380 W. THALBITZER. 
I have given the selected tales used here numbers continuous 
with those used in the earlier divisions, the first no. 214 after the last 
poem in the preceding division —NB. independent of the numbers in 
the affixed list. 
Of the tellers of legends from Holm’s time (i. e. his informants) 
Ukuttiag was still alive in 1906. There were moreover many other 
contemporaries from the time of Holm’s sojourn, who could tell tales, 
even though no notes were made of them then. Of some of these who 
were still alive during my visit to Ammassalik I have made records. 
I refer to my oldest informants, Aleqaajik, Ajukutoog, Kunnaak, Mit- 
suarnianna, and Qiwinaiaaq. Particularly the narrative style of the 
two latter has remained natural, lively and genuine in those texts 
which I have recorded from their dictation. The same is true of the 
autobiographical notes dictated to me by old Teemiartissaq (fig. 20); 
they make a very characteristic and strongly personal impression, re- 
vealing to us a remarkable psychological type, though doubtless not 
quite uncommon among the genuine Eskimo. 
In contrast to the broad style and detail of these records, there 
are other texts among my collection containing merely short synopses 
or legendary elements so effaced that it is difficult to draw any con- 
clusions in regard to the original form of the tale. This holds true 
especially of the tales noted from quite young story-tellers, who had 
not yet learned them thoroughly, — for instance Kaaralik, Maanaake 
and Okusuk, and from the very old whose memory was failing (Aker- 
nilik, Kunnaak, Tät”taqujuk). 
In my own notes from Mitsuarnianna and Kaaralik, father and 
son, we have the varied forms of two generations within a given 
period, — the style of the old and of the young man relating the same 
story (especially nos. 13 and 17 in the list). In every case the father’s 
account is the most complete because he has a practised memory in 
dealing with the many small details and subordinate circumstances 
of the story. The son, who was only about fifteen years old, had a 
very childish understanding of the tales and repeated them in a color- 
less language so that his version is often no more than a summary. 
His father’s more complete account should be considered more histor- 
ically correct, that is to say more in accord with the true form of the 
tales as told at that time by the old people. — Kaaralik’s pronunei 
ation of the proper names in the stories was corrected by his father, 
for instance Kammikimak to Kammikin®nak (or -kin’nok). Mitsuar- 
nianna corrected not only his son’s pronunciation, but when old 
Qiwijaiaag pronounced the story-names 
Misaanor, Koopajeen, Ninaanisaar, Pikiwakisaanor 
Mitsuarnianna insisted on the more correct pronunciation, 
Misaa’n” an, Koopajeen, Ninaanitaa'n, Pikkiwakisaanaap. 
The main titles of the tales belong, as a rule, —like the names 
of the mimic drum-contest songs — to tradition itself (cf. p. 159). The 
names of the authors are unknown. 
