sobota, 17 sierpnia 2013

The Most Popular Eskimo Legends

By Essie Craft


Eskimo legends speak mostly about nature and life. One of those legends is the legend of the origin of the Sun, Moon and stars. Once upon a time, when the world was ruled by darkness, the unknown visitor came to the girl every night. Because she wanted to know who he was, the girl smeared soot on her chest. The next morning, she saw that her brother had a mouth smeared with soot.

The brother denied that he had come to her bed, and their parents were very angry at both of them. Brother ran away, and the girl grabbed a burning branch from the fire and ran after him. Fleeing from his sister, a young man turned into the Moon. His sister gave birth to a torch and turned into the sun, and the sparks from the torch have become stars. The sun is still trying to catch the moon, surrounded by stars.

There are several legends about Northern Light, or Aurora Borealis. Some Inuit tribes believe that friendly giants they once used to know still live up there, now invisible. They are very good hunters and fishermen. Their large, shiny torches can be seen from afar, as a Northern Light.

Another legend indicates that the spirits with torches lead the souls of their dead across the narrow passage to a place where they will always have plenty of food. Only dead souls and Raven can go that way. Northern Lights are actually lighted torches of these spirits who lead them.

There is also a story about two men who wanted to know how big the world is. Once upon a time, two couples lived in harmony. The men wanted to know how big the world is. Accompanied by his wives, they moved in the opposite directions. They traveled for a long time, years and years. With time, the children came, and then came grandchildren, and they were still traveling through the endless ice.

Over time, each pair formed a large tribe, and the men became so old that they could no longer manage their sleighs. Yet they were still traveling. Then, after long years of exhausting traveling, in the distance they saw the other tribe, and finally met with them. Before they died, both men agreed that the world is really big, much bigger than they thought.

There is a legend about eagle and whale husbands. Two girls were playing on the beach. One found a small eagle bone, and other whalebone. The first said she was going to marry an eagle, and the other has decided that her husband would be a whale. Eagle appeared and kidnapped a girl and took her to the top of the mountain. Whale kidnapped another and took her to the bottom of the sea.

Eagle brought various birds to girl. Of their feathers, she made a long rope, and ran away. The eagle flew after her, but was killed by her brothers. Another girl managed to escape from the bottom of the sea. Whale was trying to catch the girl, but failed, and was finally turned into the small whalebone on the beach. These are very popular Eskimo legends.




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