Post by Okwes on Sept 21, 2007 0:54:12 GMT -5
Ernersiak The Foster-Son -Inuit
LITTLE Ernersiak lived with an aged stepmother at a place where a number of
men, who were all brothers, housed together, and at that same place there
was also an immensely strong man. In the autumn the youngest brother fell
sick, and getting worse and worse at length died. They all agreed in
suspecting Ernersiak's mother of having caused his death, and they only
waited a time when they should find her alone in the house to p. 347 charge
her with the deed. One morning Ernersiak furnished himself with some
strings, and went away to set up fox-traps, and the brothers, profiting by
his absence, entered and struck the old woman dead. But the strong man took
pity on Ernersiak; and when he saw him returning he went out to meet him,
and said, "Don't thou go into the tent; thou won't see her any more; the
brothers killed her this morning as soon as thou wert gone;" and the strong
man adopted him, and, for want of a better, gave him a bit of his dear
mother's backbone for an amulet. The strong man brought him up, and trained
him according to the rules of strength: early in the morning he lifted him
off his couch by the hairs only, and the boy did not awake till he was put
down on his feet. His new parents gave him a suit of clothes, but these did
not last long, because he had always to exercise himself throwing and
carrying stones. One evening, when they were late up, his new father took a
skin, and spreading it on the floor he began to teach him how to draw hook
and crook. But he admonished him not to join the other children at
ball-playing, and for this reason Ernersiak was always seen standing with
one arm out of his sleeve (a token of modesty), and regarding them from a
safe distance. One day, however, while he was thus looking on, he got a
severe stroke on the top of his head, at which he fell to the ground in a
swoon; when he came to himself, nobody was near. Another time he was again
struck down in the same manner, but on rising he plainly saw some one
sneaking away. Hurrying after him, he found him hiding behind a rock; and
making right up to him, he took hold of him by the collar of his jacket,
and, hurling him several times round in the air, flung him to the ground
with such force that the blood gushed out of his mouth and nose. "Ernersiak
has been up to mischief," was now all the cry; and a large skin was produced
to carry the wounded boy away upon, while p. 348 Ernersiak seated himself on
a little mound in front of the house. Soon after the kayakers were seen to
return, and they were welcomed with the same cry-"Ernersiak has been up to
mischief." When his foster-father heard this, he speedily loosened his
towing-line, and running up to Ernersiak said that they intended to kill
him. The brothers by this time had also got on shore, and hearing what had
happened, one among them ran to fetch his spear, the others all following
him. The father of the wounded boy flung his lance with all his strength at
Ernersiak, who remained sitting, his back turned towards them; and though
Ernersiak remained unhurt, the lance was broken in pieces. The others now
tried their lances, but with no better luck. In this manner, we are told,
his foster-mother's amulet wrought its first wonder. They now gathered round
him and caught hold of him; but though they were so many that he could
hardly be seen in the crowd, they were not able to throw him over. All of a
sudden, he turned round upon them, seized them one by one by their fur
collars, and hurled them all bleeding to the ground. His foster-father now
advised him to stop, lest he should get too many enemies, upon which he
followed him into the house, where he seated himself, but could not be made
to eat or speak. In the evening his foster-father fetched him some liver,
hoping he would relish that, and on entering with it, remarked, "The very
last boat is now leaving us, and we shall have no neighbours henceforth." On
hearing this, he leaned forward and chuckled grimly, well knowing that he
had been the cause of their hasty departure; he enjoyed the idea vastly, and
from that moment he began to find his appetite. His father, who now deemed
it only fair that he should have his own kayak, set to building him one, and
subsequently began to teach him how to manage it, and before long the pupil
proved himself very apt at paddling as well as hunting in kayak. p. 349 When
his father awoke in the morning, his son had already fetched his
kayak-jacket, and when the father went away for his own jacket, the son was
already seated in his kayak, waiting for his father, and invariably returned
home with some capture. One day he had been waiting in his kayak for his
father to come down and start with him; but thinking him too long about it
he paddled away alone, following the coast southwards, and there, behind a
cape, he suddenly fell in with another kayaker. This man, however, did not
recognise Ernersiak, because he left him before he had got his kayak. He
asked him to go with him and visit his people; and presently they came upon
a place covered with tents, in front of which a number of people were
engaged in building boats, kayaks, &c. On catching sight of Ernersiak and
his companion, they shouted, "Look there! Ernersiak has turned a kayaker."
