GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



As an example of these myths, I will recount one which 

 relates of " the time long, long ago when man was created." 

 With its grotesque forcefulness and deep originality it serves 

 as a good example of Eskimo imagination. I translate it here 

 as literally as possible from the dictation of an old Eskimo 

 woman called Arnaruluk. 



' ' Our ancestors often spoke about the creation of earth and 

 man in the time of long, long ago. They did not understand 

 how to hide words in written signs like you do ; they could only 

 speak, the men that lived before us. They spoke about many 

 things, and therefore we are not ignorant in these matters which 

 we have heard mentioned time after time ever since we were 

 little ones. 



" Old women do not carelessly waste words, therefore we 

 believe them. Age does not tell lies. 



" At that time, long, long ago, when earth was to be, it 

 fell down from above ; soil, mountains, and stones fell from the 

 sky. Thus earth was. 



" After earth was created came men. It is told that men 

 came from the soil. Little children came out of the earth ; they 

 came forth between willows, covered with willow leaves. And 

 they lay sprawling between the dwarf bushes with closed eyes, 

 for they could not even crawl. The soil gave them their food. 



"It is next told about a man and a woman. The woman 

 makes children's clothes and wanders over the soil, where she 

 finds little children ; and she dresses them and brings them 

 home. 



" Thus two became many. 



"And when they were many they wanted dogs. And a 

 man went out with a dog's harness in his hand, stamping the 

 ground whilst he called "Hok — hok, hok!' Then the dogs 

 poured forth from mounds, tiny mounds ; and they shook them- 

 selves, for they were full of sand. Thus man got his dogs. 



" But the men increased, they became more and more. 

 They did not know death that time long, long ago ; and they 

 grew very old. At last they could walk no longer ; they grew 

 blind and had to lie down. 

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