70 A Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



he entered his canoe and went east along the coast for some distance, then re- 

 turned home. The next day he went east again until he came to a great mountain, 

 when he turned round and went back. As he drew near the house he saw his 

 grandmother walking outside leaning on a stick. She said to him: "Did you 

 see what there was on the other side of the mountain?" "No," he answered. 

 "Well, you go tomorrow and see." So the next day he got into his wooden 

 kayak and went round to the other side. There he saw a great village full of 

 people, but instead of approaching it he hurried home to tell his grandmother. 

 But on his way back a storm suddenly arose and the sea became very rough; 

 the kayak capsized and the boy was drowned. 



II. COPPER ESKIMO TRADITIONS 



A. BIRD AND ANIMAL STORIES 



42. The Snowy Owl and the Snow-bunting 

 (Told by Ilatsiaq, a Kilusiktok shaman) 

 A snow-bunting {nahau'\ik) once sat on top of a knoll and sang: 



u'wiya qe'9vaya 

 u'wiya qe'dvaya 



pi'yuvi ha-' tarn qa'rjani Lkcivoya'tkaiyuinman 



"My husband I mourn him, my husband I mourn him. On top of the low 

 knoll he does not settle." 



A snowy owl {u'kpcq) heard it and replied: 



uva'ya uva'ya pi yum qa'yani /.kdvava'ktuya uwiyi'ya qovKutu'yuya mdqutu'- 

 yuya 



"I, I, the knoll on its top, I am wont to sit, marry me. I have big eye- 

 brows, I have long feathers." 



However, the snow-bunting refused. 



The Snowy Owl and the Snow-bunting — Second Version 

 Told by Ikpakhuaq, a Dolphin and Union Strait Eskimo) 

 The snow-bunting {nahau'\Lk) was singing: 



u'lL'iya qe'dvaya 

 u'wiya qe'dvaya 



pi'yum ha-'tam qa'yani ikxivautaiyui'nmati 



"My husband I weep for him, my husband I weep for him. The knoll, 

 the low one, on its top he comes not to settle." 



The owl heard it and replied : 



uva'ya uva'ya pi'yum qa'yani ikxivaiyu'ktuya uwiyi'ya 



"I, I, the knoll on its top I wish to sit — marry me." 



But the snow-bunting answered: 



ki'a uwayinia'katin 



qovXutu'yutit mdqutu'yutit kiymdqaxaqtu'yutin 



a'ynaq qdnaridlekxi'yna 



ki'yutit aku'nyinut kukiyutixai'naq 



"Who is going to marry you? Your eyebrows are too large, your hair is 

 too long, your heel is too big. A woman her beautiful mouth (?) for the teeth 

 between {e.g. the interspaces) is no tooth-cleaner." 



