The Foolish, Timid Rabbit

A Rabbit, startled by the sound of a falling coconut, believed the earth was breaking apart and fled in panic. His fear spread to other animals, creating a stampede. The Lion, sensing error, investigated and discovered the truth, calming everyone. The tale underscores the dangers of blind fear and the value of wise leadership to prevent mass hysteria.

Source:
Jataka Tales
by Ellen C. Babbit
The Century Co., New York, 1912

► Themes of the story

Moral Lessons: The fable teaches the importance of critical thinking and not succumbing to unfounded fears.

Cunning and Deception: Although unintentional, the rabbit’s misinterpretation leads to widespread panic, highlighting how misinformation can deceive and mislead.

Guardian Figures: The lion acts as a protector and voice of reason, guiding the animals back to safety and calmness.

► From the same Region or People

South Asia
- India
  - Buddhist Lore

Learn more about Jataka Tales

Once upon a time, a Rabbit was asleep under a palm-tree.

All at once he woke up, and thought: “What if the world should break up! What then would become of me?”

At that moment, some Monkeys dropped a cocoanut. It fell down on the ground just back of the Rabbit.

Hearing the noise, the Rabbit said to himself: “The earth is all breaking up!”

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And he jumped up and ran just as fast as he could, without even looking back to see what made the noise.

Another Rabbit saw him running, and called after him, “What are you running so fast for?”

“Don’t ask me!” he cried.

But the other Rabbit ran after him, begging to know what was the matter.

Then the first Rabbit said: “Don’t you know? The earth is all breaking up!”

And on he ran, and the second Rabbit ran with him.

The next Rabbit they met ran with them when he heard that the earth was all breaking up.

One Rabbit after another joined them, until there were hundreds of Rabbits running as fast as they could go.

They passed a Deer, calling out to him that the earth was all breaking up. The Deer then ran with them.

The Deer called to a Fox to come along because the earth was all breaking up.

On and on they ran, and an Elephant joined them.

At last the Lion saw the animals running, and heard their cry that the earth was all breaking up.

He thought there must be some mistake, so he ran to the foot of a hill in front of them and roared three times.

This stopped them, for they knew the voice of the King of Beasts, and they feared him.

“Why are you running so fast?” asked the Lion.

“Oh, King Lion,” they answered him, “the earth is all breaking up!”

“Who saw it breaking up?” asked the Lion.

“I didn’t,” said the Elephant. “Ask the Fox–he told me about it.”

“I didn’t,” said the Fox.

“The Rabbits told me about it,” said the Deer.

One after another of the Rabbits said: “I did not see it, but another Rabbit told me about it.”

At last the Lion came to the Rabbit who had first said the earth was all breaking up.

“Is it true that the earth is all breaking up?” the Lion asked.

“Yes, O Lion, it is,” said the Rabbit. “I was asleep under a palm-tree. I woke up and thought, ‘What would become of me if the earth should all break up?’ At that very moment, I heard the sound of the earth breaking up, and I ran away.”

“Then,” said the Lion, “you and I will go back to the place where the earth began to break up, and see what is the matter.”

So the Lion put the little Rabbit on his back, and away they went like the wind. The other animals waited for them at the foot of the hill.

The Rabbit told the Lion when they were near the place where he slept, and the Lion saw just where the Rabbit had been sleeping.

He saw, too, the cocoanut that had fallen to the ground near by. Then the Lion said to the Rabbit, “It must have been the sound of the cocoanut falling to the ground that you heard. You foolish Rabbit!”

And the Lion ran back to the other animals, and told them all about it.

If it had not been for the wise King of Beasts, they might be running still.

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The Giant (Kin-ak)

In the harsh tundra, a woman fleeing her abusive husband finds refuge on the body of Kin-ak, a giant whose vast form shelters and sustains her. Kin-ak helps her thrive and sends her back to her village with wealth and protection. Later, her son Kin-ak grows violent and leaves, only to vanish after defying the giant’s warnings. The giant’s breath still shapes the northern winds.

Source:
The Eskimo about Bering Strait
by Edward William Nelson
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Eighteenth Annual Report
Washington, 1900

► Themes of the story

Conflict with Authority: The woman escapes her abusive husband, challenging his oppressive control.

Guardian Figures: Kin-ak, the giant, provides shelter, sustenance, and protection to the woman, guiding her to a better life.

