Tag: 25. Trials and Tribulations

Facing and overcoming a series of challenges or tests

The widow’s vengeance

This Inuit tale follows Kujanguak, a widow’s son, who transforms from a marginalized boy to a skillful kayaker and hunter under his mother’s guidance. After facing mockery and rejection from their neighbors, Kujanguak proves his prowess by defeating a bear and securing abundant food. His mother’s cunning ultimately leads to the downfall of their oppressors, except for one survivor who becomes an outcast, highlighting resilience and justice.

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

► Themes of the story

Transformation: Kujanguak evolves from a marginalized boy into a skillful kayaker and hunter under his mother’s guidance.

Revenge and Justice: The widow’s cunning leads to the downfall of their oppressors, restoring justice for the mistreatment they endured.

Trials and Tribulations: Kujanguak faces and overcomes challenges, including mockery from neighbors and the formidable task of defeating a bear, demonstrating resilience and determination.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

From one of the older manuscripts.

There was a widow with a son named Kujanguak; beyond her house was another one, inhabited by a number of brothers, all clever at their profession, and well off. Whenever they had brought home any seals, the widow, according to the custom, would send her son to get a tamorasak (viz., little bit of blubber); but the men replied, “Thou lazy beggar, thou never assisted us in providing anything; so thou wilt not get anything neither.” On his returning with this answer, his mother only said, “Never mind, just let them talk.” One day they caught a mamartok (viz., a delicious kind of seal — one that has shed hair). The mother now took a stronger fancy than ever for a little morsel, and sent her son for it; but he was treated as usual: the men took a bit of whatever they could lay hand on, and flung it at him.

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When he came back and gave their message to his mother, she was in a great rage; and taking one of her boots, seated herself in a corner of the ledge to practise some charm. On the following morning, when her son looked into the pot, there was an eider-duck in it. The mother merely remarked, “Just take it.” Part of it she boiled, and the rest was put by for future use. In the evening she repeated her charms and spells, and a small seal was found in the water-tub. The third day, the son, to his great surprise, saw standing on the floor a completely furnished kayak; the mother took him down to the beach, and made him practise paddling, as well as upsetting and again righting, till he had got quite expert at these things. The following day she let him go out again, and pointing to an iceberg, told him to round it in his kayak. He pushed off at her bidding, and when he was out of sight, she returned to the house. The neighbours likewise set off, and saw Kujanguak attacking a bear, which at last took refuge on an iceberg. The eldest of the brothers tried to climb it, but was not able. After him Kujanguak made the attempt; and having first asked the other to take care of his kayak, he clutched hold of the ice, and scrambled up. At the very top he encountered the bear, and immediately fell upon it; and taking hold of it by the neck, flung it down into the sea, stone-dead. The youngest of the brothers, Sanak, cried out, “I have got a bear!” but Kujanguak quietly descended, got into his kayak, fastened his towing-line to the bear, and paddled home, followed by the other kayakers, who had given him their assistance. The mother now went down to the beach, accompanied by the sister of the brothers. While they were busy dragging the bear up to the house, the mother mockingly observed, turning to her, “Who knows how nourishing that flesh may be!” adding, “Now haul it up the rest of the way thyself; I am going to fetch water.” Having finished this task, however, she returned to the bear, and now divided it into two equal parts, of which she gave her companion one, saying, “The skin thou mayst keep for a ledge-cover.” She then boiled the flesh, and invited the whole party to partake of it. The other woman she asked to sit down on the main ledge; and when she had served the meal up she remarked, “It is a pity one cannot make sure whether there is any nourishment about this game of Kujanguak’s.” The woman visitor said, “I have been longing ever so much for bear’s meat lately.” They all ate well; and on taking leave the female visitor thanked her saying, that she had altogether found it a delicious and hearty feed. The following day Kujanguak again set off to the iceberg, and got a large seal. When he was returning towing it homewards, he chanced to encounter the brothers. Happily his mother had advised him beforehand, “If ever they venture to persecute thee, take some water out of the sea with thy left hand, and moisten thy lips with it.” Kujanguak tried this as soon as they all came rushing in upon him. The eldest brother began the attack by catching hold of the kayak point, doing his utmost to upset it; but no sooner had Kujanguak tasted the water with his lips than the other let it go. Sanak now said, “Look at the foaming breakers there! let us try which of us can first get beyond them;” and all of them pushed on as fast as possible. Kujanguak, who had a seal on his line, was first obliged to tighten it; but this done, he pushed on like a shot, and soon came up with the eldest brother, ahead of the others; and while they rowed outside of the breakers, Kujanguak went right across them, carried along by the surf. When the waves retreated, he jumped out upon the rocks; and when the breakers came rolling on again, he hastened back into the kayak. On the way home the brothers secretly consulted to surround him; however, he made his escape from them. Meanwhile his mother suddenly missed a certain lock of hair, and knowing this to be a bad omen for her son, was very anxious about him, until it shortly afterwards proved to be in its proper place on her forehead. Reassured with regard to her son, she now mounted the hills to look out for his return. On landing he was received on the beach by her along with the other woman, who asked him how her brothers had fared. He answered her, “I wonder thou carest to bother thyself about those stupid fellows!” When the flesh of the seal had been prepared, and the men were supping upon the briskets, the mother of the many sons grew envious and resentful because she was not invited to share the good fare. On hearing this, the widow cut a piece of the loin, and having pronounced a spell upon it, carried it to her by way of a present. When they sat down to eat it, Sanak was almost suffocated, and presently his old mother likewise cried for water. Having got a drink, she recovered; Sanak, however, expired. When the widow re-entered the room, the eldest brother accused her of the deed, saying, “You only fed them to work their destruction — it is none but thou who hast killed them!” and, at the same time, he rose and rushed against the house-pillars, in order to shake it down and make it fall over her: but the widow replaced them quickly. Again he rose from his seat, and turning towards the widow herself, he quickly snatched off the two points of her jacket — the one in front as well as the one behind. Little heeding this affront, she now ran out, and told her son that two of their adversaries had now been despatched. In the enjoyment of the happy event, they both bolted across the boat in great glee; however, the mother happened to break her back. When Kujanguak had got her indoors, she took some filth from beneath the place where her dead mother used to put all kinds of dirty refuse, and threw it out at the house of their enemies. This brought sickness upon them, from which all of them died excepting the sister, who turned kivigtok (i.e., one who has fled from mankind).

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Namak

Namak, an orphan raised by a taunting foster father, grew strong and skilled with a sling, driven by vengeance for his parents’ murder. His foster father’s provocations sharpened his resolve and strength, culminating in the destruction of his enemies’ boats. Later, Namak continued his quest for revenge alongside his son, asserting dominance through cunning and physical prowess, ultimately embodying the strength born of adversity and unresolved conflict.

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

► Themes of the story

Revenge and Justice: Namak’s journey is driven by a desire to avenge his parents’ murder, seeking retribution against their killers.

Trials and Tribulations: Throughout his life, Namak faces numerous challenges, including taunts from his foster father and the need to develop his strength and skills to confront his enemies.

Cunning and Deception: Namak employs clever tactics, such as feigning weakness to conceal his growing strength, ultimately using his cunning to achieve his goals.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

Of this story there is only one manuscript, written down in North Greenland before 1828.

The parents of Namak were both killed by their house-fellows; and while he was as yet but a weak and helpless child, a man happened to take pity on him and adopted him for his son. But this same foster-father was fond of worrying the boy, and inventing stories to frighten and excite him. Sometimes, when the child was asleep, he would cry out, “Namak, thy enemies have come to kill thee, too.” At first he was much alarmed, but by degrees he got used to it. But sometimes his foster-father would say, “Ah, how forgetful that Namak is! Here are his parents newly murdered, and he forgetting all about it.” At this, Namak would get into a great rage. When he was still a child, his father one day made him a present of a sling, saying, “I don’t mean to give thee a kayak, because I believe that thy enemies will kill thee for all that; but take this sling and practise with it.”

