A TREASURY OF ESKIMO TALES 



him anything. So the boy lived on, half starving, 

 and was very unhappy. 



One day a polar bear came to the hut and 

 thrust his head right through the window. They 

 were all much frightened, and the mother gave 

 the boy his bow and arrows and told him to kill 

 the animal. 



" But I cannot see the window and I shall miss 

 the bear. Then it will be furious and will eat 

 us," he said. 



" Quick, brother! I will level the bow," said 

 his sister. 



So he shot and killed the bear, and the mother 

 and sister went out and skinned it and buried the 

 meat in the snow. 



" Don't you dare to tell your brother that he 

 killed the bear," said the mother. "We must 

 make this meat last all winter." 



When they went back into the hut she said to 

 her son, " You missed the bear. He ran away as 

 soon as he saw you take your bow and arrow. 

 We have been following him a long way into the 

 woods." 



The sister did not dare to tell her brother. She 

 and her mother lived on the meat for a long time 

 while the boy was nearly starving. But some- 

 times when the mother was away, the girl gave 



44 