Supernatural Beings: The giant Kin-ak is a mythical entity whose actions influence the human world, such as shaping the northern winds.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Arctic Region
  - Inuit/Eskimo Lore

Learn more about Inuit peoples

from Unalaklit, Norton Sound

One dark winter night a woman ran through the village of Nikh’-ta and out on to the snow-covered tundra; she was fleeing from her husband whose cruelty had become unbearable. All through the night and for many days afterward she traveled on toward the north, always going around the villages she came near, fearing that she might be pursued. Finally she left all signs of human life behind, and the cold became more and more intense; her small supply of food was exhausted and she began to eat snow to lessen her hunger. One day, as evening drew nigh, she was in such a wind-swept place that she forced herself to go on. At last she saw before her what seemed to be a hill with five elevations on its crest; when she came to it she saw that it looked like an enormous human foot.

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Removing the snow from between two elevations that looked like huge toes, she found it warm and comfortable, and slept there until morning, when she started and walked toward a single elevation that showed in the snowy level. This she reached near nightfall and noticed that it appeared to be shaped like a great knee. Finding a sheltered place by it she stayed there until morning, when she went on. That evening a hill like a huge thigh sheltered her for the night. The next night she was sheltered in a round pit-like hollow, around which grew scattered brush; as she left this place in the morning it appeared to her like a great navel.

The next night she slept near two hills shaped like enormous breasts; the night following she found a sheltered, comfortable hollow, where she slept. As she was about to start from there in the morning a great voice seemed to come from beneath her feet, saying: “Who are you? What has driven you to me, to whom human beings never come?” She was very much frightened, but managed to tell her sorrowful tale, and then the voice spoke again: “Well, you may stay here, but you must not sleep again near my mouth nor on my lips, for if I should breathe on you it would blow you away. You must be hungry. I will get you something to eat.”

While she waited it suddenly occurred to her that for five days she had been traveling on the body of the giant, Kin-a-g’ak, or Kin-ak. Then the sky became suddenly obscured, and a great black cloud came swiftly toward her; when it was near she saw that it was the giant’s hand, which opened and dropped a freshly killed reindeer, and the voice told her to eat of it. Very quickly she got some of the brushwood that grew all about, made a fire, and ate heartily of the roasted flesh. The giant spoke again: “I know you wish a place in which to rest, and it is best for you to go into my beard where it grows most thickly, for I wish to take breath now and to clear from my lungs the hoarfrost which has gathered there and which bothers me; so go quickly.”

She barely had time to get down into the giant’s beard when a furious gale of wind rushed over her head, accompanied by a blinding snow storm, which ended as quickly as it began, after extending far out over the tundra, and the sky became clear once more.

The next day Kin-ak told her to find a good place and build herself a hut of hairs from his beard. She looked about and chose a spot on the left side of the giant’s nose, not far from his nostril, and built her hut from hairs taken from his mustache. Here she lived for a long time, the giant supplying her wants by reaching out his great hand and capturing deer, seals, and whatever she wished for food. From the skins of wolves, wolverines, and other fur-bearing animals that he caught for her she made herself handsome clothing, and in a little time had on hand a great store of skins and furs.

Kin-ak began to find his mustache getting thin, as she used the hairs for firewood, so forbade her using any more of it, but told her to get some of the hair growing down the side of his face whenever she needed any. Thus a long time passed.

One day Kin-ak asked her if she would not like to return home. “Yes,” she replied, “only I fear my husband will beat me again, and I shall have no one who will protect me.”

“I will protect you,” said he. “Go and cut the ear tips from all the skins you have and put them in the basket. Then set yourself before my mouth, and whenever you are in danger remember to call, Kin-ak, Kin-ilk, come to me, and I will protect you. Go now and do as I have told you. It is time. I have grown tired of lying so long in one place and wish to turn over, and if you were here you would be crushed.” Then the woman did as she had been told, and crouched before his mouth.

At once there burst forth a tempest of wind and fine snow, and the woman felt herself driven before it until she became sleepy and closed her eyes. When she awoke she was on the ground before the houses of Nikh’-ta, but could not believe it was so until she heard the familiar howling of the dogs. She waited until evening, and after placing the basket of ear tips in her storehouse, entered her husband’s home. He had long mourned her as dead, and his pleasure was very great when she returned. Then she told her story and her husband promised never to treat her badly again. When he went to his storehouse the next day he was very much surprised to find it filled with valuable furs, for every ear tip brought by his wife had turned into a complete skin during the night.