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Namak instantly began to do so, and soon got very clever in using it. In the spring he would betake himself to solitary places, practising his sling, always pondering over the things his foster-father had said to stir up vengeance within him. At home he spoke little, but inwardly rejoiced at his growing strength. Sometimes he brought in hares, and sometimes ptarmigan; he got them entirely by means of his sling. In the summer he never slept at night, but always in the day-time. Sometimes, when he had gone to sleep, his father would bring home a seal, and he was then awakened to assist in carrying it up to the house; but he would then hide his strength, and make-believe it was very hard work for him. One day, however, he said that his sling was too weak, and his father went to cut him a stronger one out of a very thick piece of seal-skin; and after that time he left off gibing the boy, because he began to fear him. During the winter it was reported that the enemies of Namak intended to remove farther to the north in spring. He got quite enraged at the thought that they would be going away before he could be revenged; and from that day his manner changed altogether. When spring came round, and they left their winter-house for the tents, he one day said, “I wish I could get myself a new sling.” On hearing this, the father went out in his kayak, and had the good-luck to catch a thong-seal [Phoca barbata]. This he brought in while Namak was still asleep. When the women were busy flensing it, and preparing the skin for boat-covers, the husband said, “It just occurs to me that Namak is wanting a sling.” He then roused him, saying, “Namak, thy enemies are making ready to depart.” He awoke and ran out, and stood staring at the neighbours. On his way down to the beach, his foster-father said to him, “Just cut out a line for thy sling, wherever thou choosest.” Keeping an eye upon his neighbours, he took the knife from his father, lifted up the seal by one of the forepaws with only one hand, and turning it over without any difficulty, cut himself a sling to his liking, all in one piece. On seeing this, his foster-father got quite frightened. Some time after this, their neighbours were really going to depart. Namak slept, and his father roused him with these words, “Namak, this time thou mayst believe me; thy enemies are in the very act of departing:” but Namak did not think fit to stir; he had been cheated too often. The father again cried to him, “Now they are taking their tents away,” — and as he himself could hear the clattering of the bars and poles, he rose and put on jacket and boots, but without getting into the sleeves of his jacket, and catching hold of his sling from under the ledge, he hid it inside. Further down on the beach were some large stone-heaps; there he lay in ambush. Now that he had determined to revenge himself, he no more concealed his strength. While some were yet bringing down their luggage, the first boat put out, rowing briskly, and when right athwart of him, Namak put a big stone in his sling, and threw it into the boat, where it made a large hole, so that it instantly began to sink. “Alas! alas!” they cried. The other boat hurried on to rescue them, but underwent the same fate. The third one tried to save itself by turning in time, but at that instant he flung the stone at it, hitting the prow and cleaving right through; and thus he destroyed three boats, crews and all, and his mind now got rest. One boat was saved from destruction, as it had gone out to sea at once, instead of keeping along the shore. His enemies increased in number after they had established themselves somewhere in the north; and seeing that they had reason to fear him, they trained themselves to be as vigorous as he. Namak married, and though he had never had a kayak himself, he taught his son to practise kayak-paddling. He grew up and came to be an excellent kayaker; and subsequently owned a boat as well as a tent. Now and then reports reached them from their enemies that they were numerous, and also strong. At last he persuaded his son to go and look them up; and in spring they went away northward in their boat, asking the people they met with, “Where are Namak’s enemies?” “Farther north” was the constant answer. At last they learned that their station was close at hand; and from that time they did not as usual land in the evening to take rest, but rowed on incessantly. On their arrival they asked the people who came down to the beach to meet them, “Where are Namak’s enemies?” To this, however, they made no reply, but entered their houses, and the travellers had to make their way on shore by themselves; neither were they afterwards invited to visit them. However, they took up their winter-quarters at that very place, and settled down for the time. In the beginning of their stay, Namak advised his son to watch them closely, but afterwards they got less suspicious. That same winter, one morning, it blew a gale from the south-west, and the kayakers remained at home, and on that day it was announced, “They all want to see Namak.” He was ready in a moment; the son likewise went: and thus they were going to visit their enemies for the first time. There was only set forth meat for two. The son did not taste much of it, but the father continued eating till the dish was nearly emptied. The visitors did not speak; but at length one of the other party proposed different sports, saying, “Ye ought to try strength at the pulling-thong first;” and then he took out the string fitted with walrus-teeth from beneath the ledge, and threw it upon the skin which was spread on the floor for the champions. But Namak said, “This is but child’s-play for people who really want to try a match;” and so saying, he took hold of and tore the thong asunder with one hand, and then flung them down on the floor. Another offered to try strength with him, by hooking their arms together, and trying to pull each other over. Namak did not hesitate, but at once sat down on the skin. They now tried one after another, but nobody was able to move his arm in the least. Seeing that they were not able to match him, they all departed. The son went home, but Namak never stirred, but stayed on. At last, however, he prepared to put on his outer coat, and did it very slowly and deliberately, always expecting an attack. They were never invited afterwards. In spring they again wanted to go to the south, and at parting he let his house-fellows first go into the boat, while he kept back, still expecting an attack from his enemies; but seeing that they did not come, he finally left the place.

The native writer has added the following very characteristic remark: “It is generally supposed that if his foster-father had not continually excited him, he would scarcely have grown to be so immensely strong. People say that among our ancestors, before they became Christians, there was no lack of strong men, because their bad consciences induced them to cultivate their strength. Nowadays, since people have turned Christians, and have no bad consciences, there are no strong men among them.”

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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.

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

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.

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Kunuk the orphan boy

This tale seems to have its origin in historical facts, worked into a tale at a later period. Some parts of it allude to the struggles with the Indians, and the sudden attacks made by them on the Eskimo. Others most probably refer to the wars between the Eskimo tribes themselves, and to their distant migrations, by which they have peopled their wide territories. Several passages of this story are still frequently mixed up in different ways with other tales. The text has been constructed from three copies, in most particulars agreeing with each other.

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

► Themes of the story

Conflict with Authority: The narrative depicts the boys’ warnings being dismissed by the adults, highlighting a struggle against dismissive or unbelieving authority figures.

Trials and Tribulations: Kunuk and his brother face significant challenges, including the invasion of their home and the loss of their sister, testing their resilience and resourcefulness.

Revenge and Justice: The story may involve elements of seeking retribution or restoring order following the attack, reflecting themes of justice.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

Several men had their permanent winter-quarters near the entrance to a fiord, and with them lived two boys, who were very officious and obliging. In the morning, when the men prepared to go out hunting, the boys helped to turn and rub their gloves, and made them ready for use, and likewise arranged the kayak implements and tools, and fetched the water for their morning drink. When the men had left, the boys exercised themselves in archery, and never entered the house the whole day long, until the men had returned, and they had assisted them in carrying their things from the beach. They did not even think of entering and partaking of their first meal till the last of the men had gone in, and they had once more fetched water.