At this moment Ernersiak's companion paddled on in advance of him, intending
to make the shore before him; but Ernersiak followed him close, and almost
before "He is going to kill thee" had escaped the bystanders, Ernersiak
lifted his harpoon and killed him from behind, then paddling up to him, drew
it out and turned his back upon them. Having passed the cape he put ashore
and climbed the top, there to await his pursuers; but when night set in, and
no one had as yet appeared, he again set off for home. On reaching it he
sulked, and would not eat. His father guessed he had been guilty of some
murder, and then went on warning him against making too many enemies for
himself. After this he was again persuaded to take some food. The following
day the father kayaked the same way past the cape, and came in sight of the
tents, with the people at work outside them. He paddled quite close to the
beach and cried out, "If ye remain in this neighbourhood I and my son
Ernersiak won't fail to despatch the whole of you; but I have heard of
plenty good hunting away to the north, and I will encourage p. 350 him to go
thither." After this speech he returned, and did not fail to tell his son
the exciting report, and found him very anxious to try that place. In the
spring they left their old quarters, and travelled northwards the whole
summer-time. Just as the frost was beginning to harden the earth a little,
they got to a place with many tents, and being hailed from land to put in
there, they went ashore accordingly. They were very civilly received, and
were not allowed to trouble themselves about their luggage; the inhabitants
of the place unloaded and carried it all up for them. It happened that
Ernersiak being somewhat fatigued with kayaking, had seated himself in the
boat for a rest; and on finding his tools and weapons so heavy that they had
to carry them on their shoulders, the people remarked, that he was not
likely ever to have more use for them. The foster-father overhearing their
talk, in the evening repeated it to Ernersiak, who, tickled at the idea,
burst out laughing. This was his first mirth since the murder. In this place
they passed the winter. One morning, on coming outside, Ernersiak was
astonished not to see any one about the houses as usual; but on glancing
round he observed them standing on a hilltop looking out upon the sea. When
he had joined them, they enlightened him as to the reason, saying, "We are
watching the red walrus." Ernersiak, on seeing the ocean all a foam,
hastened down to his kayak, and set off towards them. He soon detected a
large walrus, comparatively quiet. When he came close to it, the animal
lifted its head above the surface, and holding back its breath quietly
regarded him; but when it had come quite close, it tossed back its head,
blew a great puff of air at him, and rushed towards him, while he kept
steadily moving in upon it. About the distance of an arrow-shot, he aimed
his weapon at it, and when the animal bent down and curved its back, he
lanced and thrust, instantly despatching it. Having towed it ashore, he went
back p. 351 to catch one more before he landed for good himself. Towards
spring they again prepared to go south, but their hosts invited them to come
back and pass the winter with them. They thanked them very kindly, but being
once more in the south, they stopped, and never afterwards visited the
north.
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo, by Henry Rink; London [1875] and is now
in the public domain. [Greenland].
LITTLE Ernersiak lived with an aged stepmother at a place where a number of
men, who were all brothers, housed together, and at that same place there
was also an immensely strong man. In the autumn the youngest brother fell
sick, and getting worse and worse at length died. They all agreed in
suspecting Ernersiak's mother of having caused his death, and they only
waited a time when they should find her alone in the house to p. 347 charge
her with the deed. One morning Ernersiak furnished himself with some
strings, and went away to set up fox-traps, and the brothers, profiting by
his absence, entered and struck the old woman dead. But the strong man took
pity on Ernersiak; and when he saw him returning he went out to meet him,
and said, "Don't thou go into the tent; thou won't see her any more; the
brothers killed her this morning as soon as thou wert gone;" and the strong
man adopted him, and, for want of a better, gave him a bit of his dear
mother's backbone for an amulet. The strong man brought him up, and trained
him according to the rules of strength: early in the morning he lifted him
off his couch by the hairs only, and the boy did not awake till he was put
down on his feet. His new parents gave him a suit of clothes, but these did
not last long, because he had always to exercise himself throwing and
carrying stones. One evening, when they were late up, his new father took a
skin, and spreading it on the floor he began to teach him how to draw hook
and crook. But he admonished him not to join the other children at
ball-playing, and for this reason Ernersiak was always seen standing with
one arm out of his sleeve (a token of modesty), and regarding them from a
safe distance. One day, however, while he was thus looking on, he got a
severe stroke on the top of his head, at which he fell to the ground in a
swoon; when he came to himself, nobody was near. Another time he was again
struck down in the same manner, but on rising he plainly saw some one
sneaking away. Hurrying after him, he found him hiding behind a rock; and
making right up to him, he took hold of him by the collar of his jacket,
and, hurling him several times round in the air, flung him to the ground
with such force that the blood gushed out of his mouth and nose. "Ernersiak
has been up to mischief," was now all the cry; and a large skin was produced
to carry the wounded boy away upon, while p. 348 Ernersiak seated himself on
a little mound in front of the house. Soon after the kayakers were seen to
return, and they were welcomed with the same cry-"Ernersiak has been up to
mischief." When his foster-father heard this, he speedily loosened his
