55. PISAGSAK AND THE KIVIGTOK.

55.
PISAGSAK AND THE KIVIGTOK.

[This tale, having only been received from one narrator, appears too doubtful to be included among those that treat on the ancient Kavdlunait.]

PISAGSAK one day went out kayaking in order to try his new bird-javelin, and in the excitement of the sport was carried far away from his homestead. At length he arrived at the foot of a steep mountain-wall, from the top of which a long ladder was suspended; and having reached the top with great trouble, he surveyed a little plain spreading below him on the other side, covered with cotton-grass, the down of which was carried p. 322 along by the wind. On the further side the plain was bordered by another mountain-wall. He climbed this likewise, and far below, on the other side, he now beheld a little house. He stole along to it and peeped in at the window, but only saw one old kivigtok sitting at his work. When he was about to withdraw as noiselessly as he had come, the old man accosted him, saying, "Of course I have seen thee, so please to come inside." Pisagsak now entered; and the old man, all shaky and shivering, in a peevish voice continued, "I would like thee for my companion; thou hadst better stop with me;" and so saying he went out, and soon after returned with some dried meat and tallow. Pisagsak now satisfied his hunger; his host then went out, and took some boiled reindeer out of a large pot, which pleased him even more. At night Pisagsak could hardly sleep for fear of his aged housemate. When he awoke in the morning the old man had gone off, but on looking round he perceived a great number of boots dangling on the cross-bar beneath the roof. He took them, overhauled them, and put them up to dry, and then proceeded to do the cooking. In the evening he heard a noise, and soon saw the old man coming along with two large bucks. He now said to him, "Here is some work for thee to put thy hand to; come away and skin them at once." Pisagsak remained with him, and took charge of the household work; he learned to snare partridges and shoot reindeer, and after some time grew very dexterous as a sportsman. One evening the old kivigtok went on, saying, "To-morrow is the day when the women of the Kavdlunait use to come here to fetch water. I daresay there will be some young girls among them: we will go and have a look at them." The following morning they started, and arrived at a place from whence they could see a great many houses, beyond which a spring was visible; and they went to hide themselves behind some large stones. About sunrise the first girl came, p. 323 filled her pail, and retired. Others followed, some of whom were handsome, others were old and slow. A young and very beautiful woman now approached, and had just put down her pail, and commenced pouring in water, when Pisagsak noticed that the old man was getting very excited, and trembled all over. The next moment, however, he sprang on the young girl and carried her away, having first stuffed her mouth to keep her from calling out; and Pisagsak of course followed them. Having reached their house, they took away her boots to prevent her from running away, and only went out to hunt by turns, in order to keep watch on her. However, the girl at length got reconciled to her fate, and gave up all idea of flight; and they could now venture to leave the house together. On their return they always found the work of the house ready done, and their clothes and boots mended. Another day Pisagsak again accompanied the old man to the spring to look at the girls. This time the old man ordered Pisagsak to catch a nice one; but he lingered and waited till an old woman, wrinkled all over, made her appearance; then he rushed on and took hold of her, and brought her home; and when the old woman had passed one day with them, she came to like them, and did not care to go back. Now they had two women in the house, and they did exceedingly well. One day the kivigtok said to Pisagsak, "To-morrow the Kavdlunait will be making an assault on us from the sea-side; let us go and look out for them." The next morning they went away to the top of the high cliff, where the ladder was made fast, and they saw several boats approaching the coast. The old man now spoke: "Now they begin to land; but when they have all got on shore and try to climb the ladder, I will loosen it on the top, and then thou wilt see a sight." Pisagsak now stood in great expectation; and presently they had all got on the ladder; but not until the first of them appeared wielding his lance above the p. 324 summit of the steep mountain-side did the kivigtok loosen the cords from the stone. A tremendous cry now followed, and the Kavdlunait were all swallowed up by the sea. Not one escaped. After this catastrophe the others for some time lived on in their usual way, but the old woman at length took ill, and died from sheer old age; and after that Pisagsak began to long for his own home. When he told his master, he did not object, but remarked, "Tell the Kavdlunait yonder that they had better not attack me; if they do, I shall certainly destroy them." Pisagsak now returned to his relatives, who had totally given him up, and he likewise brought them the message of the kivigtok, and never afterwards left home.