, that he might point them out to him. At night, when the angakok had arrived, the lamps were extinguished, and he spoke, “Look there; far away in the interior of the land, I espy them.” When he could no longer descry them he again had the lamps lighted. On the following day the surviving brother paddled up to the fiord head, left his kayak on the beach, and walked, only armed with his spear, to the interior. After a long ramble he at length discovered a house, and stealing to the window he peeped through it, and beheld a man with only one eye sitting down, and busily carving some implement out of wood. On turning round, the man caught sight of the stranger, and at once invited him to come in. Having entered the house, he went and sat down beside the man with one eye, who, however, motioned him off a little, saying, “Don’t sit quite so close to me; I might happen to cut thee.” When the guest had complied, and moved farther away, he went on, saying, “Let refreshment be brought in for the stranger.” A loud peal of laughter was then heard, and from beneath the ledge emerged a lot of narrayoot (plural of narrajok, big-bellied), these being the only womankind of his household. They went out, returning soon afterwards with great quantities of meat, chiefly reindeer flesh and tallow. The host now said to him, “Tomorrow I will go with thee and help thee to find out thy enemies, but now thou must lie down to rest here; thou hast nothing to fear.” On the following day the one-eyed man prepared to follow him, taking with him a large bunch of arrows, fitted up in a skin cover. Having advanced somewhat into the country, he walked so quickly that his companion could hardly keep up with him. At length he stopped, and putting his arrows on the ground, he said, “Turn thy face towards the interior and give a shout.” Without knowing the reason why, he turned his face towards the interior part of the country, and cried out aloud, upon which three large bears instantly appeared. The one-eyed man aimed his bow at them and killed them all. Again he said, “Turn round and call as before!” This done, a multitude of people appeared, armed with bows and arrows. He was dreadfully frightened; but his companion, seeing this, said, “Go and hide behind me; but mind, as soon as thou puttest forth thy head they’ll shoot thee.” Having thus sheltered himself behind his protector, though all the time trembling with fear, he soon observed the arrows to be flying about him right and left; but after a while they decreased in number, and finally abated altogether. The enemies having discharged all their arrows had taken flight. The one-eyed man then took up his bow, and the still revengeful brother his spear, and both set off in pursuit of them, overtaking and killing the whole of them. On the way home the inlander noticed his companion’s weapon, questioned him concerning it, as he had never seen the like before, and told him he would like very much to purchase it; and because of his handsome behaviour he had his wish. On their return they went together to his storehouse, and he was repaid with the renowned sea-hare skin, (viz., white reindeer skins with black streaks), and one of the little women was called to take them down. She put the bundle on her stomach, and ran so fast with it that the visitor could not keep pace with her. On his reaching home, he found them put on the roof of his house, and from that time his mind was at rest.

This rather mystical tale is in Greenland related in different ways. It seems to have originated from some historical tradition mixed up with the common belief that when seals are chased and killed in too great numbers, the surviving ones will often avenge themselves in the shape of umiarissat (plural of umiariak) — that is, armed people in a boat fashioned out of a solid piece of ice. In one of the versions the inlanders here mentioned are called erkileks, in another “the men who twinkle lengthwise,” which closely reminds one of the Indians called Loucheux or Squint-eyes, who up to the present day are one of the tribes most hostile to the Eskimo, and described as being able to make themselves proof against the arrows of their enemies by means of a certain movement of their eyes.

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The barren wife

Kujavarsuk, born through a magical pact with a shaman, became a gifted hunter, sustaining his community with abundant seals. A sorcerer, angered by a slight, created a shapeshifting tupilak to torment Kujavarsuk, but it was thwarted by Kujavarsuk’s protective amulet. The tupilak, enraged, turned on its maker, killing him. Kujavarsuk lived unbothered, providing for his people until his peaceful death.

Source: 
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo 
by Henry Rink 
[William Blackwood and Sons] 
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Divine Intervention: The childless couple seeks the aid of a shaman, whose magical abilities lead to the birth of their son, Kujavarsuk.

Supernatural Beings: The story features a sorcerer who creates a shapeshifting tupilak—a creature from Inuit mythology—to harm Kujavarsuk.