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One evening in winter, by moonlight, when they had gone out to draw water, the youngest said, “I think I see a lot of faces down in the water;” and Kunuk, the elder brother, replied, “Is it not the reflection of the moon?” “No, come and look for thyself;” and Kunuk looked into the water, and said, “Thou art right, they are getting at us;” and presently he observed in the water (viz., by way of clairvoyance) a host of armed men advancing towards them. The boys now ran as fast as possible and told everything to the people at home, but they only answered, “It must have been the moon that deceived you. Never mind, but run away and fetch us some water; the tub is empty.” Off they went, but saw the same things over again, and went back to report it; but still they were not believed. But when they saw the armed men the third time advancing quickly towards them, they deliberated what to do with their little sister; and when they had determined to go and hide her, they entered the house and brought her outside; and seeing a heap of chips close to the window, they put her down, and covered her well up with them. Having done this, they went back and climbed the rafters beneath the roof of the house-passage; and in helping his brother to get up, Kunuk warned him not to get tired though he might find it an inconvenient place of refuge: they were keeping hold of one beam with their hands, and supported their feet against the next, and thus lay at full length, with their faces turned downwards. Presently a large man with a spear made his way through the entrance; after him another one appeared; and all told, they counted seven, who came rushing into the house. But as soon as they got inside a fearful cry was heard from those who were put to death by them. While they were still lingering inside Kunuk’s brother was losing strength, and was nearly giving way, when the aggressors came storming out, fighting about, right and left, and flinging their spears everywhere, and likewise into the heap of chips, where their little sister was lying. When the last of them had disappeared the younger boy fell to the ground, and Kunuk after him. When they came to look for their sister they found her struck right through the body with a lance, and with her entrails protruding; and on entering the house the floor was all covered with blood, every one of the inmates having been killed, besides one of the assailants. Being quite alone in the dreary house they would not stay, but left the place that very night, carrying their wounded sister by turns, and taking care that the entrails did not come out of their proper place. They wandered on for a long while in this manner, and at length they arrived at a firth, which was quite frozen over. There they went down on the ice, but on turning round a steep promontory their little sister died, and they buried her in a cave among the rocks. From the beginning of their flight they exercised themselves in boxing and in lifting large stones to strengthen their limbs; and they grew on, and had become strong and vigorous men ere they again met with other people. After a great lapse of time they one day noticed a man standing on the ice beside a huge piece of wood, which he had made use of in hunting the small seals. When they approached and told him what had befallen them, he said he would like to adopt them as his sons, and they followed him to a house where he and his wife lived all by themselves. Their foster-parents encouraged them never to forget their enemies, but always to be exercising themselves in order to strengthen their limbs. One night the brothers came home laden with ptarmigan and foxes, which they had caught without any weapons at all, only by throwing large stones at them, which made the old people rejoice very much, commending their dexterity and perseverance. To increase their strength still farther, they lifted very large stones with their hands only. They also practised boxing and wrestling; and no matter how hard the one might be pressing on the other, they made a point of never falling, but rolling together along the ground. At last, with constant practice, they had grown so dexterous that they could even kill a bear without any weapon. At first they gave him a blow, and when he turned upon them they took no more notice of him than if he had been a hare, but merely took hold of him by the legs and smashed him to pieces. When these results had been gained, they began to think of seeking out other people. Where? That was a matter of indifference. They now took a northerly direction, and wandered on a long way without falling in with any human being. At length they came to a great inlet of the sea, where a number of kayakers were out seal-hunting, but only one of them seemed to be provided with weapons. This one was their chief, or the “strong man” among them. He always wanted to harpoon the animals himself which had been hunted by the others — these had only to chase and frighten them; and if anybody dared to wound them, he was sure to be punished by the chief in person; but as soon as the “strong man” had pierced them with his arrow, the others all helped to kill them. Kunuk and his brother were too modest to go down at once, and awaited the approach of evening. Meanwhile they witnessed the cutting up of a walrus, and saw it being divided — each person getting a huge piece for himself, excepting an old man, who lived in the poorest tent, who got nothing but the entrails, which his two daughters helped him to carry home from the beach. The brothers agreed that they would go to the old man when it had grown dark, because they had taken pity on him on account of his patience. Having arrived at the tent, Kunuk had to enter by himself, his brother being too bashful to follow him. The old man now inquired of him, “Art thou alone?” “No, my little brother is standing outside; he is ashamed to enter.” On hearing this, the old man cried, “Come in, thou who art standing outside;” and when he entered, he was astonished to see his strong limbs, he being even bigger than his brother. When the meal was over the old man said he would like to have them for his sons-in-law, and that they might go and take his daughters for their wives. Kunuk chose the youngest of them, and his brother got the eldest; and thus they got married. It is said that while going down to the place, they first went to have a look at the boats, and examined them closely; and that on seeing the weapons of the “strong man,” they had taken his javelin (or arrow to be flung only by hand) away, with the intention of hiding it, so that the others might get something to look for. They brought it away to a spring, and a little way off they stuck it down into the earth, but pulled it out again, trying another place, where the turf was dry and hard. There Kunuk fixed it so deep in the ground that only so much of it as could be seized with two fingers was to be seen. While they were lying down inside the tent, they heard some one come running along, and partly lift the curtain, but instantly drop it and go off again. It was an old gossip, and mother to the “strong man,” who had been doing this; and a moment later a multitude of people gathered round the entrance of the tent, to get a peep at the strangers. In the morning they heard the chief crying out, “This is a fine day for a walrus-hunt;” upon which he was silent a while, and then said, “My javelin has been taken away,” which was repeated again and again by many others. When Kunuk emerged from the tent he saw several of the men coming out rubbing their eyes, and saying, “I must surely have slept too long!” However, it was only out of reverence for the “strong man” that they spoke thus. While they were shouting, they heard the old gossip, who had been away to fetch water, exclaim, “Look, yonder is the javelin!” and at the same time she pointed to the rock leading to the spring. All of them now rushed to the spot, in order to pull it out of the earth, but nobody succeeded in doing it. The brothers were now called, and were asked to draw it out. They had all been pulling and biting it with their teeth to get it loose, so that the end had been quite wasted. But Kunuk just took it between his two fingers, and disengaged it as if it were a very small matter. On their way down to the shore their father-in-law addressed them, and said, “Down there, underneath the great boat, are the two kayaks of my dead son. They are perfectly fitted up, and furnished with weapons, and are quite easy to get at.” These things he now wanted to make over to his sons-in-law, and he told them that the “strong man” had murdered his son because he envied him his still greater strength; for this reason he was now the enemy of his daughters. Hitherto, however, they had not been able to get their revenge. After a short interval the cry was heard, “Let the strangers come on for a boxing and fighting match on the great plain up yonder;” upon which all the men made thither to behold the spectacle. The brothers followed them; and arriving at the place, they saw a pole set up on end, and beside it the leader standing with a whip made of walrus-skin, with a knot on the end. There was also a stuffed white hare, and whenever anybody set foot on it, he quickly lashed them with the whip. Kunuk was the first who advanced towards the hare, and the chief tried to hit him, but did not succeed in reaching him. Soon after, Kunuk courageously put his foot on the hare; but the very moment the “strong man” lifted up his whip Kunuk stooped down and hardened his limbs (by charm), and when the other smote him the whip gave a loud crack. The “strong man” now believed that he had killed Kunuk, who nevertheless came away unhurt. When the crack of the thong was heard, the “strong man” ordered the younger brother to step forward. He, however, cared less than Kunuk: and after the first attempt the chief proposed that he should take the whip for a change; and giving it to him, he went himself and put his foot on the hare. Kunuk’s brother now cried, “Look out and harden thy body!” but at the same time smote him, so that he fell down dead on the spot. All his inferiors now rejoiced greatly, and called out to the brothers, “Henceforth ye shall be our leaders!” but they rejoined, “In future ye shall have no masters, but hunt at liberty and at your own will.” The brothers now practised all manner of feats belonging to kayaking and seal-hunting, and procured themselves bladder-arrows [small harpoons with a bladder attached to the shaft, but without any line, and principally used for small animals] — the bladders being made out of one entire blown-up seal-skin. One day they joined some other kayakers, and went in pursuit of a very large she-walrus. Kunuk lanced it four times at a greater distance than usual, and his arrow went right through the animal, which, panting for breath, after a minute or two was quite dead. When the others came on to give it the finishing stroke, they found that the arrow had penetrated to the very vent-holes of the bladder; and they all rejoiced at his great dexterity, and praised it highly. Ordinary seals even grew quite stiff when his spear merely grazed them. He once heard a report of a very giant, who lived southward, and was named Ungilagtake [pron. Unghilagtakee]. He had a huge sword, and nobody was ever known to escape him; even the most valiant of men were vanquished and put to death by him. On hearing this, the brothers immediately supposed him to have been among the strong armed men who attacked their housemates at home, when they themselves were still little children; and they at once determined to go and find him out, knowing that they were now more capable of revenging themselves than they had been at that time. They left the place in two boats, one of which belonged to the youngest; in this the mother of the “strong man” who had been killed accompanied him. The other boat was Kunuk’s, and many kayaks went along with them to make war against Ungilagtake. A pretty strong breeze from the north had sprung up, and the boats hoisted their sails, and the kayak-men amused themselves with throwing their harpoons alongside the boats. It so happened that Kunuk, in flinging the harpoon, hit the prow of the boat, so that it rebounded into the water with a great splash. On seeing this, the old hag chuckled, and went on mocking and teasing the wife of Kunuk till she could not help crying; and Kunuk asked his brother, who was in command of the boat, “Why is my wife crying?” “Oh, that’s on account of the arrow,” he answered; “she is so mortified because the old woman laughed at thee.” Kunuk now purposely dropped astern a little, and holding his harpoon ready, suddenly pushed forward, and flung it across the boat, so that it hit the hood of the old woman’s fur coat, while she sat rowing in the fore-end of the boat, even tearing a piece out of it; and this trick he repeated once more. After a while, Kunuk’s brother turned his looks towards land, and recognised the burial-place of their little sister. This made him very sad, and he asked for some one to relieve him at the helm, he wanting to go and sit down forward, where, bent down, he went on sobbing, and vainly striving to keep back his tears, while the water from the sea came into the boat, which kept swinging and tossing from his convulsions. He took ill from that very day, and died before they reached their destination, so that Kunuk came alone to Ungilagtake. It was in the depth of winter, and they were met by many people on the ice. A somewhat biggish man invited them to come and put up at his house. This man likewise happened to be an enemy of Ungilagtake; and as soon as the guests had entered, he told them that before the meal he would show them how Ungilagtake used to behave to strangers. He took an entire seal-skin, stuffed with sand, and to the centre of which a strap was attached. Into this he put his third finger, and carried it round the room, after which he ordered his guest to do the same. Kunuk took hold of the strap with his little finger, lifted the thing with unbent arm, and put it down without being fatigued. The host then went on, “Now sit down opposite to me, and I will throw a lance at thee, which, however, won’t hurt thee;” upon which he brought out a lance and a drum, and began singing, while Kunuk heard the others saying, “Bend thee down, stranger!” Kunuk at once complied, so that nothing but his chin was visible; and when his host threw the lance at him, he lost his aim, merely observing, “This is the way of Ungilagtake, who always hits the mark, and never fails. Yet I don’t know how thou wilt fare with him; he will hardly be able to molest thee. But then he has a companion, called Tajangiarsuk, with a double back, being as fat in front as behind, who is immensely strong, and gives him a hand if there happen to be any one he cannot master.” Whilst they were sitting down at the meal a cry was heard without, “Ungilagtake invites the stranger to his house!” When Kunuk and his wife were preparing to go, the host said, “Now make a bold entrance, or he will be sure to kill thee at once.” The visitors now went up to a large house with three windows, which was occupied with Ungilagtake’s numerous wives — all of whom he had stolen. Kunuk was ordered to sit down on the side bench, but his wife was brought to a seat on the main ledge, and their former host placed himself opposite her husband. Many other spectators now entered; but whenever a new visitor made his appearance, Kunuk asked his first host if that were Tajangiarsuk, until at last he too arrived. Refreshments, consisting of various dishes, were now served before them; and when they had finished eating, Ungilagtake ordered Kunuk to seat himself opposite to him, and presently drew out a huge spear from beneath the bench, and striking upon the drum, which had likewise been produced, the whole joined in a song for Kunuk, at the same time crying out, “Bend thee down, stranger that has come among us; the great Ungilagtake, who never missed his aim, is going to thrust his spear at thee.” He bent down as before, so that only his chin appeared; but whilst Ungilagtake was taking aim at him, he nimbly gave a jump, and caught hold of one of the roof-beams, while the spear went far below him; and when it was flung at him the second time, he quickly jumped down, and the spear came flying above him, amid great cheers from the spectators. When Ungilagtake was about to take aim the third time, Kunuk seized the spear, saying that he, too, would like to have a try at killing with it. They now exchanged places. Kunuk, beating the drum, now struck up a song for Ungilaktake; but the very moment the latter was preparing to bend his back, Kunuk had already taken aim at him, and the spear hit him in the throat, so that he fell dead on the spot. Everybody now rushed out of the house, and Kunuk was following, but soon found himself seized from behind by some one, who proved to be Tajangiarsuk. A wrestling-match soon ensued on a plain of ice, covered with many projecting stones, which he had chosen on purpose, in order to finish off his adversaries by dashing them against the stones. Kunuk felt a little irresolute when he noticed that he had found his equal. However, he took hold of him, and tried to lift him up before he got tired out. He flung him down on the ground, so that the blood gushed out of his mouth. Another champion soon made his appearance, who was of a still stronger and larger make; and he soon got Kunuk down, and had already put his knee on the heart of Kunuk, when the latter suddenly took hold of him from beneath, grasped his shoulders, and pressed the lungs out of him. The applause of the spectators was again heard, while some of them were crying, “Now they are bringing the last of the lot, him with the lame legs;” and soon after three boats were seen to carry this champion thither, for he was not like ordinary men, but of an immense size, so that he was obliged to lie across all three boats to get along. Having reached the landing-place, he crept up to the combat-field on his elbows. When Kunuk tried to throw him, his legs never moved an inch; but when he proceeded to lift him up by taking hold of him round the waist, and began to whirl him round, he gradually succeeded in lifting also his feet; and when they at last turned right outwards, to let him fall in such a way that his skull was crushed. The people rejoiced, and cried, “Thanks to thee! now we shall have no masters!” and those who had been robbed of their wives got them back again.