These skins made him very rich, so that he became one of the head men of the village. After a time he began to feel badly because they had no children, and said to his wife, “What will become of us when we are old and weak, with no one to care for us? Ah, if we could but have a son.” One day he told his wife to bathe herself carefully; then he dipped a feather in oil and with it drew the form of a boy on her abdomen. In due time she bore a son and they were very happy.

The boy grew rapidly and excelled all of his youthful companions in. strength, agility, and marksmanship. He was named Kin-ak, in memory of the giant. Then by degrees the husband became unkind and harsh as he had been before, until one day he became so enraged that he caught up a large stick to beat his wife. She ran out of the house in fear, but slipped and fell just outside, and her husband was close upon her when she remembered the giant and called “Kin-ak! Kin-ak! come to me.” Scarcely had she said these words when a terrible blast of wind passed over her, blowing her husband away, and he was never seen again.

The years passed until young Kin-ak grew to be a handsome and powerful young man and became a very successful hunter, but he had a fierce and cruel temper. One evening he came home and told his mother that he had quarreled with two of his companions and had killed both of them. His mother remonstrated with him, telling of the danger he would be in from the blood revenge of the relatives of the murdered men. Time went on, and the matter seemed to be for gotten.

Again Kin-ak came home with a tale of having killed a companion. After this every few days he would quarrel with someone and end by killing him; at last he had killed so many people that his mother refused to permit him to live with her any longer. He seemed greatly surprised at this, saying, “Are you not my mother! How is it that you can thus treat me?”

“Yes,” she replied, “I am your mother, but your evil temper has ended in killing or driving away all our friends. Everyone hates and fears you, and soon no one will be left living in the village except old women and children. Go away; leave this place, for it will be better for all of us.”

Kin-ak made no reply, but for some time he hunted continually until he had filled his mother’s storehouse with food and skins. Then he went to her, saying, “Now that I have provided you with food and skins, as was my duty, I am ready to leave,” and he went forth. By chance he took the same road his mother had traveled during her flight, and came at last to the giant’s head. When the giant understood that he was the son of the woman who had been there he permitted the young man to stay on his face, but told him never to come about his lips, for if he ventured there evil would befall him. For some time Kin-ak lived there quietly, but at last made up his mind to go upon the giant’s lip and see what was there. After a great deal of hard work in getting through the tangled thicket of beard on the giant’s chin he reached the mouth. The moment he stepped upon the lips and approached the opening between them a mighty blast of wind swept forth and he was hurled into the air and never seen again. The giant still lives in. the north, although no one has ever been to him since that day; but whenever he breathes the fierce snow-drifting north winds of winter make his existence known.

Atarssuaq

Atarssuaq’s son, trained as a skilled swimmer by his father, outwits and defeats his father’s killers. Wearing a seal-skin suit, he lures enemies from the north into open waters, then onto an iceberg, where he uses its ice to eliminate many. Pursuing survivors, he overturns their kayaks and drowns them, sparing only one man to deliver a warning. From then on, his enemies never return.

Source:
Eskimo Folk-Tales
collected by Knud Rasmussen
[Copenhagen, Christiania], 1921

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The son undergoes a significant transformation from a child into a skilled swimmer and strategist, capable of avenging his father’s death.

Revenge and Justice: The narrative focuses on the son’s quest to avenge his father’s murder, delivering justice to those responsible.

Guardian Figures: Atarssuaq serves as a mentor and protector, imparting essential skills to his son that prepare him for future challenges.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Arctic Region
  - Inuit/Eskimo Lore

Learn more about Inuit peoples

Atarssuaq had many enemies. But his many enemies tried in vain to hurt him, and they could not kill him. Then it happened that his wife bore him a son. Atarssuaq came back from his hunting one day, and found that he had a son.

Then he took that son of his and bore him down to the water and threw him in. And waited until he began to kick out violently, and then took him up again. And so he did with him every day for long after, while the child was growing. And thus the boy became a very clever swimmer.

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And one day Atarssuaq caught a fjord seal, and took off the skin all in one piece, and dried it like a bladder, and made his son put it on when he went swimming.

One day he felt a wish to see how clever the boy had become. And said to him therefore: “Go out now and swim, and I will follow after you.”

And the father brought down his kayak and set it in the water, and his son watched him. And then he said: “Now you swim out.” And he made his father follow him out to sea, while he swam more and more under water. As soon as he came to the surface, his father rowed to where he was, but every time he took his throwing stick to cast a small harpoon, he disappeared.

