GILBERTSON: ESKIMO CULTURE 45 



&quot;There is a spirit who comes and frightens people to death when 

 orphan babies scream. There is also a risk of the dead mother herself 

 coming back. Once upon a time an orphan baby was allowed to scream, 

 and no one tried to quiet it; then suddenly the dead mother appeared in 

 the doorway and frightened all to death.&quot; (50: 137.) 



The kindness which is undoubtedly often shown orphans is 

 strikingly illustrated in several folk-tales. 



One tells how the hunters, on their return from the chase, always 

 used to give to the orphans a plentiful repast, and had special stores 

 of provisions set apart for orphan children against hard times.&quot; (53: 

 334.) 



In another, an orphan boy offered some brothers to barter his 

 little dog for a pair of boots. One of the brothers said, &quot;Well, 

 thou art a hearty little fellow for thy age,&quot; and gave him two 

 pairs of boots without taking his dog. All the other brothers 

 likewise loaded him with presents of various kinds. ( 53 : 408 

 sqq.) 



Notwithstanding &quot;the most unbounded freedom,&quot; to use 

 Holm s expression (30: 92), in which Eskimo children grow up, 

 our evidence is, without exception, in favor of their excellent 

 behavior. &quot;The children were what we would call in Europe 

 well brought up, though they got no bringing up at all,&quot; is 

 Nordenskiold s way of putting it. (47. 2:236.) &quot; One must 

 admire how well-bred the little ones are,&quot; says Holm. (Cf. 

 19:82; 42:417.) After speaking of the absence of restraint 

 and punishment, Nansen says: 



l With such an upbringing, one might expect that the Greenland children 

 would be naughty and intractable. This is not at all the case. When 

 they are old enough to understand, a gentle hint from father or mother 

 is enough to make them desist from anything forbidden. I have never 

 seen Eskimo children quarreling, either indoors or in the open air ; not 

 even talking angrily to each other, much less fighting.&quot; (43: 154; cf. 

 45: 191.) 



Children early begin to learn the activities which are to be 

 their life-work, the boys as hunters, the girls as housekeepers. 

 But &quot;they still have plenty of leisure to play with other children 

 until they are old enough to marry.&quot; (42:417.) Indeed, they 

 get their training largely through play. Among the boys 

 favorite playthings are toy harpoons and bird-darts. (43: 156.) 

 Then one day * * it dawns upon him that his childish play can be 

 taken in earnest.&quot; (50: 117.) That day marks an epoch in the 