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 brothers visit their sister

Two brothers discover their long-lost sister living among cannibals in a southern land. Despite warnings, they journey to find her. Initially welcomed, they are horrified to witness her cannibalistic lifestyle, influenced by her husband. After a harrowing escape aided by the brother-in-law, they return home, narrowly avoiding death. Though they report the encounter, they never reunite with their sister again.

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

► Themes of the story

Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on two brothers discovering their long-lost sister living among cannibals, highlighting the complexities of familial relationships and the lengths to which family members will go to reunite.

Forbidden Realms: The brothers venture into a dangerous, unknown land inhabited by cannibals to find their sister, exploring the theme of entering forbidden or perilous territories.

Trials and Tribulations: The brothers face significant challenges and dangers in their quest to find and rescue their sister, reflecting the theme of overcoming obstacles in pursuit of a goal.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

This tale is very popular in Greenland. Traces of it are also found mixed up with other tales from Greenland, and with one from Labrador. Here the text is very nearly a literal translation from a single manuscript, by a native of South Greenland.

A man had three children; the eldest was a daughter. She married a man from a far-away place in the south while her brothers were still little children. In their boyhood they were not aware of their having a sister, because their father purposely never mentioned it to them. At last they had become quite grown up, and began to catch seals, and still they had never heard of their sister, until one day the mother said, “I think ye don’t even know that ye have got a sister!” Upon which they immediately began asking about her place of abode; to which the mother replied, “Look there; do you see the high mountains yonder to the south of us? Beyond these is the winter station of your sister, whose hair, strange to say, is quite white on one side. However, ye must not think of going there, for the people she is living among are all cannibals.” On hearing this, the eldest brother changed his mind, and gave up the idea of going; but the younger one still longed as much as before to see his sister. The mother tried to dissuade him, but he wanted to go more than ever.

► Continue reading…

The following day the brothers set out on their journey, but the parents warned them, saying, “If ye reach the country yonder in the day-time ye must wait the fall of night, and not go near them until they are all asleep, lest ye should be murdered by them.” And when they had gone away the parents gave them up for lost. The travellers reached the high mountains in the south, and began to examine the land below, in order to discover houses. At length the eldest brother said, “When people are found to be living at the foot of the mountains, the ravens will be sure to be soaring in the air above.” At last they observed a craggy hill, above which a great number of ravens were flying. The brothers now turned away from the frozen sea and made for the shore, where they at length secured their sledges, and waited the fall of night. But when it had become quite dark, and when they supposed the inhabitants to have gone to bed, they again drew nearer. They were now in sight of many houses, the first of which had three windows; and having gone close up to it, they cautiously mounted the roof and looked down the vent-hole; and saw a nasty-looking man sitting in front of the lamp beside his wife, who seemed in the act of picking the lice off him, and who appeared to be quite white on one side of her head. The eldest brother now got up and said, “Were we not told that our sister was to be white-haired on one side of her head? do come and see!” The younger brother now looked down, and perceiving her, exclaimed in great consternation, “Why, that must surely be our sister sitting down there! Just spit down through the hole, before the lamp, and when they notice that, some one will probably come out.” The moment he spat down, the woman gave the man a push, and said, “Somebody must have come from afar to see us; do make haste and get up!” On which he instantly rose, took up his bow, and went outside. When they saw him emerge from the house-passage, carrying the bow ready bent in his hand, the eldest brother accosted him before he had set eyes upon them, saying, “We have come here to visit our sister, and have been told that she is quite white on one side of her head.” The other answered him in a whisper, “Your sister is within; please go in.” On entering he at once played the part of a brother-in-law to them, and ordered a meal to be prepared. The wife put on her boots, and told some of the children to assist her; and the guests soon understood that the only housemates of their sister were her children. The beams for boot-drying were hung all over with boots and skin-stockings, according to their several sizes, the biggest outermost. Sometime afterwards a large tub of berries mingled with blubber was set before them, and their sister asked them to partake of the meal. The brothers were almost beginning to feel at ease, and were just going to help themselves, when suddenly, in the bottom of the tub, they caught sight of a human hand, cut off at the wrist, clutching the berries, and very much shrunk. They merely said, “We don’t eat such food as this;” but she only drew the tub closer to herself, and began to eat along with the children. When she took hold of the hand, and had taken a bite of the thumb, the children all cried, “Mother, do let us have some too!” The eldest brother now got up, and went close beside her, saying, “Hast thou also turned cannibal?” and giving her husband a pull, she answered, “This nasty fellow has made me one.” Meanwhile the brother-in-law ordered something separate to be cooked for them on the lamp, but cautiously added, “Mind ye don’t let it burn too high, lest our neighbours should detect us, and make a row about it.” Suspending the pot above the lamp, and at the same time addressing her brothers, his wife now put in, “When our people caught a whale last winter, and it was brought ashore to be cut up and flensed, a man happened to have a fall, and was cut up with it.” Before the meal was ready the host whispered to his children, “Go out and cut asunder all the lashings of our neighbours’ sledges, but beware of making a noise.” The children all went out immediately, and when they came back he inquired of them, “Have ye done as I told ye to all of them?” “Yes,” they answered, “we have.” But still they had forgotten one of them. When the meat was boiled, and they had commenced eating, the host said, “As soon as ye have finished I shall accompany you a little way off; but as soon as ye have left the mainland I’ll give a shout, and ye’ll just see what will happen.” On their departure, after supper, he addressed them, saying, “Ye now know our place of abode; do come back and visit your sister.” Upon which he saw them off in their sledges, and away they fled; but as soon as they turned out upon the ice he gave a great shout, and cried out aloud, “The visitors are setting off — the visitors are going to leave!” and when they looked around, the place was black with people, crowding the doorways and windows. Some had just caught hold of their clothes, and others were quite naked, and in this state they all hastened off to their sledges; but when they were about to start, the sledges all broke down. Meanwhile the travellers had taken fright, and urged on their dogs as fast as possible; but turning round they perceived one sledge to be following them, and apparently gaining upon them. The brother-in-law having likewise observed it, hastened to pursue it, and killed the driver, besides a number of the other people, and afterwards filled his sledge with human limbs; and thus freighted, he returned to his house. But the brothers reached home late at night, and reported how their sister had turned a cannibal, and how they had barely escaped death through the aid of their brother-in-law. But they never saw their sister again.

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The blind man who recovered his sight

The text of this story has been collated from eight copies, among which two have been received from Labrador, the rest from different parts of Greenland, three of them having been written down before 1828. Like the former, it seems to have no historical, but only a moral or mythological reference.

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

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The protagonist undergoes a significant change, regaining his sight after a period of blindness.