And when his father thought they had done this long enough, he said: “Now swim back to land, but keep under water as much as you can.”

The son dived down, but it was a long time before he came up again. And now his father was greatly afraid. But at last the boy came up, a long way off. And then he rowed up to where he was, and laid one hand on his head, and said: “Clever diver, clever diver, dear little clever one.” And then he sniffed.

And a second time he said to him: “Now swim under water a very long way this time.”

So he dived down, and his father rowed forward all the time, to come to the place where he should rise, and feeling already afraid. His face moved as if he were beginning to cry, and he said: “If only the sharks have not found him!” And he had just begun to cry when his son came up again. And then they went in to land, and the boy did not dive any more that day. So clever had he now become.

And one day his father did not come back from his hunting. This was because of his enemies, who had killed him. Evening came, and next morning there was a kayak from the north. When it came in to the shore, the boy went down and said: “Tomorrow the many brothers will come to kill you all.”

And the kayak turned at once and went back without coming on shore. Night passed and morning came. And in the morning when the boy awoke, he went to look out, and again, and many times. Once when he came out he saw many kayaks appearing from the northward. Then he went in and said to his mother: “Now many kayaks are coming, to kill us all.”

“Then put on your swimming dress,” said his mother.

And he did so, and went down to the shore, and did not stop until he was quite close to the water. When the kayaks then saw him, they all rowed towards him, and said: “He has fallen into the water.”

When they came to the place where he had fallen in, they all began looking about for him, and while they were doing this, he came up just in front of the bone shoeing on the nose of one of the kayaks which lay quite away from the rest. When they spied him, each tried to outdo the others, and cried: “Here he is!”

But then he dived down again. And this he continued to do. And in this manner he led all those kayaks out to the open sea, and when they had come a great way out, they sighted an iceberg which had run aground. When Atarssuaq’s son came to this, he climbed up, by sticking his hands into the ice. And up above were two large pieces. And when he came close to the iceberg, he heard those in the kayaks saying among themselves: “We can cut steps in the ice, and climb up to him.”

And they began cutting steps in the iceberg, and at last the ice pick of the foremost came up over the edge. But now the boy took one of the great pieces of ice and threw it down upon them as they crawled up, so that it sent them all down again as it fell. And again he heard them say: “It would be very foolish not to kill him. Let us climb up, and try to reach him this time.”

And then they began crawling up one after another. But now the boy began as before, shifting the great piece of ice. And he waited until the head of the foremost one came up, and then he let it fall. And this time he also killed all those who had climbed on to the iceberg, after he had so lured them on to follow him.

But the others now turned back, and said: “He will kill us all if we do not go.”

And now the boy jumped down from the iceberg and swam to the kayaks and began tugging at their paddles, so that they turned over. But the men righted themselves again with their throwing sticks. And at last he was forced to hold them down himself under water till they drowned. And soon there were left no more of all those many kayaks, save only one. And when he looked closer, he saw that the man had no weapon but a stick for killing fish. And he rowed weeping in towards land, that man with no weapon but a stick. Then the boy pulled the paddle away from him, and he cried very much at that. Then he began paddling with his hands. But the boy gripped his hands from below, and then the man began crying furiously, and dared no longer put his hands in the water at all. And weeping very greatly he said: “It is ill for me that ever I came out on this errand, for it is plain that I am to be killed.”

The boy looked at him a little. And then said: “You I will not kill. You may go home again.” And he gave him back his paddle, and said to him as he was rowing away: “Tell those of your place never to come out again thinking to kill us. For if they do not one of them will return alive.”

Then Atarssuaq’s son went home. And for some time he waited, thinking that more enemies might come. But none ever came against them after that time.

The shark as provider

A mother and daughter, abandoned and starving, were saved by a seal that drifted ashore. Later, a shark appeared, promising to provide for them and staying by their side. When danger approached in the form of inuarutligaks, the shark carried the women to safety on an island, ensuring their survival and protection.

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

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The shark exhibits extraordinary abilities, communicating with the women and acting as their guardian, embodying the role of a supernatural entity intervening in human affairs.

Guardian Figures: The shark serves as a protector and provider for the mother and daughter, guiding them to safety and ensuring their survival in the face of adversity.

