38. USSUNGUSSAK OR SAVNIMERSOK.
38.
USSUNGUSSAK OR SAVNIMERSOK.
[This tale, taken from two of the older manuscripts, is given here on account of its apparent mythological reference; otherwise it will be found to be somewhat fragmentary and obscure.]
A NUMBER of people once lived together in a large house. Among them was a man named Ussungussak, who generally came home empty-handed, when all the others returned with what they had caught, for which his wife used to scold him. One night she had gone on rating him worse than usual, and in the morning he had disappeared. He kayaked along shore, and having rounded a point he saw a man standing on the beach. At first he was frightened; but then he thought a little, and finally concluded, "Why should I be afraid at the very moment I have resolved to go and lead a solitary life all by myself?" When the man on shore called him, he alternately approached and again turned back; but when he had come pretty close to the beach, the other threw out a trap, by which he drew him in, and ordered him to follow to the inland. They now wandered along together and came to the gulf of the earth. There, poor Ussungussak began to whine and p. 256 howl; but the inlander put a cord round his neck, straining it so hard that he was nearly choked; when he again untied him, however, they had safely passed the fearful precipice. Having next crossed a beautiful meadow, they gained the house of the inlander, who had a wife but no children. In the morning Ussungussak was ordered to remain at home, while the master of the house went away himself, and returned very noisily in the evening with what he had taken. In this way several days went by; but at length Ussungussak got desirous to see his own home, and the inlander accompanied him on the way. This time they did not see the precipice; but arriving at the coast they saw a great many killed seals on the beach, being those which the inlander, standing on shore, had caught in his trap. When Ussungussak was about to take leave, the inlander said, "Henceforth thou canst take some of these seals, but mind, thou art not to be too greedy: thou mayst take one at a time to begin with; afterwards thou mayst take two." Ussungussak then returned to his homestead and housemates, who were having good hunting at the time. The next day he again disappeared, but in the evening returned with two seals. The following day he brought home three; the others asked him whereabouts he had got them. He answered, "Out at the most seaward place;" and they demanded of him whether they might not accompany him thither. But when he had carried away the very last of the lot, he one night returned without anything at all, and was again scolded by his wife. The day after he left as before, and kayaking along shore he at length turned a point, and again beheld the inlander. This time he willingly approached him when he was called, and went along with him; but when they had gained the precipice, he did not get over this time, but was fairly strangled. When Ussungussak's relations and housemates had been expecting him in vain for five days, one p. 257 of the kayakers went out in search of him. He encountered the inlander, and asked him whether he had not see a man. "To be sure I have, and I killed him myself!" At this the other thrust his harpoon at him, and he ran on with the hunting-bladder dragging behind him, and thus disappeared. The coastman now took his spear and bladder-arrow, following him swiftly,
and found him drawing out the point; but he now lanced another spear at him, while the inlander kept running on so fast that the bladder flew up high in the air. Finally, he flung his arrow at him. and this at last did for him, and he expired; upon which the pursuer cut him up, and put his knee on the nape of his neck.