Family Dynamics: The narrative explores complex relationships within the family, highlighting the mother’s jealousy and the sister’s loyalty.

Trials and Tribulations: The blind man’s journey is marked by challenges, including his initial blindness and the subsequent hardships he faces, which he overcomes with determination and support from his sister.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

A widow had a son and a daughter. When the son grew up, he made himself useful in different ways, and also commenced seal-hunting. One day in the beginning of winter he caught a thong-seal (a very large species, Phoca barbata [or bearded seal — “the ground-seal” of the English sealers: also called a “thong-seal,” because the Eskimo cut their thongs and lines out of its hide]). On bringing it home, his mother wanted the skin for a ledge-cover, but he insisted on having it for making hunting-lines [line or thong attached with one end to the harpoon, with the other to the hunting-bladder, an inflated entire seal-skin, which prevents the harpooned seals running away].

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The mother grew angry, and in preparing the skin and removing the hairs, she practised some witchcraft on it, and spoke thus: “When he cuts thee into thongs, when he cuts thee asunder, then thou shalt snap and smite his face;” and she rejoiced in the thought that it would hit him. When she had finished her preparations, and he had cut out the first thong, he stretched and strained it; but in scraping it with a shell, a small blister burst, and hitting both his eyes, blinded him.

The winter coming on, they were destitute of their main provisions, and had to live entirely upon mussels (Mytilus edulis); and the blind boy took his place on the ledge, unable to go out hunting any more. Thus he passed the first half of the winter. A great bear then appeared, which began to eat away their (skin) window-pane, and next thrust its head into the room. [In modern times, most of the Eskimo huts in Danish Greenland have got glass window-panes; but through Eskimo-land generally, the semi-transparent entrail of some animal serves this purpose.] The mother and the sister fled in great terror to the inmost retired part of the ledge; but the blind man said to his sister, “Please bring my bow;” and she having given it to him, he bent it, and asked her to take the right aim for him. Levelling it at the animal, she gave him the signal, whereon he shot, and the arrow struck the bear so that it fell to the ground. The mother said, “Thou hitst the window instead of the beast;” but his sister whispered, “Thou hast killed a bear.” They had now provisions for the coming days; but the mother never gave her son any of the boiled bear-flesh, but only a few shell-fish instead, and never let him taste a meal from his own hunting, but, in order to starve him, concealed her having any flesh. His sister, however, gave him his portion when the mother was absent, and he swallowed it in haste before her return. In this manner the greater part of the winter passed away. At last the days lengthened; and one day, in the spring, the sister said, “Dost thou remember how very delightful the time was when thou hadst still got thy sight, and wast able to go out hunting, and how we used to roam about the country?” The brother answered, “To be sure; let us be off again. I can take hold of thee.”

And the next morning at daybreak they went out together, he taking hold of her garments; and all day long they wandered about, the sister occupied in gathering shrubs for fuel.

One day they came to a large plain beside a lake, and the brother then said, “I think I will lie down a little, while thou goest away to find more fuel;” and accordingly she left him. Whilst he was thus resting himself, he heard some wild geese flying in the air above him, and when they were right over his head, he heard one of them crying out, “Look at the poor young man down there; he is blind: would we could make him see.” When the birds approached him he never stirred, but lay quietly on his back. At this moment he had a sense of something warm falling down on his eyes, one of the wild geese having dropped its excrement upon them, and heard a voice saying, “Keep thy eyes shut till the sound of our wings has altogether passed away, then thou mayst try to open them.” Again he lay down motionless; while the wild goose, sweeping its wings across his face, repeated, “Mind thou dost not open thy eyes.” The sound of their wings now dying away, he already observed a certain brightness; but when the noise had altogether passed away, he opened his eyes wide, and had his sight restored to him. He now called out, “Nayagta!” (so he called his sister). But she did not return till evening, when she was seen coming across the country, moody and downhearted, with one arm drawn out of the sleeve of her jacket, and her chin hidden in the fur collar. Perceiving her, he again called out, “Nayagta, now thou needst not be in want of food or anything else; I shall give thee clothes, for now I have my sight again.” But she only gainsaid him, and would not believe him until she looked into his reopened eyes, and saw their sound and healthy appearance. They both agreed not to let their mother know what had happened. In descending the hills, and approaching the house, he caught sight of his bear-skin stretched out to dry, and in front of the entrance its bones, and on entering the main room he got a glimpse of its paws. Shutting his eyes, he now took his usual place on the ledge, and feigning to have been asleep, he started up, saying, “I dreamt I saw a bear-skin stretched out behind the house;” but the old woman merely replied, “Thou must surely have been thinking about somebody who happened to hurt thee some time ago.” Again the son feigned sleeping, and starting up, he said, “Methinks I also saw a lot of bear-bones outside the entrance.” The old woman repeated her first answer; but the third time, on seeming to awake, the son said, “I dreamt I saw two bear’s paws here underneath the couch;” and the mother again giving the same answer, suddenly opening his eyes, he said, “Mother, I mean these;” and then she knew that he had regained the use of his eyes, and she exclaimed, “Eat them, just eat them!” He now took up his old habits, and again commenced seal-hunting; but, after some time, the idea grew upon him to take revenge on his detestable old mother. The season was at hand when the white whales [a large sort of dolphin, Beluga or Delphinus albicans, captured in great abundance in Greenland] began to appear along the ice-bound shore, and he used to catch them in the following manner: he went out on the ice with his sister, and having fastened his hunting-line round her waist, he threw the harpoon which was attached to the line into the fish, thus making her serve him instead of a hunting-bladder [the inflated skin or bladder attached to the line to bring up the animal, as well as the weapon when it has missed its mark and fallen into the sea.]. After which, they hauled together till they had safely landed the fish on the ice, where they afterwards killed it.

One day, returning home, he asked his sister, “Dost thou like our old mother?” She made no answer; but on his repeating the question she only answered, “I am more fond of thee than of her; thou art the only one I do love.” “Well, then, tomorrow she shall serve us for a bladder. I’ll pay her off for having made me blind.” They both agreed upon the plan; and returning to the house where they found the mother busy mending boots, he said, “Oh dear, how tired we are with hauling in the fish! Now let my sister have a rest tomorrow; meantime thou mightst serve me as a hunting-bladder. I suppose thou canst keep thy footing when the fish pull the line.” The mother declaring herself willing, they all went down to the open sea the next morning; but when the white whales appeared, and he was preparing to harpoon them, she said: “Take one of the smallest, and not the large ones;” and perceiving some very little fish coming up, she cried, “Look out and try for one of these;” but be answered, “They are still too big.” At the same instant, however, one of the very largest fishes rose to the surface; and harpooning it, he let go his hold of the line, and when the animal had drawn his mother pretty close to the water, he cried out, “Dost thou remember the time thou madest me blind?” and while she endeavoured to hold back, he pushed her on, saying, “That fellow will give me my revenge.” When she was close to the very edge of the water, she cried, “My ullo!” (woman’s knife) — “it was I who nursed thee;” and with these words she was plunged into the sea, which soon covered her. Still she reappeared on the surface, crying, “My ullo, my ullo; I nursed thee!” but then disappeared for ever. It is said that she was afterwards transformed into a fish, and that her spreading hair turned into long horny teeth, from which the narwals [Monodon monoceros] are said to have their origin. The white whales having all disappeared, brother and sister returned to the house, and lamented the loss of their mother, feeling conscious that she had nursed them, and taken care of them. They now began to be terrified at their deed, and dared not stay in their little house; they therefore fled on eastward, far away to the large continent, roaming about the interior parts of the country. [People who fled from mankind in order to live in the desolate interior of Greenland were called kivigtoks, and believed to acquire supernatural qualities — such as clairvoyance, immense swiftness, and longevity.] At first he would not even kill a bird, feeling pity towards them for having restored the use of his eyes to him; but at last he killed a swan, because his sister wanted to have it, and it is said that this was the only bird he caught for the remainder of his life. Far away from the coast they built their house; they grew to be immensely old, and were always without friends. At length they determined to show themselves among other people, and he resolved upon going to some place which had an angakok (priest of the heathens). After a while he found such people, and decided to await the time when the angakok was going to conjure his spirits. He then went up to the house; but ere he reached it, the angakok began to complain, and cried, “I am going to let a spirit out upon you; a large fire is just outside” (viz., the kivigtok, supernatural beings in general making their appearance like a flame or brightness). The man who was standing outside now made his inquiry: “Do you not know me? — have ye heard of him who used his mother for a hunting-bladder?” and as no one answered him, he repeated the same question over again. An old woman now rejoined: “I remember to have heard in my childhood that many many years ago there lived a brother and a sister who fastened their poor mother as a bladder to a white whale.” The stranger outside then said: “I am that very man; I have come to denounce myself: do come out and see what I am like.” The angakok went out, followed by his auditors, and they saw him standing erect in the bright moonlight beside the boat. The hair of his head was snowy white, as if he had been covered with a hood of white hare-skins; but his face was black, and his clothes were made of reindeer-skins, and he told them that his sister was not able to move from old age, and that they had their hut far away in the interior of the country, and that their house-fellows were terrible beings with heads like seals; and lastly he added: “After this, I will not show myself any more to human creatures; those to whom I wanted to denounce myself I have done it to.” After having said these words he turned away, and has never been seen afterwards.