Sacred Objects: Kujavarsuk possesses a protective amulet, which plays a crucial role in safeguarding him from the tupilak’s attacks.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

This very popular tale has been collated from three copies agreeing in all essential particulars.

A man had a wife who begat him no children. The husband, who was envious of all the people who had children, one day told her to make herself trim and nice, and walk on to a certain spot where an old man, who had given up seal-hunting, had his fishing-place. This old man, however, was a great magician. The next day, while he sat fishing in his kayak, a little way off the shore, she appeared on the beach dressed in her best. But as the old man, afraid of her husband, would not approach her, she soon returned. The husband himself now went to the old man, and promised him half of his “catch” if he could think of some means whereby to get children. When the wife appeared on the beach the next day, the old man instantly made for the shore, and went up to her.

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From this day forwards the husband always put by half of the seals he caught for the old man: and when he noticed that his wife was enceinte, he asked the old man to take up his abode in their house; upon which he rejoined, “Thy wife will bear thee a son. Tomorrow when thou goest out kayaking thou must row to the birds-cliff and get hold of a bird, which he shall use for an amulet.” On the following day, when the husband had brought the bird, the old man went on, “Farther, thou must fetch a hollow stone, of a black colour, on which the sun has never shone;” and when he had also brought this, the old man said, “Finally, thou must go to thy grandmother’s grave and bring home her collar-bone.” When all these things had been gathered, the wife brought forth a son, who was named Kujavarsuk by the old man, and the stone was put close to his feet, but the bird was stuck up above the window. The old man now told the father to provide a kayak for the boy as soon as he should be able to make use of it, and have it ready fitted up with utensils and all other requisites for the hunt. When the boy grew up, the father made the kayak; and even before the skins with which it had been covered had time to dry, it was put in the water, and the boy being placed in it, they shoved it off the beach. The old man told what would happen to him, saying, “The very first time he goes out, one of the ‘quiet’ seals will rise to the surface, and he shall not return home till he has captured ten of them; and in future he will always get ten seals whenever he goes out kayaking. The old man and the father now followed him closely, but as soon as they left him at a little distance a seal popped its head above the water, and he paddled on and harpooned it, at which the old man was quite transported; and from this time the boy began to hunt. When he was grown up he took two wives; and he became of great use to his house-fellows and neighbours. In times of need he was their only provider. One winter the sea was frozen over very early, and ere long there was only one opening in the ice left, right in front of their dwelling-place; out of this he every day got his ten seals. Later on the cleft became so narrow that his kayak touched the edge of the ice with both ends, and at last it altogether closed up. The whole sea was now covered with ice; great perplexity came over the people, and they deliberated whether it would not be necessary to call in an angakok. One person mentioned that in the summer-time he had seen the widow Igdlutsialik’s daughter practising the angakok art in a lake. Kujavarsuk at once sent off a messenger to let her know that he would give her a large seal-skin in return if she would make the ice break up. However, she declined to do so. They next tried to get her to return by offering her different things, such as clothes and lamps; but still she refused. Then some one brought her a handful of beads, which happened to take her fancy; and she said to her mother, “Bring my summer dress.” When she had put it on, she walked down to the water-side and disappeared among the loose ice-blocks scattered all along the sea-shore. Shortly afterwards the spectators heard a splash, and she was seen no more. She now remained in the depths of the ocean for three days, and at the bottom of the sea she had a struggle with the old woman (viz., the arnarkuagssak of the Eskimo mythology), to make her let loose the animals of the sea, which she purposely detained, and kept swimming about underneath her lamp; and when at length she had managed to conciliate her, she again returned to the earth. On the evening of the third day she reappeared among the ice-blocks on the beach, and let the people know that she wanted every other seal that was caught, for herself, of those with the most beautiful skin, as well as of the common fiord seals. As yet, however, the sea was all covered with ice. But on the following morning, at dawn, the ice broke up, and an opening appeared near the houses; and after a while it had become so wide that the men could put down their kayaks. Each of them soon caught two seals, but Kujavarsuk as usual got ten, which made the others very jealous. It now happened one day that his wives had only put by a piece of the back instead of the briskets for his mother’s brother, who was expected to come home later in the evening. He was offended at this want of consideration on their part, and resolved to make (by help of sorcery) a tupilak for Kujavarsuk. To this end he gathered bones of all sorts of animals, out of which he fashioned it in such manner that it could take the shape of different animals, of birds as well as of seals; and having stirred them into life, he let it loose, and ordered it to persecute Kujavarsuk. First it dived down into the sea, and again appeared to him in the shape of a seal; but he was then already on his way home, and when it approached him he was in the very act of drawing his kayak on the shore. The same thing happened on the second and the third day. The tupilak now determined to pursue him to his house, and then frighten him to death. It transformed itself into a toogdlik [the largest sea-fowl in Greenland, Colymbus glacialis, or Great Northern Diver], and commenced shrieking outside the house. Kujavarsuk went out; but as he could not be brought to look at it, the charm would not work. It then resolved to go underground, and pop up into the room. However, it succeeded no better this time, but rose at the back of the house; and just as it was about to climb up the roof, it met his own amulet-bird, which at once set about picking and scratching its face. It now, however, turned desperate, and thought, “Why did this miserable fool of a man ever make me!” and in the height of its wrath it turned against its maker. Diving down into the water near his fishing-place, it emerged right beneath his kayak, and fairly upsetting it, devoured him on the spot. It now fled far away from the habitations of man, out on the roaring ocean. Kujavarsuk afterwards remained unmolested, and died at a very old age.

