Eskimo Folk-Tales - free ebook by Knud Rasmussen

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Eskimo Folk-Tales

Knud Rasmussen

54 chapters

9 hour read

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54 chapters

Introduction

Introduction

In the technique of an ordinary novel there is a certain balance, or just proportion, between the amount of space devoted to the various items, scenes and episodes. The ordinary reader does not notice it as a rule, for the simple reason that it is always there. The Eskimo stories are magnificently heedless of such proportion. Any detail, whether of fact or fancy, can be expanded at will; a journey of many hundred miles may be summarized in a dozen words: “Then he went away to the Northward, and

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Eskimo Folk-Tales The Two Friends Who Set Off to Travel Round the World

Eskimo Folk-Tales The Two Friends Who Set Off to Travel Round the World

Truly the world is great. Our forefathers have told us much of the coming of earth, and of men, and it was a long, long while ago. Those who lived long before our day, they did not know how to store their words in little black marks, as you do; they could only tell stories. And they told of many things, and therefore we are not without knowledge of these things, which we have heard told many and many a time, since we were little children. Old women do not waste their words idly, and we believe w

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The Coming of Men, A Long, Long While Ago

The Coming of Men, A Long, Long While Ago

But then children began to be born, and men grew to be very many on the earth. They knew nothing of death in those days, a long, long time ago, and grew to be very old. At last they could not walk, but went blind, and could not lie down. Neither did they know the sun, but lived in the dark. No day ever dawned. Only inside their houses was there ever light, and they burned water in their lamps, for in those days water would burn. But these men who did not know how to die, they grew to be too many

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Nukúnguasik, Who Escaped from the Tupilak1

Nukúnguasik, Who Escaped from the Tupilak1

“Nukúnguasik, come with us; we must search for him.” And so Nukúnguasik went with them, but as they found nothing, he said: Making a tupilak. Note the bones of various animals used. The monster is on the point of coming to life. To face p. 18 “Would it not be well to go and make search over on that island, where no one ever goes?” And having gone on to the island, Nukúnguasik said: “Now you can go and look on the southern side.” When the brothers reached the place, he heard them cry out, and the

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Qujâvârssuk

Qujâvârssuk

And she did it as he had said. When they had slept and again awakened, she watched to see when the old one went out. And when he rowed away, she put on her finest clothes and followed after him along the shore. When she came in sight of him, he lay out there fishing. Then eagerly she stood up on the shore, and looked out towards him. And now he looked at her, and then again out over the sea, and this went on for a long time. She stood there a long time in vain, looking out towards him, but he wo

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Kúnigseq

Kúnigseq

“He is only here on a visit,” said the spirit. Then she offered him some berries, and these he was about to put in his mouth, when the spirit said: “If you eat of them, you will never return.” A little after, he caught sight of his dead brother, and then his mother said: “Why do you wish to return to earth again? Your kin are here. And look down on the sea-shore; see the great stores of dried meat. Many seal are caught here, and it is a good place to be; there is no snow, and a beautiful open se

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The Woman Who Had a Bear As a Foster-Son

The Woman Who Had a Bear As a Foster-Son

“Little bear, come out and play with us, for now we are going to play.” And when they went out to play together, it would break the children’s toy harpoons to pieces, but whenever it wanted to give any one of the children a push, it would always sheathe its claws. But at last it grew so strong, that it nearly always made the children cry. And when it had grown so strong the grown-up people began to play with it, and they helped the old woman in this way, in making the bear grow stronger. But aft

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Ímarasugssuaq, Who Ate His Wives

Ímarasugssuaq, Who Ate His Wives

Now the dummy was sitting behind the lamp. And the husband coming in, harpooned that dummy wife with his great bird-spear. And the thing shrieked as if with pain and fell down. But when he looked closer, there was no blood to be seen, nothing but some stuffed-out clothes. And where was his wife? And now he began to search for her, and as soon as he had gone out, she crept forth from her hiding-place, and took to flight. And while she was thus making her escape, her husband came after her, and se

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Qalagánguasê, Who Passed to the Land of Ghosts

