United States or Fiji ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
But from that time onward, all the people of the village were unkind to little Kâgssagssuk, and that although he had told the truth. Up to that time he had lived in the house of Umerdlugtoq, who was a great man, but now he was forced to stay outside always, and they would not let him come in.
If he ventured to step in, though it were for no more than to dry his boots, Umerdlugtoq, that great man, would lift him up by the nostrils, and cast him over the high threshold again. And little Kâgssagssuk had two grandmothers; the one of these beat him as often as she could, even if he only lay out in the passage.
Then he went out, and ran off over the hard-trodden snow outside the houses, treading with such force that it seemed as if the footmarks were made in soft snow. And thus he went off to meet the bears. "Hau! Look at Kâgssagssuk. Did you ever see...." "What is come to Kâgssagssuk; what can it be?" Umerdlugtoq was greatly excited, and so astonished that his eyes would not leave the boy.
Now when Kâgssagssuk had made a meal of the bears' meat, he set off in chase of those who had fled away. Umerdlugtoq had halted upon the top of a high hill, just on the edge of a precipice, and had pitched their tent close to the edge. Up came Kâgssagssuk behind him, caught him by the nostrils and held him out over the edge, and shook him so violently that his nostrils burst.
Umerdlugtoq, that great man, now made haste to get away, taking his wives with him. And Kâgssagssuk took that old grandmother who was wont to beat him, and cast her on the fire, and she burned all up till only her stomach was left. His other grandmother was about to run away, but he held her back, and said: "I shall now be kind to you, for you always used to dry my boots."
He slept among the dogs, and warmed himself up on the roof, in the warm air from the smoke hole. But whenever Umerdlugtoq saw him warming himself there, he would haul him down by the nostrils. Thus a long time passed, and it had been dark in the winter, and was beginning to grow light near the coming of spring. And now little Kâgssagssuk began to go wandering about the country.
That umiak has been hauled out of the ice!" "Hau! There must be a strong man among us!" "Who can it be that is so strong?" "Here is the mighty one, without a doubt," said Umerdlugtoq, pointing to little Kâgssagssuk. But this he said only in mockery. And a little time after this, the people about the village began to call out that three bears were in sight exactly as the giant had said.
And there stood Umerdlugtoq holding his nose. But Kâgssagssuk said to him: "Do not fear; I am not going to kill you. For you never used to kill me." And then little Kâgssagssuk went into the tent, and called out to him: "Hi, come and look! I am in here with your wives!" For in the old days, Umerdlugtoq had dared him even to look at them.
Word Of The Day