Section: Eskimo Folk Tales
Bibliography: William John Alexander. 1921
Eskimo Folk Tales
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Papik:
-used to go out hunting with his wife’s brother, Ailaq
-Ailaq always had a seal in tow, but Papik always was empty handed
-theme for these tales
-one day when Ailaq didn’t return home, Papik’s mother accused him of killing Ailaq
-”old woman” another theme
“‘You killed him, and said no word. The day shall yet come when I will eat you alive, for you killed Ailaq, you and no other”
-Papik grew scared and stopped hunting all together for quite some time
-the next time he did hunt, a monster fell upon Papik to devour him
The Eagle and The Whale:
-many brothers
-two sisters both of an age to marry but they would not take a husband
-”What sort of a husband do you want, then? An eagle, perhaps?”
Angangujuk:
-father who was very strong
-had no neighbors: three of them lived alone
-mother, father, Angangujuk (whom I will call “Ang”)
-one day mother called him and could not find him
-husband said “It is you, wicked old hag, who have killed him. And now I will kill you”
-”old hag”- continuation of the old woman theme
-the death/alleged killing of family members
-begged him to wait
-spirits: “He is up in a place between two great cliffs, and two old inland folk are looking after him”
-Ang refused to eat
Atarssuaq
-had many enemies
-enemies tried to hurt him but could not kill him
-his wife bore him a son
-came back from hunting one day and saw 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”
-enemies eventually killed Atarssauq
