87. SANGIAK, OR NERNGAJORAK

[NOTE.—Of the following Tales only the principal parts have been selected, and are given here in a very fragmentary form.]

87. SANGIAK, OR NERNGAJORAK.—A man whose wife could beget no children was advised by an old wise man to set off in his kayak, and go out to the open sea, and when he heard a voice like that of a child crying, he was to proceed in that direction, and would then find a worm, which he was to take home and throw upon the body of his wife. Having done it, the worm disappeared in the body of his wife, who soon gave birth to a son, whom they called Sangiak. While he was yet a small child, he asked his father for a kayak; and when following his father out to sea, he surprised him by hitting two seals, though he only threw his harpoon once. He acquired the art of always taking the whole flock of seals by only throwing at one of them. At last his father hardly knew how to bring home all the seals he captured. Once Sangiak happened to get acquainted with another seal-hunter, who could also p. 438 take two seals at a time, but only by means of two harpoons, which he threw one with each hand at once. This double-armed kayaker being much beloved by his companions, Sangiak grew envious of him; and once when he went out alone with him to sea, he picked a quarrel with him, and killed him. He then told his father what had happened, and that he would give the relatives of the double-armed notice of the murder. The relatives would fain have avenged it; but he took flight in his kayak, which, though his enemies had cut holes in its bottom, did not sink. Having filled his kayak with stones, he stopped the holes with them, and returned to his father safe and sound.