PAINTINGS OF GREENLAND ESKIMO 



ESKIMO CONCEPTION OF THE MOON, 

 HUNTER IN PURSUIT OF THE SUN. 



Copyright 1908 by Frank Wilbert Stokes. 

 Courtesy of Scribner's Magazine. 



cloud that floats near her head. Summer birds are about her, a k)ng 

 line following from the far away horizon. Two fulmar gulls are flying 

 in front of her, and two harp seals are crying to her, the "Mother of 

 the Seals," from floating ice below, where also little Arctic puffins are 

 ranged in military line. 



The story of the pursuit of the sun by the moon is a legend widely 

 spread among the Eskimo people. The North Greenland Ivskimo 

 believe, as do all other Innuit from Alaska to Labrador and HafHn Land, 

 that the sun was originally a woman, Sukh-eh-nukh, who in order to 

 escape the unfilial love of her brother, Ahn-ing-ah-neh. fled into the 

 heavens bearing a lighted torch. The brother also carrying a torch 

 pursued her and was transformed into the moon. It is i)clievc(l that thi> 

 moon is forever in love with the sun and seeks ever to overtake her, bnt 

 that since his torch chanced to l)e a poor one and lie is fre(inentiy com- 

 pelled to return to earth to relight it, ilw snn is enabh>d to keep well in 



