Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/190

 1 78 Journal of American Folk-Lore.

XXIII. QAUAXSAQSSUQ. 1

Oauaxsaqssuq was a boy that was maltreated by all. In the day- time his mother hid him in the beds, but at night she had to take him out. Then he slept either in the doorway or on the roof, over the lamp-hole, in order to get at least a little warmth. He was gen- erally lifted and carried by the nostrils, the crooked fingers being inserted in them. He always remained small, but his feet grew very large. He was a great angakoq (shaman), and was very strong. Finally he grew tired of the bad treatment he received, and showed his strength, after which, though he never killed any one, he was much dreaded and feared.

Once he was indoors, lying on the bed without any boots on, when a man arrived inquiring for him. " Qauaxsaqssuq has gone into the house over there, and is inside," he was told. Then the man called to Qauaxsaqssuq from outdoors, " Qauaxsaqssuq ! Three large bears have come over from the land, and are now on the ice. Come out ! " " Yes," said Qauaxsaqssuq, and hastened to dress and put on his boots. Then he came out and saw the three bears. Holding only a knife in his hand, he ran after them. He had no dogs to harry the bears and bring them to bay, but he soon caught up with them. He first seized the old one and twisted off its head, so that it was immediately dead. Then he took the cubs and knocked their heads together, and twisted their necks until they were dead. Then he took them up, the old one on one side, the cubs on the other, and carried them home. He brought the three bears to the assembled people, who proceeded to cut them up, put them in pots, cook them, and eat them.

Qauaxsaqssuq was immensely strong, and what was heavy for others was very light for him. In spite of his small size, he could easily lift the largest rocks. He had enemies, who however were afraid to do anything against him openly. So once, when he went away to Oavanganiq, where he had a kayak, they secretly cut a hole in the skin-covering of his kayak. When Qauaxsaqssuq got into his boat, and out into the water, the boat began to fill with water, and thus it was that Oauaxsaqssuq drowned.

XXIV. THE TORTURED GIRL.

A poor family had a daughter who did not want to marry. In another family, better provided with meat than hers, were two young men, suitors for her. When she refused them, her parents grew angry. They hung her from her feet until they supposed she was

1 In Greenland, Kagsagsuk, Kausaksuk, Kausaksuk, etc.; in Labrador, Kaujak- juk (Rink, T. and T. p. 93) ; in Baffin Land, Qaudjaqdjuq (Boas, p. 630). See, also, Turner, p. 265.

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