There are other tales of Kujavarsuk among the Greenlanders. The following may be taken as a sample of the whole.

When Kujavarsuk had grown a man he travelled to a place in the north, where he had had a namesake who died from starvation. The people of those parts followed the pursuit of whale-fishery, and here Kujavarsuk made friends with a youth. Those two were always trying to outdo each other, but Kujavarsuk was more than a match for him. In the beginning of winter they were to try who could detect the first whale. Kujavarsuk had never seen any animal of this kind before. He had by this time taken up his abode with an old man, who said to him, “When a whale is near at hand, it cannot be mistaken; its breathing is at once roaring and hissing.” And Kujavarsuk was always on the alert to catch sight of them. One fine morning, when it was quite calm, the old man said, “If the whales are going to be early this year, they’ll turn up on a day like this.” Kujavarsuk remained out in his kayak all day, listening for the signal, but could not perceive any such sound at all. In the evening he returned after a fair hunt, and tried to go to sleep, but was not able. About midnight he rose, and stepping out he heard a sound of heavy breathing from the sea coming closer to him, and stopping at the mouth of the bay; and on entering he said, “I wonder what sound it was I heard just now.” The old man walked out, and returned, saying, “Why, that’s just the whale blowing; he did not miss his day.” Kujavarsuk now went to rest, and slept soundly. But early in the morning his young friend was heard calling without, “Kujavarsuk, the whale is blowing! thou art too late!” But the old man made answer, “Thou art mistaken, he knew it yesterday, and has just gone to sleep.” Soon after, the friend said, “Now let us see which of us is the best hand at making bladders for our whale-catching.” And next day they went out together to procure seals for this purpose. Close to land Kujavarsuk got two spotted ones, but his friend got none at all. As the weather continued fine, and more whales appeared, the boats were sent out on the watch. At first Kujavarsuk concluded he was not to be of the party because he had no women to row his boat, but on seeing all the hunters set off along with their housemates, women and all, he, too, felt a strong desire to go; and getting hold of some children, he manned his boat with them, and left shore. The other boats, meantime, had stood farther out to sea, and the people shouted to him, “If thou art on the look-out for the whale thou must come out to us; he’ll never rise where thou art now.” But he did not mind them, and stayed where he was, his mother having said, “I conceived thee on the sea-shore, and for this reason thou shalt watch thy chance near it.” In a little while a whale appeared close by; he at once pursued and harpooned it, and the beast could not even draw his bladder under the water. Again the others cried, “If thou wilt not lose it thou must pursue it more seawards.” But he only replied, “All the animals of the sea that I am going to pursue will seek towards shore, close to my dwelling-place.” And thus he was left alone to kill it all by himself. Whether he got any more than this one is not known; but perhaps he even got his ten of them. When spring came on he returned to his former home, where he still found the old fisherman alive, and to him he presented all the whalebone; the longest and best splits having been all reserved for him.

