119. THE IGDLOK

119. THE IGDLOK.—A man had lost his beloved cousin and friend, who in his sight had been torn to pieces by one of those bears that are made by sorcery. In his despair be went out to encounter and brave all kinds of danger by way of excitement; and he first killed an amarok. One evening, when staying at home, he was surprised in his lonely house by a stranger dropping in, who explained that he also having lost his brother was roaming about for excitement. Being very talkative, he spent the evening there very pleasantly, until the hostess, who had boiled some flesh of the amarok, came and served it before the men. The guest then burst out in loud praises of its delicious p. 458 flavour and tempting appearance; but before he had taken a morsel he went on, "But I see the dish is all aslope," and the same instant arose and vanished through the entrance. The host immediately followed him; and on examining his footsteps in the snow, he found them to be made by only one foot, so that the guest must have been an igdlokok (whose body is only the one half of the human body cut in twain).

NOTE.—In another similar story there are two guests, who at their sudden disappearance manifest themselves as certain stars (siagtut or ĸilugtûssat). The mysterious words about the sloping dish are the same.