Qalagánguasê, Who Passed to the Land of Ghosts

And when they went to look at the water tub, they saw that something had been drinking from it. Then some time after, it happened again that the people were all out hunting, and Qalagánguasê alone in the place. And there he sat in the house all alone, when suddenly the walls and frame of the house began to shake, and next moment a crowd of ghosts came tumbling into the house, one after the other, and the last was one whom he knew, for it was his sister, who had died but a little time before. And

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Isigâligârssik

Isigâligârssik

When she had sat down, he told her to take off her shoes, and then he put them up on the drying frame. Then they made a spirit calling, and when that was ended, the wizard said to Isigâligârssik: “Go away now; you will never have this dear little wife of yours again.” And then Isigâligârssik had to go home without a wife. And Isigâligârssik had to live without a wife. And every time there was a spirit calling, and he went in, the wizard would say: “Ho, what are you doing here, you who have no wi

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The Insects that Wooed a Wifeless Man

The Insects that Wooed a Wifeless Man

“No,” said the wifeless man; “such things I am not fit to receive; the only thing I cannot overcome is my miserable sleepiness.” “First come in with me to land,” said the Fire Man. And they went in together. When they reached the place, the Noseless One said: “This is the man who saved my life when I was near to death.” “I happened to save you because my course lay athwart your own,” said the wifeless man. “It is the first time for many days that I have been out at all in my kayak.” “One beast a

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The Very Obstinate Man

The Very Obstinate Man

“My husband will not listen to me, for he is so obstinate,” she said. And then the mighty dog sprang ashore and fell upon that husband. But that Obstinate One was not abashed; as usual, he thought he would get his own way, and his way now was to kill the dog. And they fought together, and the dog was killed. But now the owner of the dog appeared, and he turned out to be the Moon Man. And he fell upon that Obstinate One, but the Obstinate One would as usual not give way, but fell upon him in turn

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The Dwarfs

The Dwarfs

“Hum—hum. Wouldn’t care to ... come and visit us?” 1 said the dwarf suddenly. But this the man would gladly do. “Hum—hum. I’ve a wife ... and a daughter ... very beautiful daughter ... hum—hum. Many men wanted her ... wouldn’t have them ... can’t take her by force ... very strong. Thought of taking her to wife myself ... hum—hum. But she is too strong for me ... own daughter.” They rowed on a while, and then the little one spoke again. “Hum—hum. Might perhaps do for you ... you could manage her

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The Boy from the Bottom of the Sea, Who Frightened the People of the House to Death

The Boy from the Bottom of the Sea, Who Frightened the People of the House to Death

There were two houses on the shore, one a little way above the other. As they went up, the mother suddenly saw that her son was going into the one nearest the shore. And she cried: “Ha-a; Ha-a! When your father beat me, I always ran in there. Go to the one up above.” And now the boy made his face fierce, and thrust in his head at the doorway, and all those inside fell down dead with fright. He would have beaten his father, but his father had died long since. Then he went down again to the bottom

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The Raven and the Goose

The Raven and the Goose

Once, long ago, there was a time when the ravens could talk. But the strange thing about the ravens’ speech was that their words had the opposite meaning. When they wanted to thank any one, they used words of abuse, and thus always said the reverse of what they meant. But as they were thus so full of lies, there came one day an old man, and by magic means took away their power of speech. And since that time the ravens can do no more than shriek. But the ravens’ nature has not changed, and to thi

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When the Ravens Could Speak

When the Ravens Could Speak

Makíte, men say, took to wife the sister of many brothers, but he himself could never manage to catch a seal when he was out in his kayak. But his wife’s brothers caught seal in great numbers. And so it was that one day he heard his wife say she would leave him, because he never caught anything. And in his grief at hearing this, he said to himself: “This evening, when they are all asleep, I will go up into the hills and live there all alone.” When darkness had fallen, he set off up into the hill

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Makíte

Makíte

At the same moment, the master of the house came in and said: “Have you had nothing to eat yet?” Makíte said: “I will eat nothing until I know what are those things which look like candles, there in front of the window.” Then the lone-dweller said: “That is no concern of one who is not himself a lone-dweller. Therefore he cannot tell you.” But then Makíte said: “If you do not tell me, I will kill you.” And then at last he told. “It may be you have seen to-day the great hills away in the blue to