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The man who mated himself with a sea-fowl

An old bachelor entertained himself by treating seal skulls as his children. Loneliness led him to steal a woman’s clothes, forcing her to marry him. She eventually bore him two sons but revealed her bird-like nature by transforming herself and the children into sea-fowl. The abandoned man searched for them but only encountered mystical events and a fleeting reunion before his wife and others turned into birds forever.

Source: 
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo 
by Henry Rink 
[William Blackwood and Sons] 
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The man’s wife and children transform into sea-fowl, highlighting themes of change and metamorphosis.

Supernatural Beings: The wife and children possess the ability to become birds, indicating interactions with beings beyond the ordinary human realm.

Family Dynamics: The narrative explores complex relationships within the family, including the man’s loneliness, his unconventional marriage, and the eventual departure of his wife and children.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

An old bachelor used to amuse himself by playing with skulls of seals, and feigning them to be his children. When he went out kayaking he put them down on the beach, and having placed himself in his kayak, he would say to them, “Now mind ye be good children, and go straight up to the house!” and on still finding them in the same place on his return, he would cry out, “Ye seem to be all deaf and dumb; did not I tell ye to keep off from the water before I set off?” Then taking hold of one of the heads, he threw it into the sea, “Look, there’s your little brother fallen into the water!”

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Another time, feeling himself very sad and lonely, he went running far away into the country, and happened to fall in with a great many women bathing in a lake. At this sight an idea seized him, and noiselessly he stole away to the place where they had put their clothes, securing those belonging to the one he thought the prettiest, and then stepped boldly forward. When the women saw him they hastened back to their clothes, and having put them on, they immediately changed into birds and flew away. Only she who had been robbed of her clothes remained behind; and the bachelor went straight up to her, asking her, “Would she like to be his wife?” and in return she said, “Yes, thou mayst take me if thou likest, only give me my clothes.” She then got them, but he kept hold of her, lest she, too, should fly. When she had dressed herself he took her home and married her. The next morning he did not venture to go out in his kayak, for fear she might take flight; and thus it happened that he gave up kayaking altogether, until one day she declared, “Now thou mayst leave me without fear, for I do really love thee, and thou mayst depend upon me;” and then he again began to go out seal-hunting. At length she begat a son, and when he grew up, another son was born; but afterwards they got no more children. When the children grew on, the mother sometimes took them out walking; and on the way she would admonish them to gather bird wings and feathers, saying, “Children, ye are akin to birds.” On a certain day she fastened a pair of these wings upon one of the boys, who was at once changed into a sea-fowl, and flew away. She did the same thing to his brother; and last of all she herself put on wings and followed them in the shape of a sea-fowl. When the old husband came home he found neither wife nor children, at which he grew very sad. However, he did not cease to go out in his kayak, although he no more chased seals. One day he put in close to a sand-hill, and leaving his kayak on the beach, he crossed the hill, and went a good way into the country. Looking round, he saw a man with his back turned towards him, working away at a piece of timber with his axe. On approaching him, he observed that the lower parts of his body visibly trembled. The man now asked him, “From what side art thou drawing nigh?” and the old man answered, “I am coming against thee;” to which the other remarked, “If thou hadst come from behind, I should have killed thee on the spot.” The old man now addressed him, saying, “Thou shalt have my new kayak if thou wilt inform me whether thou hast seen three persons?” but the other one answered, “I don’t care for thy new kayak, and I have not seen the three persons thou speakest of.” The old man again said to him, “I see thou art working in wood, and I will give thee my new axe; only let me know whether thou hast not seen three persons?” “Well, my axe is rather worn. Go and sit down on the tail of a salmon in yonder river; but when thou hearest the voices of children, mind thou don’t open thine eyes!” The old man obeyed, and sat down on the tail of a salmon, shutting his eyes the while. On hearing a rushing sound he opened his eyes a little, and noticing that he was carried along by a rapid current, he shut them again, and all was silent. He again heard the noise of children crying, “Alas, our father is nigh!” and the mother answering them, “Lo, we left your father without any means of conveying him hither.” The children, however, repeated, “Our father is coming.” The father now got on shore, and went to a house with fine windows to it; he observed that the inmates were all women. Close to the back wall his wife was sitting, and opposite her a man with a pug-nose, constantly repeating, “Wilt thou not marry me?” But the woman answered; “No, I have already got another husband.” All the rest now left the house, and only those two remained. At last, when the fellow with the pug-nose had left also, the old man made an attempt to take his wife back; but she quickly followed the other out, and while he pursued her she was transformed into a gull, as were also the rest of the women. The pug-nosed man was changed into a wild-duck; and when the discarded husband turned round, he saw that the house had been transformed into a gulls-hill [or birds-mound — viz., a heap of turf and moss accumulated on the top of small islands which have been long the resting-place of sea-fowls, and especially gulls, whose ordure has accumulated to a great extent in such localities.]

