Language and Folklore. 445 
bear!” Qasiättak said: “What, a bear, did I really get a bear?” © 
Another time, when he had been out (and) came home, he said 
again: “Yes, what was that I got, — something with a shining 
surface? — When I reached down to it, it ducked under a little.” — 
“A big little white whale?’ — Qasiättak said: “What, a white whale? 
Was it a white whale?”’® He went out again in his kaiak. After 
having rowed in toward land and fetched a stone he rowed out again, 
fastened his hunting bladder (to it), hurled it out with the stone, 
the hunting bladder sank in the ocean; — then he began to shout: 
“I have lost my hunting bladder!’ ® He came ashore; near the dwel- 
ling-place: “I have lost my hunting bladder on account of a hooded 
seal!” When the women who had climbed up the mountain came 
home from their walk, his wife said: “Qasiätta has lost his hunting 
bladder (on account of a hooded seal).” The walkers said: “He threw 
it away himself after he had fastened it to a stone.” The wife said: 
“What a one, I am ashamed of him.” & The next day he went out 
again. The walkers are out again as usually: “See how he again 
rows ashore.” After going out of his kaiak, he beat upon it hard and 
filled it with ice. After having gone up (the mountain-side) he began 
to roll down from the top (and) reached the kaiak half-dead.‘® Near 
the dwelling place he began to shout for help.* Those there said: 
“Qasiättak is coming: he is shouting continually.” “What's the matter, 
what’s the matter?” — Qasiättak said: “I got a great iceberg over me!” 
His wife said: “How astonishing all that happens to you is!” The 
walkers came home. His wife said: “Qasiättak has had a huge ice- 
berg over him!” — The walkers said: “What was is really? Up there 
(on the mountain) he rolled down again and again. ® His wife said: 
“Aren’t you ashamed?” Qasiätta said (weeping): “Oh ugh! what a somer- 
зая!” * His wife said: That rascal! I feel deeply ashamed that he is 
such a one.” & The son of the neighbours in the west had died. 4 
Qasiätta began to make a wooden doll. When it was finished * he 
went on a visit to the people of the west. 7 (With) them over there 
he said: “Congratulate us on our new son!” The one he was visiting 
said: “Luck and fortune be with him!” “ He presents Qasiätta with 
a hide and a haunch. The one he was visiting said: “(Here is) a present 
for Qasiättak’s (and his wife’s) your new son.” — Qasiättak answers: 
“Come and see him!’ So the next day he went off to see him. 
When he came he said: “Where is your and Qasiättas son? where 
is he?’ “9 His wife said: “The rascal, I am ashamed that he acts 
like that! What a fearful liar you are!” — Then the visitor went 
back to his own home. When he got back his wife said to him: 
„(Did you) see him yourself?” He answered: “It was a cursed Пе.” (>) 
Here then, the end of that. 
[dE] No. 227. Aarääituaq in Drum-contest against his dead Opponent. 
It is the classical myth on the apotheosis of the Greenlandic drum-contest, 
probably originated within the boundaries of Greenland judging by its con- 
tent and its localisation on the southernmost coast. of the island (cf. p. 387). 
The dictated text (A), when compared with the one from the phono- 
graph (X), shows some slight variations. — Melody no. 128 (p. 109). 
