Eskimo Folk-Tales

undefined

“Knud Rasmussen’s work bears witness to a more profound understanding of, and deeper penetration into, Eskimo mentality. Thus he opened new roads to comparative Eskimo research…In his research Knud Rasmussen was always endeavoring to give expression to his individual sense of realities. His translations were bound to bear the stamp of his personal style of writing. His was to be realistic and at the same time to be in the closest possible contact with the Eskimo train of thought. In order to initiate the spirit, tone, and imagination of Eskimo poems and legends he had to exorcize his Eskimo soul and turn European. He had not passed through any academy of science but, almost shaman-like, he had trained at his special art, the art of spiritual communication taken into the service of truth.” -William Thalbitzer, University of Kobenhavn, Denmark These Eskimo, or Inuit, folk tales contained herein were collected in various parts of Greenland, taken down from the lips of the Eskimo story-tellers themselves. THE TWO FRIENDS WHO SET OFF TO TRAVEL ROUND THE WORLD THE COMING OF MEN, A LONG, LONG WHILE AGO NUKÚNGUASIK, WHO ESCAPED FROM THE TUPILAK QUJÂVÂRSSUK KÚNIGSEQ THE WOMAN WHO HAD A BEAR AS A FOSTER-SON ÍMARASUGSSUAQ, WHO ATE HIS WIVES QALAGÁNGUASÊ, WHO PASSED TO THE LAND OF GHOSTS ISIGÂLIGÂRSSIK THE INSECTS THAT WOOED A WIFELESS MAN THE VERY OBSTINATE MAN THE DWARFS THE BOY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, WHO FRIGHTENED THE PEOPLE OF THE HOUSE TO DEATH THE RAVEN AND THE GOOSE WHEN THE RAVENS COULD SPEAK MAKÍTE ASALÔQ UKALEQ ÍKARDLÍTUARSSUK THE RAVEN WHO WANTED A WIFE THE MAN WHO TOOK A VIXEN TO WIFE THE GREAT BEAR THE MAN WHO BECAME A STAR THE WOMAN WITH THE IRON TAIL HOW THE FOG CAME THE MAN WHO AVENGED THE WIDOWS THE MAN WHO WENT OUT TO SEARCH FOR HIS SON ATUNGAIT, WHO WENT A-WANDERING KUMAGDLAK AND THE LIVING ARROWS THE GIANT DOG THE INLAND-DWELLERS OF ETAH THE MAN WHO STABBED HIS WIFE IN THE LEG THE SOUL THAT LIVED IN THE BODIES OF ALL BEASTS PAPIK, WHO KILLED HIS WIFE'S BROTHER PÂTUSSORSSUAQ, WHO KILLED HIS UNCLE THE MEN WHO CHANGED WIVES ARTUK, WHO DID ALL FORBIDDEN THINGS THE THUNDER SPIRITS NERRIVIK THE WIFE WHO LIED KÂGSSAGSSUK, THE HOMELESS BOY WHO BECAME A STRONG MAN QASIAGSSAQ, THE GREAT LIAR THE EAGLE AND THE WHALE THE TWO LITTLE OUTCASTS ATDLARNEQ, THE GREAT GLUTTON ÁNGÁNGŬJUK ÂTÂRSSUAQ PUAGSSUAQ TUNGUJULUK AND SAUNIKOQ ANARTEQ THE GUILLEMOT THAT COULD TALK KÁNAGSSUAQ