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Asalôq

Asalôq

“We are sent to bid the stranger come.” And since there was no help for it, Asalôq went up there with them. When he came into the house, it was full of people, and he looked round and saw the strong man far in on the big bench. And at the moment Asalôq caught sight of him, the strong man said in a deep voice: “Let us have a wrestling match.” And as he spoke, the others drew out a skin from under the bench, and spread it on the floor. And after the skin had been spread out, food was brought in. A

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Ukaleq

Ukaleq

But she kept on hushing and hushing, and at last that which she had in the bag began trying to crawl out. But then there came one from the house and said: “Ukaleq has begun to breathe; he is sitting up.” Hardly was this said when that which was in the bag sprang out, making the whole house shake. Then they made up a bed for Ukaleq on the side bench, and placed skins under him and made him sit up. And after five days had passed, and that without eating or drinking, he came to himself again, and c

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Íkardlítuarssuk

Íkardlítuarssuk

And when all this had been done, she went home, and went to rest without saying a word. When they awoke next morning, the sea was quite dark ahead, and all the ice had gone. But when the villagers came out, she said to them: “Do not kill more than one; if any of you should kill two, he will never kill again.” And furthermore she said: “If any of you should catch a young fjord seal with a bare patch on its back, you must give it to me to make breeches.” When they came back, each of the hunters ha

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The Raven Who Wanted a Wife

The Raven Who Wanted a Wife

Said the raven to two of the geese: “Seeing that a miserable sparrow has refused me, I will have you.” “We are just getting ready to fly away,” said the geese. “I will go too,” said the raven. “But consider this: that none can go with us who cannot swim or rest upon the surface of the water. For there are no icebergs along the way we go.” “It is nothing; I will sail through the air,” said the raven. And the wild geese flew away, and the raven with them. But very soon he felt himself sinking from

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The Man Who Took a Vixen to Wife

The Man Who Took a Vixen to Wife

But now it was revealed that this worm was the man’s old enemy. For he had once, long before, burned a worm, and it was the soul of that worm which had now taken human form. He could even see the marks of burning in its face. Now the worm challenged the man to pull arms, and they wrestled. But the man found the worm very easy to master, and soon he won. After that he went out, no longer caring for his wife at all. And he wandered far, and came to the shore-dwellers. They had their houses on the

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The Great Bear

The Great Bear

Since then, men have learned to beware of bears, for they hear what men say. There was once an old man who stood out on the ice waiting for the seal to come up to their breathing holes to breathe. But on the shore, just opposite where he was, a crowd of children were playing in a ravine, and time after time they frightened away a seal just as he was about to harpoon it. At last the old man grew angry with them for thus spoiling his catch, and cried out: “Close up, Ravine, over those who are spoi

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The Man Who Became a Star

The Man Who Became a Star

1 The star is that which we know as Venus. “Listening”: perhaps as the old man had stood listening for the breathing of the seal. There was once a woman who had an iron tail. And more than this, she was also an eater of men. When a stranger came to visit her, she would wait until her guest had fallen asleep, and then she would jump up in the air, and fall down upon the sleeping one, who was thus pierced through by her tail. Once there came a man to her house. And he lay down to sleep. And when s

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The Woman with the Iron Tail

The Woman with the Iron Tail

There was a Mountain Spirit, which stole corpses from their graves and ate them when it came home. And a man, wishing to see who did this thing, let himself be buried alive. The Spirit came, and saw the new grave, and dug up the body, and carried it off. The man had stuck a flat stone in under his coat, in case the Spirit should try to stab him. On the way, he caught hold of all the willow twigs whenever they passed any bushes, and made himself as heavy as he could, so that the Spirit was forced

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How the Fog Came

How the Fog Came

The man did not answer, but fled on. And the woman, thinking something must be wrong, ran after him. And as he was running over level ground, he cried: “Rise up, hills!” And at once many hills rose up. Then the Mountain Spirit’s wife lagged behind, having to climb up so many hills. The man saw a little stream, and sprang across. “Flow over your banks!” he cried to the stream. And now it was impossible for her to get across. “How did you get across?” cried the woman. “I drank up the water. Do you

