NELSON] TALE OF AK -CHIK-CHU -GUK 501 



Then the brothers returned home and completed their preparations 

 for the journey. When everything was ready, Ak -chik-chiY-guk had 

 his brothers remove all their clothing and, taking his knife, with a 

 single stroke he cut off the head of each. Alter this he made their 

 mother carry the bodies outside and dismember them, putting the 

 fragments into a great earthen pot, where they were boiled. At first 

 his mother refused, but Ak -chik-chiY-guk compelled her to obey him. 

 When she had done as she was bid, she came in and told him; then, 

 ordering her to remain in the house and upon no account to come out 

 side until he gave her permission, he went out and, by the aid of a 

 powerful inua that did his bidding, restored his brothers to life again. 



When all her sons entered the house alive once more, the mother 

 was very glad. At the bidding of Ak -chik-chiY-gnk she put some 

 decayed fish roe and some bird-skin coats into the umiak, and they 

 started on their search, leaving their parents alone. The brothers 

 journeyed on until they reached a large village, where they stopped, 

 and, going into the kashim, asked for tidings of their sister. 



The people answered in an unfriendly way, and soon after one of the 

 villagers cried out, &quot; We must kill these men,&quot; and everyone seized his 

 weapons and started toward the brothers. Ak -chik-cluY-giik seemed 

 not to notice the treacherous villagers until they were close to him; 

 then, raising his right arm and placing the elbow against his side, 

 drew the entire arm into his body; as he did this everyone of the 

 villagers was compelled to do the same, and they stood helpless, 

 without the use of their right arms. 



&quot; Why do you not kill us ? Why do you wait ? &quot; and similar mocking 

 taunts were directed to them by Ak -chik-chn -gnk. When the villagers 

 had promised to let them go in peace, he thrust forth his own arm again, 

 and at once everyone of the villagers was able to do the same; the 

 people then told them that they might hear of their sister in the next 

 village. 



After journeying for several days they came to the village and went 

 into the kashim, where again they made inquiries for their sister. As 

 before, the people answered in an unfriendly tone and rushed at the 

 strangers to kill them. Ak -chik-chn -guk paid no attention to his 

 enemies until they were close to him, when he suddenly closed both 

 eyes and the villagers were forced to do the same, after which he 

 taunted them as he had taunted the men at the other village, then made 

 them promise not to try to injure himself or his brothers, and restored 

 their sight by opening his own eyes. These people told them that 

 possibly they might get tidings at the next village, so the brothers 

 went on. 



When they reached that place they made inquiry, and, as at the 

 other villages, the people wished to kill them, and were quite near the 

 brothers with their weapons raised when Ak -chik-clnY-gfik put his hands 

 on each side of his face and turned his head about on his shoulders 