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The faithless wife

This and the next tale, with a third one about “the dog’s offspring,” which has been omitted in this translation, are taken from five manuscripts, one of which was written down in Labrador, the others in different parts of Greenland. In these some parts of the stones were intermixed in various ways, but still they seem originally to have represented the three separate stories, of which two are here given.

Source: 
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo 
by Henry Rink 
[William Blackwood and Sons] 
Edinburgh and London, 1875

► Themes of the story

Love and Betrayal: The husband’s discovery of his wife’s infidelity and his subsequent actions highlight themes of trust and treachery.

Transformation: The narrative features a fox transforming into a woman, and vice versa, emphasizing themes of change and metamorphosis.

Supernatural Beings: The presence of a shape-shifting fox that takes on human form introduces elements of the supernatural.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

A man who was living alone with his wife noticed that she often left the place without his knowing where she went. On his return from his day-work, he seldom found her at home. This made him suspicious; and one morning he feigned to be going far away, but when he went out in his kayak he only paddled to the nearest point, and went on shore again and hid himself behind some rocks. After a little his wife emerged from the tent in her best attire. He now stole up behind her, and followed her till she reached a lake; there he observed her throw off something into the water, upon which a masculine being appeared, and she undressing, went out to him in the water.

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At this sight the husband got into a great rage, and set about gathering all kinds of vermin; and one day when he was quite alone with his wife he stuffed them into her, and in this manner killed her. From that time he was all alone, but did not wish to go out in his kayak minding his usual business. One day, on his returning to his lonely tent, he was very much surprised to find his supper cooked, and the smoking meat served up. The next day the same thing happened again; the meat smoking hot was served up on his dish, and his boots were dried and ready to put on: and all this was repeated every day.

[The Eskimo boots, or kamik, are neatly made of dressed seal-skin. After they are put off they must be dried, and then rubbed with a broad-pointed blunt stick until they are soft and fit to be used again. Rubbing and drying boots and dog-skin socks form a most important part of an Eskimo wife’s household duties.]

One day he only paddled a little way off the coast, and then went on shore to hide in a place, whence he could keep a look-out on his tent; and he soon observed a little woman, with her hair dressed up in a very large tuft, come down the hill and enter his tent. He now quickly made for his kayak, paddled home, and went creeping up to his house. Having softly lifted the door-curtain, he noticed a strong unpleasant smell, and saw the little woman busily trimming his lamp. She was really a fox transformed into the shape of a woman, and this accounted for the strong smell. Nevertheless, he took her for his wife. One day he met his cousin out at sea, and told him about his new wife, praising her loveliness, and next asked him to come and see her, “But,” added he, “if thou shouldst happen to notice a rank smell about her, be sure not to make any remarks about it.” The cousin followed him at once, and having landed together they both entered the tent. But when the visitor observed how nice and pleasant the wife of his cousin was, he grew quite jealous; and in order to make mischief exclaimed, “Whence comes this nasty smell?” Instantly the little woman rose to her feet: she had now got a tail, wherewith she extinguished the lamp, and like a fox cried, “Ka, ka, ka!” and ran out of the tent. The husband followed her quickly; but when he again caught sight of her she was transformed into a fox, running up hill as fast as possible. He pursued her, and at last she vanished into a cave. It is told that while he stood outside calling for her, she first sent him a beetle, and then a spider, and at last a caterpillar. He then grew quite enraged, heaped some fuel together at the entrance, and burned her alive; and once more he was quite alone, and at last killed himself in a fit of madness.

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