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The Man Who Avenged the Widows

The Man Who Avenged the Widows

And now it was revealed that Angusinãnguaq was a great wizard. When the umiaks had left, and he could not find his kayak, he had wound his body about with strips of hide, bending it into a curve, and then, as is the way of wizards, gathered magic power wherewith to move through the air. And thus he had come back to that place, long before those who had sought his death. And from that day onwards, none ever planned again to take his wife. And it was well for them that they left him in peace. For

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The Man Who Went Out to Search for His Son

The Man Who Went Out to Search for His Son

And as he was rowing on, he heard the bone of a seal calling to him: “Take away the moss which has stopped up the hole that goes through me.” And he did so, and went on again. Another time he heard a mussel at the bottom of the sea crying: “Here is a mussel that wishes to see you; come down to the bottom; row your kayak straight down through the water—this way!” That mussel wanted to eat him. But he did not heed it. Then at last one day he saw an old woman, and rowed towards her, and came up to

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Atungait, Who Went A-Wandering

Atungait, Who Went A-Wandering

Atungait stayed there some time, and when the time came for him to set out once more, he stole their plaything and took it away with him, having first destroyed all their sledges. But the lame ones, being unable to pursue, dealt magically with some rocky ridges, which then rushed over the ice towards the travellers. Atungait heard something like the rushing of a river, and turning round, perceived those rocks rolling towards him. “Have you a piece of sole-leather?” he asked his wife. And she had

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Kumagdlak and the Living Arrows

Kumagdlak and the Living Arrows

And standing at the entrance to his tent, he aimed at them with his bow. If but the first arrow could be sent whirling over the boats, then he knew that none of them would be able to harm him. He shot his arrow, and it flew over the boats. Then he aimed at the old man who had spoken, and that arrow cut through the string of the old man’s bow, and pierced the old man himself. Then he began shooting down the others, his wife handing him the arrows as he shot. The men from the boats shot at him, bu

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The Giant Dog

The Giant Dog

And it is from this giant dog that the inland-dwellers got their great fear of all dogs. It would always appear suddenly at the window, and drag them out. But it was a good thing that something happened to frighten the inland-dwellers, for they had themselves an evil custom of carrying off lonely folk, especially women, when they had lost their way in the fog. And that is all I know about the Giant Dog. There came a sledge driving round to the east of Etah, up into the land, near the great lake.

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The Inland-Dwellers of Etah

The Inland-Dwellers of Etah

A tupilak frightening a man to death in his kayak. To face p. 96. Since then they have never been seen. The remains of their houses were all that could be found, and when men dug to see if anything else might be there, they found nothing but a single narwhal tusk. The inland-dwellers are not really dangerous, they are only shy, and very greatly afraid of dogs. There was a woman of the coast-folk, Suagaq, who took a husband from among the inland folk, and when that husband came to visit her broth

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The Man Who Stabbed His Wife in the Leg

The Man Who Stabbed His Wife in the Leg

Neruvkâq came close on the heels of the dog, and jumped up to the great stone that is used to set out meat on. So strongly did he jump that his footmarks are seen on the stone to this day. Then he took his arrows all barbed with walrus tusk, and began shooting his enemies down. His mother gave him strength by magic means. Soon there were but few of his enemies left, and these fled away. They fled away to the southward, and fled and fled without stopping until they had gone a great way. But Navar

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The Soul that Lived in the Bodies of All Beasts

The Soul that Lived in the Bodies of All Beasts

And as they could not wound him with their stabbing, they dragged him up to the top of a high cliff, thinking to cast him down. But each time they caught hold of him to cast him down, he changed himself into another man who was not their enemy. And at last they were forced to drive away, without having done what they wished. It is also told of Avôvang, that he once desired to travel to the south, and to the people who lived in the south, to buy wood. This men were wont to do in the old days, but

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Papik, Who Killed His Wife’s Brother

