ll to at once making ready for war against those enemies, and
prepared arrows in great numbers. The three women who were left alive
plaited sinew thread to fix the points of the arrows; and so eagerly
did they work that at last no more flesh was left on their fingers,
and the naked bone showed through.
When all things were ready, they set out, and coming up behind the
houses of their enemies, they hid themselves among great rocks.
The slayers had kept watch since their return, believing that the
avengers would not fail to come, and the women took turns at the
watching.
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 revenge, shooting down
every man with arrows. At last, when there were no more left, they
chose themselves wives from among the widows, and bore them off to
their own place.
But two of them took Navaranapaluk and hurried off with her.
And she, thinking that both wished to have her to wife, cried out:
"Which is it to be? Which is it to be?"
The men laughed, and made no answer, but ran on with her.
Then suddenly they cut through both her arms with their knives. And
soon she fell, and the blood went from her, and she died.
This fate they meted out to her because she lied.
KAGSSAGSSUK, THE HOMELESS BOY WHO BECAME A STRONG MAN
One day, it is said, when the men and women in the place had gone to
a spirit calling, the children were left behind, all in one big house,
where they played, making a great noise.
A homeless boy named Kagssagssuk was walking about alone outside,
and it is said that he called to those who were playing inside the
house, and said:
"You must not make so much noise, or the Great Fire will come."
The children, who would not believe him, went on with their noisy
play, and at last the Great Fire appeared. Little Kagssagssuk fled
into the house, and cried:
"Lift me up. I must have my gloves, and they are up there!"
So they lifted him up to the drying frame under the roof.
And then they heard the Great Fire
|