(536 THE CENTRAL ESKIMO. 



Tornit being by far their superiors in strength. Once upon a time a 

 young Tuuiq had talcen the kayak of a young Inung without asking 

 him and had injured it by knocking in the bottom. The Inung got 

 very angry and ran a knife into tlie nape of the Tuniq's neck wliile 

 he was sleeping. (According to another tradition he drilled a hole 

 into his head; this form is also recorded in Labrador.) The Tornit 

 then became afraid that the Inuit would kill them all and preferred 

 to leave the country for good. They assembled at Qernirtung (a 

 place in Cumberland Soiind), and in order to deceive any pursuers 

 they cut off the tails of their jumpers and tied their hair into a bunch 

 protruding from the crown of the head. 



In another form of the tradition it is said that while playing with 

 the Tornit a young Inung fell down and broke his neck. The Tor- 

 nit feared that the Inuit might take revenge iipon them and left 

 the country. 



Many old ditties are sung which either treat of the Tornit or are 

 reported to have been sung by them. Some of them will be found 

 in the linguistic account connected with my journey. 



THE WOMAN AND THE SPIRIT OF THE SINGING HOUSE. 



Once upon a time a woman entered the singing house when it was 

 quite dark. For a long time she had wished to see the spirit of the 

 house, and though the Inuit hadAvarned her of the impending danger 

 she had insisted upon her undertaking. 



She summoned the spirit, saying, "If you are in the house, come 

 here." As she could not see him, she cried, "No spirit is here; he 

 will not come." But the spirit, though yet invisible, said, "Here I 

 am; thei"e I am." Theii the woman asked, "Where are your feet; 

 where are your shins; where are your thighs; where are your hips; 

 where are your loins?" Every time the spirit answez-ed, " Here they 

 are; there they are." And she asked further, " Where is your belly?" 

 "Here it is," answered the spirit. "Where is your breast; where are 

 your shoulders; where is your neck; where is your head?" " Here it 

 is; there it is;" but in toviching the head the woman all of a sudden 

 fell dead. It had no bones and no hair (p. 597). 



THE CONSTELLATION UDLEQDJUN. 



Three men went bear hunting with a sledge and took a young hi >j 

 with them. When they approached the edge of the floe they saw a 

 bear and went in pursuit. Though the dogs ran fast they could not 

 get nearer and all of a sudden they observed that the bear was lifted 

 up and their sledge followed. At this moment the boy lost one of 

 his mittens and in the attempt to pick it up fell from the sledge. 

 There he saw the men ascending higher and higher, finally being 

 transformed into stars. The bear became the star Nanuqdjung 