Papik, Who Killed His Wife’s Brother

For a long time after this, Papik did not go out hunting at all, so greatly did he fear the old woman’s threat. But at last he ceased to think of the matter, and began to go out hunting as before. One day two men stood out on the ice by the breathing holes. Papik had chosen his place a little farther off, and stood there alone. And then it came. They heard the snow creaking, with the sound of a cry, and the sound moved towards Papik, and a fog came down over the ice. And soon they heard shouts a

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Pâtussorssuaq, Who Killed His Uncle

Pâtussorssuaq, Who Killed His Uncle

Inside the tent sat a boy, and Pâtussorssuaq fell upon him, crying: “Where is she? Where is she gone?” “I have seen nothing, for I was asleep,” cried the boy, speaking falsely because of his great fear. And so Pâtussorssuaq was forced to desist from seeking out his wife. And now he went down and took Alátaq’s wife and lived with her. But after a little time, she died. And thus he had but little joy of the woman he had won by misdeed. And he himself was soon to suffer in another way. At the begin

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The Men Who Changed Wives

The Men Who Changed Wives

But some time after that deed he began to perceive that he was haunted by a spirit. “There is some invisible thing which now and again catches hold of me,” he said to his comrades. And that was the avenging spirit, watching him. But about this time, many in the place fell sick. And among them was Navssârssuaq. The sickness killed him, and thus the avenging spirit was not able to tear him in pieces. A man whose name was Artuk had buried his wife, but refused to remain aloof from doings which thos

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Artuk, Who Did All Forbidden Things

Artuk, Who Did All Forbidden Things

He never returned alive. Late in the evening, his daughter heard in the air the mocking laughter of two spirits. And she knew at once that they were laughing so that she might know how her father had been punished for his ill-doing. On the following day, many sledges went out to search for Artuk. And they found him, far out on the ice, torn to pieces, as is the way with those whom the spirits have punished for refusing to observe the customs of their forefathers. And the son, who was bound to th

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The Thunder Spirits

The Thunder Spirits

Thus the thunder comes with the south-westerly gales; there is a noise and crackling in the air, as of dry skins shaken, and the sky glows from time to time with the fire from their firestone. Great rocks, and everything which stands up high in the air, begin to glow. When this happens, men use to take out a red dog, and cut its ear until the blood comes, and then lead the beast round about the house, letting the blood drip everywhere, for then the house will not take fire. A red dog was the onl

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Nerrivik

Nerrivik

That is the story of the ruler of the sea. And men call her Nerrivik 1 because she gives them food. 1 Lit., “Meat Dish.” Navaránâpaluk, men say, came of a tribe of man-eaters, but when she grew up, she was taken to wife by one of a tribe that did not eat men. Once when she was going off on a visit to her own people, she put mittens on her feet instead of boots. And this she did in order to make it appear that her husband’s people had dealt ill by her. It was midwinter, and her kinsfolk pitied he

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The Wife Who Lied

The Wife Who Lied

And now it is said that one old woman among them had a strange dream. She dreamed that two creatures were fighting above her head. And when she told the others of this, they all agreed that the avengers must be near. They gathered together in one house to ask counsel of the spirits, and when the spirit calling had commenced, then suddenly a dog upon the roof of the house began to bark. The men dashed out, but their enemies had already surrounded the house, and now set about to take their full re

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Kâgssagssuk, The Homeless Boy Who Became a Strong Man

Kâgssagssuk, The Homeless Boy Who Became a Strong Man

Evil spirit entering a house. To face p. 116. “You have killed them yourself,” they declared. “Very well, then,” he said, “if you think so, try to make a noise yourselves, like the children did.” And now they began cooking blubber above the entrance to the house, and when the oil was boiling and bubbling as hard as it could, they began making a mighty noise. And true enough, up came the Great Fire outside. But little Kâgssagssuk was not allowed to come into the house, and therefore he hid himsel

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Qasiagssaq, The Great Liar

Qasiagssaq, The Great Liar

After they had hauled the seal to land, his wife cut out the belly part, and when that was done, she shared out so much blubber and meat to the others that there was hardly anything left for themselves. And then she set about cooking a meal, with a shoulder-blade for a lamp, and another for a pot. And every time a kayak came in, they told the newcomer that Qasiagssaq had got a big black seal. At last there was but one kayak still out, and when that one came in, they told him the same thing: “Qas