Transformation through Love: The relationship between the shark and the women transforms their dire situation into one of hope and security, highlighting the redemptive power of compassion and care.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Arctic Region
  - Inuit/Eskimo Lore

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

Abridged version of the story.

A mother with her daughter being abandoned by their relatives, and helpless, were saved from starvation by a dead seal which drifted to the shore.

After a time they found another, and a shark appeared to them, rising out of the sea, and saying that now he would supply all their wants.

He took up his abode with them; and afterwards, when some inuarutligaks were approaching, he took the two women on his back, and brought them away to an island.

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A man living on Karusuk

A man from Karusuk would daily travel 24 miles to Kangek to hunt auks, accompanied by an ingnersuak—a spirit companion tied to a shaman (angakok) from Tukak. Ingnersuak are said to be invisible companions of kayakers, occasionally seen from a distance. The spirit guarded and guided the man during his hunts, returning with him before resuming its journey home.

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

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The ingnersuak is a spirit entity that interacts with the human world, embodying the theme of supernatural beings influencing mortal affairs.

Guardian Figures: The ingnersuak acts as a protector and guide for the hunter, ensuring his safety during the hunts, fitting the theme of guardian figures who guide or test the protagonist.

Sacred Spaces: The hunter’s journey between Karusuk and Kangek, accompanied by a spiritual being, suggests a connection to sacred or spiritually significant locations, aligning with the theme of sacred spaces.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Arctic Region
  - Inuit/Eskimo Lore

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

Abridged version of the story.

A man living on Karusuk (in the firth of Goothaab) every day used to repair to Kangek (about 24 miles distant) for the purpose of hunting auks. For his companion he had an ingnersuak, who at the same time was the tornak of an angakok, living farther up the firth at Tukak. It is said that even nowadays many kayakers have an ingnersuak for their companion, and every now and then they become visible. Sometimes a kayaker observing two distinct kayaks at a distance, on coming nearer will only meet with one, who on being questioned is not aware of any other having been with him. In such cases people believe it to have been an ingnersuak, on account of their being invisible, excepting from a great distance.

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The said ingnersuak in the short winter days came to Karusuk, waited until he saw the man ready to start for Kangek, and then followed, and took care of him the whole day, and returned with him to Karusuk, from whence he went on to his home at Tukak.

The two brothers

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

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

► Themes of the story

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

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

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

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Arctic Region
  - Inuit/Eskimo Lore

Learn more about the Inuit peoples

This tale is compiled from four manuscripts which differ somewhat.

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

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

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

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

South America
- Brazil

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.”

Juan and Rosalie

Juan, living with his grandmother, dreamt of a mysterious girl who visited nightly but vanished at dawn. When he revealed her identity by lighting a lamp, she fled forever. Grieving, Juan embarked on a quest, aided by magical gifts from animals and guidance from wind giants. With their help, he reached her island palace. Completing impossible tasks with the girl’s secret assistance, he finally won her hand, securing a happy ending.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Magic and Enchantment: Throughout his journey, Juan receives magical gifts from animals, aiding him in his pursuit.

Trials and Tribulations: Juan faces and overcomes various challenges, including completing seemingly impossible tasks, to win Rosalie’s hand.

Guardian Figures: The animals and the old lady he encounters act as guides and helpers, providing him with the means and knowledge to continue his journey.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

Juan lived with his grandmother (chichi). Every night he dreamt a beautiful girl slept beside him. One morning he awoke and found that he had not been dreaming, but in fact there was a beautiful girl there; but she rushed away as soon as he awoke.

Next night the girl again came to his side, disappearing, however, before daylight. Juan could never see her features properly, so that day he told his grandmother all that had happened.

“Well, why not light a light tonight, and then you will be able to see her,” she replied.

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Accordingly, next night when the girl was fast asleep by his side, Juan got up and lit a light. But the girl woke up and rushed out of the hut, crying to Juan that now he would never see her again.

Nevertheless Juan had seen her face, but he was overwhelmed with grief.

Next morning the grandmother called him. “Juan, Juan, come and eat, the tortillas are all nice and hot in the calabash.”

“0 go to the devil, you’ve lost me my girl. I don’t want your beastly tortillas,” replied Juan.