The son’s name has in Greenland been called Tutigak; in Labrador, Kemongak. According to the Labrador tale, the birds make him dive into the lake; according to the Greenland readings, the mother cried, “It was I who cleared away thy urine” — instead of “nursed thee.”

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The Giant’s Pupil

Manoel, a clever but poor boy raised with the wisdom of a kind giant, wins the heart of a princess through an ingenious riddle. After a journey marked by poisoned bread, a faithful dog, and robbers, Manoel arrives at the palace transformed. His riddle, rooted in his adventures, stumps the princess, earning him her hand and a future worthy of his unique wit and courage.

Source
Tales of Giants from Brazil
by Elsie Spicer Eells
Dodd, Mead and Co. – New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: Manoel uses his wit to create a riddle that the princess cannot solve, securing his marriage to her.

Guardian Figures: The giant acts as a mentor to Manoel, teaching him the secrets of the natural world and preparing him for future challenges.

Trials and Tribulations: Manoel faces various challenges on his journey, including poisoned bread, the death of his dog, and encounters with robbers, all of which test his resolve and resourcefulness.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about Brazilian peoples

Long years ago there lived a little boy whose name was Manoel. His father and mother were so very poor that they could not afford to send him to school. Because he did not go to school he played all day in the fields on the edge of the forest where the giant lived.

One day Manoel met the giant. The giant lived all alone in the forest, so he was very lonely and wished he had a little boy like Manoel. He loved little Manoel as soon as he saw him, and after that they were together every day.

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The giant taught Manoel all the secrets of the forests and jungles. He taught him all the secrets of the wind and the rain and the thunder and the lightning. He taught him all the secrets of the beasts and the birds and the serpents.

Manoel grew up a wise lad indeed. His father and mother were very proud of him and so was his kind teacher, the giant.

One day the king’s messenger rode up and down the kingdom with a message from the king’s daughter. The king’s daughter, the beautiful princess of the land, had promised to wed the man who could tell her a riddle she could not guess. All the princes who had sung of love beneath the palace window had been very stupid. The princess wished to marry a man who knew more than she did.

When Manoel heard the words of the messenger he said to his father and mother, “I am going to the palace to tell a riddle to the princess. I am sure I can give her one which she cannot guess.”

“You are an exceedingly clever lad, I know, my son,” replied his mother, “but there will be many princes and handsome cavalheiros at the palace to tell riddles to the princess. What if she will not listen to a lad in shabby clothing!”

“I will make the princess listen to my riddle,” replied Manoel.

“What riddle are you going to ask the princess?” asked Manoel’s father.

“I do not know yet,” replied the lad. “I will make up a riddle on the way to the palace. I am going to start at once.”

The kind giant who had been the lad’s friend gave him his blessing and wished him luck. The lad’s mother prepared a lunch for him to carry with him. His father sat before the door and boasted to all the neighbours that his son was going to wed the king’s daughter. Manoel took his dog with him when he went on his journey, because he wanted some one for company.

Manoel journeyed on and on through the forests and jungles and after a time he had eaten all the lunch his mother had given him when he went from home. When he became hungry he spent his last vintem for some bread from a little venda in the town he passed through. He went on to the forest to eat the bread, and before he tasted of it himself he gave a piece to his dog. The dog died immediately. The bread was poisoned.

Even as Manoel stood by weeping for his faithful dog, three big black buzzards flew down and devoured the dead beast. They fell dead immediately. Just then the lad heard voices, and soon he saw seven horsemen approaching. The men were robbers, and though they had much gold in their pockets they had no food. “I am hungry enough to eat a dead buzzard,” said the captain of the robbers. The robbers greedily seized the three buzzards and devoured them at once. The seven men immediately died from the poison.

“The buzzards stole the body of my dog, so they became mine,” said Manoel. “The seven robbers stole my three buzzards, so they became mine, too.” He took all the gold from the pockets of the seven robbers and dressed himself in the garments of the captain of the robbers because they were finest. He mounted the horse of the captain of the robbers because that was the best horse.

The lad rode on toward the palace of the king. After a time he became thirsty and pushed the horse into a gallop. The horse became covered with sweat, and with the horse’s sweat he quenched his thirst. Soon he arrived at the royal palace.

Dressed in the robber’s fine garments and mounted upon the robber’s fine horse, Manoel had no difficulty in being admitted to the palace. He was taken at once before the princess to tell his riddle.

The princess saw in Manoel’s eyes all the secrets of the forests and jungles which the kind giant had taught him. “Here is a youth who will tell me a riddle which will be worth listening to,” said the princess to herself. All the princes and cavalheiros from all the neighbouring kingdoms had told her such stupid riddles that she had been bored nearly to death. She could always guess the answers, even before she had heard the end of the riddle.

This is the riddle which Manoel told the princess:

“I went away from home with a pocket full;
Soon it became empty;
Again it became full.
I went away from home with a companion;
My pocket-full killed my companion;
My dead companion was the slayer of three;
The three killed seven.
From the seven I chose the best;
I drank water which did not fall from heaven.
And here I stand
Before the loveliest princess in the land.”

The princess listened to the riddle carefully. Then she asked Manoel to say it all over again. The princess thought and thought, but she did not have a good guess as to the answer to the riddle.

No one in all the palace could understand Manoel’s riddle. “You have won my daughter as your bride,” said the king, after he had used all his royal wits to solve the riddle and could not do it.

When Manoel explained his riddle to the princess, she said, “Nossa Senhora herself must have sent you to me. I never could have endured a stupid husband.”

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 Forest Lad and the Wicked Giant

A family living in a forest confronts their past when the son yearns to return to their city home. Upon their return, they find the city deserted and encounter a giant who tests the boy’s strength through perilous tasks. With his mother’s love and the aid of the Holy Mother, the boy overcomes challenges, defeats the giant, and reclaims their rightful place, proving love’s enduring power.

Source
Tales of Giants from Brazil
by Elsie Spicer Eells
Dodd, Mead and Co. – New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Trials and Tribulations: He undergoes perilous tasks set by the giant, testing his strength and determination.

Transformation through Love: With his mother’s love and the aid of the Holy Mother, the boy overcomes obstacles, highlighting love’s transformative power.

Rebirth: The family’s return to the city and the boy’s victory over the giant symbolize a renewal of their rightful place and a new beginning.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about Brazilian peoples

Once upon a time there was a man who took his wife and tiny baby son into the deep forest to make their home. With his own hands he built the house out of mud, and he made for it a thatched roof from the grass of the forest. For food they depended upon the fruits of the forest and the beasts which they killed in the hunt. They lived like hermits, seeing no one.

As the baby son grew into a large strong boy he learned from his father all the secrets of the forest. He grew wise as well as strong.

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From his mother he heard stories of their former life in the great city which had been their home before they went to live in the forest. These were the tales he loved to hear best of all. Very often when his father went out into the forest to hunt the boy would beg to remain at home with his mother. While his father was away she would sit on the ground before their hut and unfold to the boy all her memories of their old life.

“Father,” said the lad one day after his father had returned from his hunting trip, “I am tired of living here in the forest all by ourselves. Let us return to the city to live.”

“Your mother has been telling tales to you,” replied his father. “I will see to it that she never mentions the city to you again. We left the city to save our lives. Let me never hear from you another word about returning to the city.”

After that the lad was made to accompany his father when he went out hunting. There was no more opportunity to hear the tales he loved from his mother’s lips. Nevertheless he hid away in his mind all that his mother had told him of their old life; and at night, when the fierce storms in the forest or the sound of the wild beasts would not let him sleep, he often lay awake upon his mat on the floor of the hut, pondering over the stories she had told.

At last the father grew sick of a fever and died. Now that the lad and his mother were left alone in the forest the lad said, “Come, let us return to our home in the city. Let us not stay here alone in the forest any longer. I must live in my own life the tales you have told me of the festas and the dancing, the great tournaments, and the songs at night under the balconies of the fair maidens.”

The lad’s request was so urgent that his mother could not have refused him, even if she, in her own heart, was not longing for a return to the life of the city. Accordingly, they took all their possessions, which consisted only of a horse and a sword, and set out for the city.

The lad and his mother reached the city at nightfall. They went from one street to another, but saw no living being. They knocked and clapped their hands before all the doors of the city, but no one responded. At last they reached the street where their old home had been. The lad was delighted to see what a big handsome house it was. “No wonder my mother longed to return to a home like this,” he thought. “How could she ever have endured the rude hut in the depths of the forest?”

The doors of the beautiful house stood wide open. The lad and his mother entered, and passed from one room to another. His mother saw one room after another with everything unchanged. She recognized one object after another just as she had left it. There was one room in the house which was securely barred on the inside, however.