towing-line, and running up to Ernersiak said that they intended to kill
him. The brothers by this time had also got on shore, and hearing what had
happened, one among them ran to fetch his spear, the others all following
him. The father of the wounded boy flung his lance with all his strength at
Ernersiak, who remained sitting, his back turned towards them; and though
Ernersiak remained unhurt, the lance was broken in pieces. The others now
tried their lances, but with no better luck. In this manner, we are told,
his foster-mother's amulet wrought its first wonder. They now gathered round
him and caught hold of him; but though they were so many that he could
hardly be seen in the crowd, they were not able to throw him over. All of a
sudden, he turned round upon them, seized them one by one by their fur
collars, and hurled them all bleeding to the ground. His foster-father now
advised him to stop, lest he should get too many enemies, upon which he
followed him into the house, where he seated himself, but could not be made
to eat or speak. In the evening his foster-father fetched him some liver,
hoping he would relish that, and on entering with it, remarked, "The very
last boat is now leaving us, and we shall have no neighbours henceforth." On
hearing this, he leaned forward and chuckled grimly, well knowing that he
had been the cause of their hasty departure; he enjoyed the idea vastly, and
from that moment he began to find his appetite. His father, who now deemed
it only fair that he should have his own kayak, set to building him one, and
subsequently began to teach him how to manage it, and before long the pupil
proved himself very apt at paddling as well as hunting in kayak. p. 349 When
his father awoke in the morning, his son had already fetched his
kayak-jacket, and when the father went away for his own jacket, the son was
already seated in his kayak, waiting for his father, and invariably returned
home with some capture. One day he had been waiting in his kayak for his
father to come down and start with him; but thinking him too long about it
he paddled away alone, following the coast southwards, and there, behind a
cape, he suddenly fell in with another kayaker. This man, however, did not
recognise Ernersiak, because he left him before he had got his kayak. He
asked him to go with him and visit his people; and presently they came upon
a place covered with tents, in front of which a number of people were
engaged in building boats, kayaks, &c. On catching sight of Ernersiak and
his companion, they shouted, "Look there! Ernersiak has turned a kayaker."
At this moment Ernersiak's companion paddled on in advance of him, intending
to make the shore before him; but Ernersiak followed him close, and almost
before "He is going to kill thee" had escaped the bystanders, Ernersiak
lifted his harpoon and killed him from behind, then paddling up to him, drew
it out and turned his back upon them. Having passed the cape he put ashore
and climbed the top, there to await his pursuers; but when night set in, and
no one had as yet appeared, he again set off for home. On reaching it he
sulked, and would not eat. His father guessed he had been guilty of some
murder, and then went on warning him against making too many enemies for
himself. After this he was again persuaded to take some food. The following
day the father kayaked the same way past the cape, and came in sight of the
tents, with the people at work outside them. He paddled quite close to the
beach and cried out, "If ye remain in this neighbourhood I and my son
Ernersiak won't fail to despatch the whole of you; but I have heard of
plenty good hunting away to the north, and I will encourage p. 350 him to go
thither." After this speech he returned, and did not fail to tell his son
the exciting report, and found him very anxious to try that place. In the
spring they left their old quarters, and travelled northwards the whole
summer-time. Just as the frost was beginning to harden the earth a little,
they got to a place with many tents, and being hailed from land to put in
there, they went ashore accordingly. They were very civilly received, and
were not allowed to trouble themselves about their luggage; the inhabitants
of the place unloaded and carried it all up for them. It happened that
Ernersiak being somewhat fatigued with kayaking, had seated himself in the
boat for a rest; and on finding his tools and weapons so heavy that they had
to carry them on their shoulders, the people remarked, that he was not
likely ever to have more use for them. The foster-father overhearing their
talk, in the evening repeated it to Ernersiak, who, tickled at the idea,
burst out laughing. This was his first mirth since the murder. In this place
they passed the winter. One morning, on coming outside, Ernersiak was
astonished not to see any one about the houses as usual; but on glancing
round he observed them standing on a hilltop looking out upon the sea. When
he had joined them, they enlightened him as to the reason, saying, "We are
watching the red walrus." Ernersiak, on seeing the ocean all a foam,
hastened down to his kayak, and set off towards them. He soon detected a
large walrus, comparatively quiet. When he came close to it, the animal
lifted its head above the surface, and holding back its breath quietly
regarded him; but when it had come quite close, it tossed back its head,
blew a great puff of air at him, and rushed towards him, while he kept
steadily moving in upon it. About the distance of an arrow-shot, he aimed
his weapon at it, and when the animal bent down and curved its back, he
lanced and thrust, instantly despatching it. Having towed it ashore, he went
back p. 351 to catch one more before he landed for good himself. Towards
spring they again prepared to go south, but their hosts invited them to come
back and pass the winter with them. They thanked them very kindly, but being
once more in the south, they stopped, and never afterwards visited the
north.
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo, by Henry Rink; London [1875] and is now
in the public domain. [Greenland].