282 



There were two children there in the liouse, two orphans. 

 When it had become quite dark in the house, the Innuits could 

 not see the angakok. Only these two orphans kept their eye 

 on him. Just think! tqese children were themselves angakoks; 

 therefore the angakok could not get away, but remained in the 

 house Ч 



One of the children says: only look, the angakok has not 

 gone away! make a light in here! 



The lamps were lighted; the big angakok got angry: very 

 well! just try the children, let them get you seals! 



The other child said: bring me the boat-skins! They 

 brought the skins in and laid them on the floor. 



Now the two orphans extinguish the lamps and put on their 

 bird-skin garments, then get down on the floor and run on top 

 of the skins circling along the edge of them. Away it goes 

 into the ground. The Innuits look for them through the win- 

 dow — down there on the beach they come out — they go 

 out over the ice and disappear. 



The Innuits wait for them. 



Finally it begins to dawn. All night the children have 

 been away; then they come back through the floor and take 

 off their bird-skin garments. Look, they say, seals in great 

 numbers! but none of you must get two, each of you shall 

 only capture one ! 



Away go the hunters out on the ice, along the edge of 

 the coast — and you may be sure they caught something this 

 time — a miracle, the number of seals there was now! They 

 all captured only one seal apiece. 



The children relate something that is amusing. That 

 time when they had departed and were on the way outward 

 toward the west, they came to a crevice which it was impos- 



' This remark implies ttiat the angakok, when he practised witchcraft, 

 viis supposed to leave the house in a supernatural manner. This is often 

 alluded to in the tales. The angakok is supposed to go to the water-witch. 