The lad and his mother spent the night in their old home. In the morning they again walked about the deserted streets of the city. They saw no one and heard no living sound. It was like a city of the dead. They grew hungry at length; and the lad went outside the city to seek for food in the forest, according to the custom which he had known all his life.

The mother returned to her old home to await the coming of her son. As soon as she went upstairs she saw that the barred door was wide open. There in the hall stood the most enormous giant she had ever seen. The great halls of the house were high, but the giant could not stand up in them without stooping.

“Who are you and what are you doing in my house?” roared the giant in such a terrible voice that the house trembled.

The woman who had lived so many years in the forest was not easily frightened. “Who are you and what are you doing in my house?” she shouted at the giant in the loudest tones she could muster.

One might have expected that the giant would have killed her instantly, but on the contrary her bold answer pleased him exceedingly. He laughed so hard that he had to lean against the wall to keep from falling.

“So you think that this is your house, do you?” said the giant as soon as he could regain his voice. “Well, I’ll tell you what we can do. I like you, and we can share this house if you will consent to be my wife.”

“I am not alone,” said the lad’s mother as soon as she could recover from her surprise sufficiently to find words. “My son is with me and I am expecting him any moment to return from the forest whither he has gone to procure food for us.”

“I can dispose of your son very quickly, just as I have destroyed all the inhabitants of this city,” said the giant with a frown.

“You cannot dispose of my son so easily as you may think,” replied his mother. “He has grown in the deep forest and is very strong, far stronger than the city dwellers. Besides his great strength, he is surrounded by the magic circle of his mother’s love.”

“I do not know what the magic circle of a mother’s love is like,” said the giant. “I don’t remember having seen one anywhere. Nevertheless I like you, and because I like you I will endeavour to dispose of your son as painlessly as possible. I believe you say you are expecting him any moment. Just lie down here and pretend that you are sick. When the boy comes in tell him that you have a terrible pain in your eyes. As you have lived long in the forest you will know that the best remedy for a pain in your eyes is the oil of the deadly cobra of the jungle. Send the lad out into the jungle to obtain this oil for you, and I promise you he will never return alive. I’ll go back into my room and bar the door so the boy will never see me, but I shall listen through the wall to know whether you carry out my command.”

At that very moment they heard the lad’s footsteps and his gay voice at the door. The giant went inside his room and barred the door. The lad’s mother lay down with a cloth over her eyes, moaning in loud tones. “The giant little knows the strength and skill of the lad whose mother I am,” she said to herself as she smiled amidst her moans and groans.

“O dear little mother, what evil has befallen you during my absence?” asked the boy as he entered the room.

His mother complained of the pain in her eyes just as the giant had instructed. “The only thing which will cure me of this terrible affliction is the oil of the cobra,” she said.

The boy well knew the dangers which attended securing the oil from the deadly cobra of the jungle, but never in his life had he disregarded a request from his mother. He at once set out for the jungle; and, in spite of the perils of the deed, he succeeded in obtaining the oil which his mother had requested.

On the way back to the city, the boy met a little old woman carrying a pole over her shoulder from which there hung, head downward, several live fowls which she was taking to market. It was really the Holy Mother herself who had come to aid the lad in answer to his mother’s prayer.

“Where are you going, my lad?” asked the old woman. The boy told his story and showed the precious oil which he had obtained from the cobra. “The day is coming, the day is coming, my lad, when you will, in truth, need the cobra’s oil,” said the little old woman. “But that day is not today. Today hen’s oil will serve your purpose just as well. You may kill one of my hens and use the hen’s oil, but leave the cobra’s oil with me so that I may keep it safely for you until the day when you will require it.”

The boy heeded the advice of the little old woman and killed one of her hens. He left the cobra’s oil with her and took the hen’s oil in its place to his mother. Because his mother had nothing at all the matter with her eyes, the hen’s oil cured them just as well as the cobra’s oil. There was no one who knew the difference, except the boy and the little old woman.

When the boy had gone out the giant came in from his own room and said, “In truth your son is a brave lad. I did not dream that he would have the courage to go in search of the oil of the deadly cobra, much less succeed in his quest.”

“You do not know the great love we bear each other,” said the lad’s mother.

“I am going to demand a new proof of your son’s strength and skill,” said the giant. “Tomorrow you must complain of the pain in your back and send the boy in search of the oil of the porcupine to cure it. This is my command.”

The next day the woman had to complain of a pain in her back just as the giant had commanded. There was nothing else which she could do. The boy at once went in search of a porcupine, and succeeded in slaying one and getting the oil.

On his way back to the city the lad again met the little old woman who was really Nossa Senhora. “Leave the oil of the porcupine with me, my son,” said she when she had heard his story. “I will keep it for you until the morrow when you will have great need of it. Today hen’s oil will serve your purpose just as well.”

Because the boy’s mother had nothing at all the matter with her back she was cured with the hen’s oil which the boy brought, just as easily as if it had been the porcupine’s oil. The giant came out of his room and said, “In truth, lad, you are a boy of great skill and strength.”

The boy had not seen the giant before and he was very much surprised. Before he even had time to recover from his amazement the giant had seized him and bound him securely with a great rope. “If you are really a strong boy you will break this rope,” said the giant. “If you are not strong enough to break it I shall cut you into five pieces with my sword.”

The boy struggled with all his might to break the great rope. It was no use. He was not strong enough. The giant stood by laughing.

When the lad’s mother saw that he could not break the rope she fell upon her knees before the giant and cried, “Do what you will to me, but spare my son!”

The cruel giant laughed at her request. When she saw that she could not keep him from slaying the boy, she said, “If you will not grant my large request I beg that you will listen to just a tiny, tiny, little one. When you cut my son into five pieces do it with his father’s sword which he has brought with him from the little hut in the forest where we used to live. Then bind his body upon the back of his father’s horse which he brought with him out of the forest and turn the horse loose, so it may travel, perchance, back to the forest from which I brought my lad to meet this terrible death.”

The giant did as she requested, and the horse bore the slain boy’s body along the road to the forest. Outside the city they met the little old woman who was really Nossa Senhora. She took the parts of the lad’s body and anointed them with the porcupine’s oil. Then she held them tight together. They stayed securely joined. “Are you lacking anything,” she asked the boy.

The boy felt of his legs, his arms, his ears, his nose, his hair. “I am all here except my eyesight,” he said. The little old woman anointed his eyes with the cobra’s oil. His sight was immediately restored. Then he knew that the little old woman was indeed the Holy Mother. She vanished as he knelt to receive her blessing.

The boy in his new strength quickly hastened back to the city. It was night and the giant was asleep. He seized his father’s sword and plunged it into the giant’s body. The giant turned over without awakening. “The mosquitoes are biting me,” he muttered in his sleep.

The boy saw the giant’s own enormous sword lying on the floor. It was so heavy he could barely lift it, but mustering all his strength he drove it into the giant’s body. The giant died immediately. “The magic circle of a mother’s love, with the Holy Mother’s help, will guard a lad against all perils,” said the boy’s mother when she heard her son’s story and saw the giant lying dead.

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The Fountain of Giant Land

A blind king seeks a cure from the fountain of Giantland. His three sons attempt the perilous journey, but only the youngest prince succeeds through courage and wisdom. Betrayed by his brothers, he is later rescued and reunited with his family. The prince weds an enchanted princess he freed and is hailed as the kingdom’s rightful heir for his bravery and integrity.

Source
Tales of Giants from Brazil
by Elsie Spicer Eells
Dodd, Mead and Co. – New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Trials and Tribulations: Throughout his journey, the prince faces numerous challenges, including navigating treacherous terrain, confronting giants, and outsmarting a dragon, highlighting his resilience and determination.

Transformation through Love: The prince’s bravery leads to the liberation of an enchanted princess, and their ensuing marriage signifies personal growth and the transformative power of love.

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts lessons on virtues such as courage, integrity, and perseverance, demonstrating that true heroism is rewarded, while deceit faces consequences.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about Brazilian peoples

Long ago there lived a king who was blind. He had employed all the wise physicians in the kingdom, but all to no avail. Not one of them did a single thing to restore his lost eyesight.

One day a little old woman came to the door of the palace begging alms. She said to the servant at the door, “I wish to say a word to the king who is blind. I know a sure cure for his blindness.”

The servant led the little old woman into the king’s presence.

► Continue reading…

He was sitting upon the royal throne with his royal crown upon his head, but his blind eyes were bandaged and his royal face was sad because he could no longer see the bright sunlight shining upon the deep blue sea from the window of the palace, nor the lords and ladies of the court before him in their gorgeous garments of purple and cloth of silver and cloth of gold, nor of the face of the queen.

“O royal majesty,” said the little old woman as she bowed low before him, “there is only one thing in the whole world which will restore your lost eyesight. It is the water of the fountain of Giantland. Bathe your eyes in that water and your lost eyesight will be restored at once.”

“How can I obtain this wonderful water?” asked the king. “Giantland is a long distance from my kingdom and I do not know the way there.” The king, the queen, and all the courtiers held their breaths to listen to the reply of the little old woman.