Then, in answer to her questions, Juan explained how badly her advice about the light had resulted. He decided to set forth in search of the girl. After he had been walking some time, he espied a tiger and a lion, who were quarreling over the division of a deer they had killed. Juan was frightened and climbed up into a tree. The lion and the tiger saw him, and called to him to climb down and arbitrate between them. Juan would only do so after they had promised not to do him any harm. The tiger and the lion were very pleased with Juan’s decision, and gave him not only a piece of the deer, but also each of them pulled out one of his claws and presented it to Juan. Now these claws contained magic, for with the tiger’s claw he could turn himself into a tiger and with the lion’s claw into a lion.

Juan thanked his new friends and continued on his journey. Soon he met a hawk. “Juan,” cried the hawk, “give me a piece of that meat you are carrying.”

“All right,” replied Juan. Then the hawk pulled out a toenail and gave it to Juan. This toenail also was magical, for with it Juan could turn himself into a hawk. A little later Juan met an ant who also asked him for some of the meat. Juan gave him a piece, whereupon the ant told him to take one of his legs, but to take care not to tear out his entrails as he removed the leg. Nevertheless Juan pulled too hard and tore open the ant’s stomach. He traveled a bit farther until he arrived at a hut in which was an old lady. He inquired of the old lady if she had seen the girl he was seeking. The old lady said that she had not, but she would ask her eldest son. She hid Juan under four large barrels, and then proceeded to call her eldest son by whistling on her flute. “Pi piri pi piri pipi,” sung the flute, and shortly her eldest son arrived with much noise, for he was one of the wind giants.

“I smell ripe chicosapote,” he cried. Now chicosapote is the smell human beings have. The old lady denied that there was any human hidden there, but the wind god insisted so much that the old lady took a stick and soundly thrashed him for disrespect. Later when he was eating, she asked him if he had seen anything of the girl. Her grandson replied that he knew nothing of the girl, and wanted to know why his grandmother wanted to know. Then the old lady explained that he had been quite right, there was a man hidden away, and if he would promise not to eat him, she would bring him out. The wind god promised, and Juan was brought forth and described the girl. Then the old lady summoned her second grandson with her flute. He did not know anything about the girl either. The youngest was summoned. He said he knew where the girl lived and promised to show Juan if he was given plenty to eat on the journey, for it was a journey of two or three days, and as he was a giant, his appetite was immense.

Juan was busy for some time getting food ready for the journey, but at last all was prepared, and they set forth. After two days’ traveling they reached the edge of a big lake, in the center of which was an island in which the girl lived in a large palace. Juan took the wind god’s shoe, a hair from his head, and his handkerchief. The shoe served as a boat, the hair as the mast, and the handkerchief as the sail. In this Juan sailed across the lake. When he arrived at the palace, he espied the girl sitting at an upper window. With the ant’s leg he turned himself into an ant and proceeded to crawl up the wall of the building and into the girl’s room. As soon as he was safely in the room, he turned back into a man once again and started to talk to the girl. Later he sought out the girl’s father and asked for work. The father told him he would set him four tasks to do. If he completed them, he could have the girl. The first task was to clear a piece of forest and sow it with watermelons, harvest it, and bring him the fruit within twenty-four hours. Juan was very disheartened, as he realized the task was impossible. He told the girl of his trouble, but she told him not to worry, just to think of her, and she would do the work. Next day the girl, whose name was Rosalie, brought Juan the watermelons, and he took them to her father. The next task he was set was to make another milpa in which this time tobacco was to be planted, and within twenty-four hours fresh cigars made from the plants that were sown were to be brought by Juan to the girl’s father. That night, while he slept, Rosalie did the work, with the result that next day the cigars were all ready to be taken to her father. The next task was to bring plantains sown, grown, and harvested in the same miraculous way. Again Rosalie did the work while Juan slept. The next and final task was to prepare a dish of young corn in the same miraculous fashion. Once more Rosalie succeeded, with the result that next day Juan was able to take the dish to his taskmaster and claim his reward, Rosalie, for the fulfilment of the four tasks that had been set him. This was granted him. And in the usual way they lived happily ever after.

The Deer-Folk

A young man encounters a magical doe who transforms into a woman and becomes his wife. She leads him to visit her family, revealed to be deer who betray and attack him. Using magical seeds and the help of a hummingbird, his grandmother’s dogs, and a tortoise, the young man evades danger. The dogs ultimately rescue him, defeating the treacherous deer and the doe-woman.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The doe-woman’s betrayal and the deer’s attack on the young man underscore themes of deceit.

Trials and Tribulations: The young man’s challenges in evading the attacking deer and seeking help reflect a series of trials he must overcome.