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The Eagle and the Whale

The Eagle and the Whale

And there was in that village a little homeless boy, who was so small that he had not strength to draw a bow, but must get one of the others to draw it for him every time he wanted to shoot. When they had made all things ready, they went out to the place where their sister was, and called to her from the foot of the cliff, telling her to lower herself down. And this she did. As soon as her husband had gone out hunting, she lowered herself down and reached her brothers. Towards evening, the eagle

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The Two Little Outcasts

The Two Little Outcasts

In the afternoon, the boy went out again and again and when he did so, they looked round the inside of the house, which was covered with fox skins, blue and white. At last the boy came in, and said: “Now I can see her, away to the south.” They looked out and saw her, and she seemed mightily big, having something on her back. And she came quickly nearer. Then they heard a great noise, and that was the woman throwing down her burden. She came in hot and tired, and sat down, and said: “Thanks, kind

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Atdlarneq, The Great Glutton

Atdlarneq, The Great Glutton

“I can wait for just one more.” And truly enough, there came yet another one, quite like the others. And like them also, she bore a dish in her hand. And now at last he went on shore and hauled up his kayak. He went into the house, and they all received him very kindly. And they brought great quantities of food and set before him. At last the evening came. And now those three women began to go outside again and again. And at last Atdlarneq asked: “Why do you keep going out like that?” When he as

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Ángángŭjuk

Ángángŭjuk

To this his wife answered: “Do not kill me yet, but wait a little, and first seek out one who can ask counsel of the spirits.” And now the husband began eagerly to search for such a one. He came home bringing wizards with him, and bade them try what they could do, and when they could not find the child, he let them go without giving them so much as a bite of meat. And seeing that none of them could help him, he now sought for a very clever finder of hidden things, and meeting such a one at last,

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Âtârssuaq

Âtârssuaq

“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 forwa

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Puagssuaq

Puagssuaq

And he was now about to look at them again, when he saw that the passage way about him was beginning to close up. And it was already nearly closed up. But then it opened again of itself. Then the wifeless man thought only of coming out again from that place, and when the passage way again opened, he slipped out. And then he began running as fast as he could. For a long time he ran on, with the thought that some one would surely come after him. But at last he came up the hillside, without having

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Tungujuluk and Saunikoq

Tungujuluk and Saunikoq

Angiut, a “helping spirit,” who knows all about everyone. To face p. 148. Now he rose to the surface quite near him, and when Saunikoq saw him, he came over that way. And Saunikoq lifted his harpoon to throw it, and the stroke could not fail. Therefore he made himself small, and crept over to one side of the skin. And when he was struck, he floundered about a little, but not too violently, lest he should break the line. Then he swam away under water with the bladder float, and folded it up under

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Anarteq

Anarteq

And now that Anarteq had thus become a salmon, he went with the others, in the spring, when the rivers break up, out into the sea to grow fat. But his father, greatly wishing to go once more to their old hunting grounds, went there again as chief of a party, after many years had passed. His daughters rowed for him. And when they came in near to the base of the fjord, he thought of his son, and began to weep. But his son, coming up from the sea with the other salmon, saw the umiak, and his father

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The Guillemot that Could Talk

The Guillemot that Could Talk

“Here, here is the nest of that guillemot bird.” And the man was prepared to be very careful when the bird came out of its nest. And it came out, that bird, and went to the side of the cliff and stared down at the kayaks, stretching its body to make it very long. And sitting up there, it said quite clearly: “This, I think, must be that southern man, who has come far from a place in the south to hear a guillemot.” And the bird had hardly spoken, when he who was guide saw that the man from the sou

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Kánagssuaq

Kánagssuaq

And he rowed in to them and harpooned one, and killed it on the spot with that one stroke. He took his bladder float, to make a tow-line fast, and wound up the harpoon line, but before he had come to the middle, a breaking wave came rolling down on him. And it broke over him, and it seemed indeed as if there were no kayak there at all, so utterly was it hidden by that breaking wave. Then at last the bladder showed up behind the kayak, and a little after, the kayak itself came up, with the paddle

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