Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/179

 Tales of the Smith Sound Eskimo. 167

II. INUKPAN. 1

Inukpan, also called Inukpakssua, was a very large man, who did not really exist, but whom stories tell about. It is said that he was so large that people could stand on his big toe, and walk about on it, and that the flat skin-thong of his boot-string could be used as a kayak-covering by ordinary men. It is also said that, seeing several bears, he called them only foxes, and, picking them up between his fingers, crushed them dead. At one time, when he was out in his kayak, he saw five kayakers some distance away. He went after them, soon reached them, and then scooped up all five, kayaks and all, in the hollow of his hand. He took them to his house, which was enormously large, and put them over the lamp. Then, however, he fell asleep, and the men climbed down, went out, and ran home before he awoke.

III. THE WOMAN WHO MARRIED A TUNEQ. 2

A tuneq married an old woman. After he had married her, they walked away and entered his house. The tuneq then went away to the sea, and soon returned, carrying a ground-seal on his back. This they cut up and lived upon, until they had eaten it all. Then they went away until they came to a house where there were a number of people. They entered this, went to bed, and slept. Next day the tuneq went away. Thereupon a number of sea-gulls came to the house and went in. 3 The people caught them, picked their feathers, cut them in pieces, put them in a pot over the fire, and ate them.

IV. THE TORNIT AND THE ADLIT. 4

Among some savage and murderous adlit, who were even canni- bals, were two tornit, who were in consequence much afraid. One night, when his companions had all gone to sleep, one of them got up and went out. Then he prepared a sledge and harnessed the dogs, and softly called his companion, the other tornit. Then they cut the thongs that held the crossbars to the runners of the other sledges, and, getting on their own sledge, started off. Just then, however, the dogs barked, and the adlit, awakened by the noise, came out of

1 The same tale is found among the central tribes (Boas, p. 636). The Green- landers also tell of Inugpait, giants that live across the sea (Rink, T. and T. p. 47). See, also, Rink, p. 430.

2 A frequent element in Greenland tales. Cf. Rink, T. and T. p. 217.

8 In Greenland, Avarunguak visits a giant who catches auks in the same manner (Rink, T. and T. p. 178). Cf. also the story about Aningan.

4 The Tornit feared the Inuit, and finally fled from them (in Labrador and Baffin Land. Rink, 71 and T. p. 469; Boas, p. 634).

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