Guardian Figures: The grandmother’s protective role and her magical dogs serve as guardian figures aiding the protagonist.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

Once upon a time there was a young fellow who lived with his grandmother. One day he started out to work, and when he reached his milpa he saw a beautiful doe standing in the middle of it; but as he looked at it, it turned into a girl.

The young fellow had been thinking of getting a wife for some time, and as the girl was pretty, he decided to ask her to come and live with him. This he did, and the girl consented.

When they arrived at the hut, the girl would not enter. The boy went in and told his grandmother (chichi) of his discovery.

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Meanwhile the girl was hungry, so turning herself into a doe she made a good meal of grass and shrubs. When the boy called her in to eat, she had turned back into a girl once again. However, she was not hungry any longer and would not eat the tortillas and frijoles that had been prepared.

After they had been living together some time, the girl suggested that they should visit her relations. Now, her relations were all deer. They decided to make the visit, but before they left, the grandmother gave her grandson three seeds. One was the seed of the cotton tree (yastse), the second of the gourd tree (was), and the third of the quebracho (tsintok). She also set out a calabash of chicha. If that overflowed or turned into wine, it would mean that the boy was in danger, and she would loose the three magic dogs she had, and they would rush to the aid of the boy.

They set out and walked a very long way until they came to a lake. This they crossed and found themselves in a broad savanna, the home of the deer. Then the girl turned back into a doe and summoned her deer relatives, and urged them to attack the boy. On realizing his danger, the boy called out to his grandmother for aid, and remembering the three seeds, he threw down one, the cotton-tree seed. Immediately a huge cotton tree sprang up, into the highest branch of which he climbed. Meanwhile the grandmother paid no attention to his call for help, for she was drunk. Then the deer began to saw down -the tree by rubbing their antlers against it. Crick, crick, crick, went their antlers, as they slowly rubbed down the trunk. The boy was frightened. At last the trunk was almost sawn through; then just as it was about to fall, the boy threw down the calabash seed, and immediately a large calabash tree sprung up beneath him. The enraged deer started to saw this down too. Along came a humming- bird. The boy called it to help him. “What can I do to help you, young man?” Then the boy asked him to go and wake up his grandmother. The humming-bird sped off to her house. When he arrived there, she was lying in a drunken stupor. He called her, but she would not wake up. Then approaching close, he hovered in front of her face and darting in thrust his tongue up the old lady’s nostril. She gave a terrific sneeze, and the humming-bird was blown out through the door and far across the tops of the trees. However, he had done his work well; the grandmother was awakened. Immediately she realized what had happened. The gourd had overflowed with blood, and the floor of the hut was covered with it. She released the three dogs, who rushed off to the boy’s rescue.

Meanwhile the deer had sawn through the gourd tree with their antlers, and were engaged in sawing through the trunk of the quebracho, which had sprung up from the last seed. After a while, however, the deer moved off to rest awhile. Then a tortoise came by, and in response to the boy’s appeal for help, he turned the tree into stone by urinating at its base. When the deer discovered this, they were furious, and set to work with renewed vigor. Just as they were sawing through the last few inches, the dogs arrived, and rushing on the deer slew them all including the traitorous deer- woman. Thus the boy was saved.

The Three Wind Gods and Their Mother

A lost man stumbled upon the home of three wind gods, unaware of their identity. Their mother welcomed him, hiding him in a large urn when her giant sons returned. Despite sensing human presence, the wind gods were assured no one was there. Once they slept, their mother freed the man and safely sent him on his way, sparing his life.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The mother employs cleverness to conceal the man from her sons, ensuring his safety.

Guardian Figures: The mother acts as a protector, safeguarding the man from potential harm by her wind god sons.

Conflict with Nature: The man’s encounter with the wind gods symbolizes a direct interaction with natural forces.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

A man was lost in the forest. After wandering for some time, he arrived at the home of the three wind gods, but he did not know that they lived there. Their mother welcomed him, and prepared him food.

Later when her three sons were due back, she hid the man in a large pottery urn. When the three wind gods arrived, there was a regular whirlwind. Everything was blown about the hut, the hammocks swung frantically, and there was general confusion.

Gradually the place calmed down once more.

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“We smell chicosapote (sapodilla),” cried the three sons, for they were giants, and that was the term all giants use to describe human flesh. Their mother, however, assured them that no human was around. After they had eaten, they got into their hammocks. When at last they slept, their mother helped the man out of the urn in which he was hidden, and sent him on his way.