“Your Majesty will need to build a strong fleet to sail up the great river which leads to Giantland,” she said. “The expedition will need as its leader a prince with a brave heart, for there will be many perils on the way to test his mettle. The fountain of Giantland is at the summit of a long steep rocky mountain, and it can be reached only by a prince who ascends the mountain looking neither to the right nor to the left. All along the way stand huge giants ready to enslave one the moment he stops looking straight ahead. If one should succeed in climbing the mountain the fountain is there at the summit, but it is guarded by a dragon. One can approach it only when the dragon is asleep. Many princes have tried this quest and all have failed. If you should be able to send a prince brave enough and wise enough to succeed, there at the top of the mountain he will find a little old woman who will tell him whether or not the dragon is asleep.”

With these words the little old woman withdrew from the royal presence. The king pondered over her advice. Then he sent for the three princes and told them the story.

“O my father, I am brave and wise,” said the eldest prince as soon as he had heard his father’s words. “I will go upon this quest. I will bring you a bottle of the water of the fountain of Giantland that your sight may be restored.”

The king ordered a great fleet to be prepared to sail up the river to Giantland. He collected an enormous sum of money to provide for the prince. The whole kingdom buzzed with preparation for the journey.

The prince planted an orange tree in the palace garden and said to his younger brother, “Keep close watch of this tree. If its leaves begin to wither you will know that some evil has befallen me. Come to my aid.”

The eldest prince set out with a great fleet and his pockets lined with gold. He anchored in many harbors along the way. The prince was very fond of gaming and there were many opportunities to play. Before he had reached Giantland he had lost the golden linings from his pockets.

After the prince had sailed up the great river which leads to Giantland he saw the steep rocky mountain towering before him. He set a bottle for the water of the fountain of Giantland carefully upon his head and slowly ascended the steep path. He kept his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Soon, however, he heard giant voices shouting at him. From the corners of his eyes he could see giant forms along the pathway. He forgot that he must look neither to the right nor to the left.

The moment the prince turned his eyes a giant immediately seized him and made him his slave. “You shall be my slave for ever and a day,” said the giant, “unless you have gold enough in your pockets to pay your ransom.” The prince had no gold.

At home in the palace garden the leaves of the orange tree which the eldest prince had planted began to wither. His younger brother noticed it at once and went to the king. “O my father,” said he, “I know that my brother has fallen into trouble. I must go to his aid.”

The king at once prepared another great fleet. He provided the prince with even more gold than his brother had taken with him. Every one in the whole kingdom did his best to hasten the preparations.

In the palace garden the prince planted a lemon tree and called the youngest prince into the garden. The youngest prince was playing with his dogs. He was a mere boy. “Keep close watch of this lemon tree while I am away,” said the prince. “If its leaves begin to wither you will know that I am in trouble. Come to my aid.”

The prince sailed up the great river which leads to Giantland. He anchored at many harbors and took part in many festas. By the time he had reached Giantland he had spent all his gold.

At home in the palace garden the youngest prince watched the lemon tree carefully every day. He watered it and pruned it. He took splendid care of it.

When at last the prince set out to climb the mountain which leads to the fountain of Giantland he felt very brave and very wise. He climbed steadily on and on, looking neither to the right nor to the left, even though he heard the voices of the giants shouting at him, and from the corners of his eyes could see the giant forms along the pathway.

Suddenly he heard the voice of his own brother, the eldest prince, weeping as the giant gave him blows. At that sound he forgot all about looking straight ahead.

The moment the prince turned his eyes from the pathway straight ahead of him a giant seized him and made him his slave. “You shall be my slave for ever and a day,” said the giant, “unless you have gold enough to pay your ransom.”

At home in the palace garden his little brother was watching the lemon tree. The very moment its leaves began to wither he noticed it and ran at once to the king. “O my father,” he cried as soon as he was in the king’s presence. “My brother is in trouble. I must go to his aid.”

“You, my son, are only a lad,” said the king. “How can you succeed when your two older brothers have failed? I cannot bear to let you go. You are all I have left. I prefer to remain blind the rest of my days. O, why did I ever listen to the story the little old woman told me about the water of the fountain of Giantland?”

The youngest prince begged so hard to go that at length his father granted his request and prepared a fleet for him. He gave him all the gold he could collect in the kingdom.

The prince set out with brave heart. He sailed on his way steadily although at every harbour there were voices which bade him linger. There were games and feasting and fair maidens.

Soon the youngest prince had reached Giantland. Above him rose the rough steep rocky mountain. Before he started to make the ascent he first stuffed cotton in his ears. Then he carefully placed upon his head a bottle to fill with the water of the fountain of Giantland.

He climbed up the steep mountain looking neither to the right nor to the left. Through the cotton in his ears he could faintly hear the giant voices calling him. From the corners of his eyes he could see the giant forms along the pathway. He resolutely kept his eyes fixed straight ahead and steadily climbed upward though the path was very rough and full of stones. The cotton in his ears prevented him from hearing the voices of his two brothers crying out when the giants beat them.

At length the lad was in sight of the fountain at the summit of the mountain. The little old woman was standing in the path, watching his ascent. As soon as he came near to her he took the cotton out of his ears so that he might hear what she had to say to him.

“You have arrived at a safe moment,” the little old woman told him. “The dragon is asleep.”

The little old woman helped the prince fill the bottle with water from the fountain. Then she said, “The dragon which guards the fountain is an enchanted princess. No prince has ever before been brave enough and wise enough to reach this spot. In a year and a day from this moment her enchantment will be broken. Come again and claim her as your bride.”

The little old woman gave the prince a ring, and the prince drew a ring from his own finger and gave it to the little old woman. “When the enchantment is broken put my ring upon the finger of the princess,” he said. “Expect me back in a year and a day. I’ll be sure to come.”

The prince made his way back down the steep slope of the mountain, guarding his bottle full of the water of the fountain of Giantland with the utmost care. When he was half way down the mountain he saw his two brothers standing in his path.

“Viva,” cried they. “You have been successful. You have a bottle full of the water from the fountain. Now if you also have your pockets full of gold you can pay our ransom and we will return with you to our father’s kingdom.”

“My pockets are still lined with gold which my father gave me,” said the youngest prince. “Help yourselves. It is yours if it can serve you.” There was more than enough money to pay the ransom of his two older brothers.

When they were sailing down the great river towards home the two older brothers plotted against the youngest prince. “Come,” said one to the other. “How can we let our father know that it was our little brother who succeeded in this quest? Let us cast our brother ashore. Then we will go together to our father with the water from the fountain of Giantland. When his sight is restored we will share his blessing and the honors of the kingdom. We will claim no knowledge of our youngest brother.”

This is what the two eldest princes did. The youngest prince was cast ashore when he was asleep. After many long weary wanderings he found refuge in the hut of a poor fisherman and hired out to work for him.

The king’s eyesight was restored immediately when he had bathed his eyes in the water from the fountain of Giantland. The two princes were given all the honors of the kingdom. The whole kingdom, however, mourned the loss of the little prince. The king and queen never gave up hoping that he would come back to them. The queen carefully laid away all the clothes which had belonged to the youngest prince so that they would be ready for him if he should return to the palace. Every day she shook them out with loving care, so that the baratas and white ants would not eat holes in them.

A year and a day flew swiftly by. The huge dragon which had guarded the fountain of Giantland escaped from her enchantment and was restored to the form of a beautiful princess.

The little old woman and the princess watched and waited for the return of the prince according to his promise. “Some evil must surely have befallen the lad,” said the little old woman. “Let us go in search of him. I know he was a lad who would not break his word.”

The little old woman and the beautiful princess who wore the prince’s own ring upon her finger came to the palace of the king. When the king had listened to the story they told, the guilty princes were called before him. They were forced to confess their evil deed. They were immediately thrown into prison. The anger of the whole kingdom was kindled against them.

Then the king and the queen and all the court sailed in their swiftest ships to the place where the little prince had been cast ashore. The little old woman and the beautiful princess who wore the prince’s own ring upon her finger went with them. At length after much searching they found the fisherman’s hut and the prince working for the fisherman.

The king and the queen and all the court wept tears of joy when they beheld the youngest prince alive and well. The queen wept again when she noticed the poor rough clothing which the prince was wearing. She had brought with her the prince’s favourite suit of cloth of gold which she had laid away carefully. When the prince put it on it was a trifle tight and a little bit too short for him, as he had grown so much in the year. Nevertheless he looked very handsome in it when he stood before the beautiful princess and claimed her as his bride.

The fisherman was greatly astonished at all the proceedings, for he had never dreamed that it was the king’s son who had been working for him all the year and sleeping on a mat at his side on the floor of his rude hut.

“He may be a prince, but he is the most faithful lad who ever worked for me,” said the fisherman.

“He is indeed a prince,” cried the courtiers, “and the bravest, most faithful prince which any land in all the world ever boasted of.” “His princely deeds have proven to all the world that he is fit to reign as king over our fair land when I no longer live,” said the king as he gave the prince and the beautiful princess his royal blessing.

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