The smell of food soon made everybody cheerful. When at last they were
all crowded into the room, Koolee placed the bear's head and other pans
of meat on the floor.
Then she crawled back on to the bench with the other women.
The Angakok was the first one to help himself. He reached down and took
a large chunk of meat. He held it up to his mouth and took hold of the
end with his teeth. Then he sawed off a huge mouthful with his knife.
It looked as if he would surely cut off the end of his nose too, but he
didn't.
When the men had all helped themselves, pieces of meat were handed out
to the women and children.
Soon they were all eating as if their lives depended on it. And now I
think of it, their lives did depend on it, to be sure! I will not speak
about their table manners. In fact, they hadn't any to speak of! They
had nothing to eat with the meat--not even salt--but it was a great
feast to them for all that, and they ate and ate until every scrap was
gone.
The Angakok grew better natured every minute. By the time he had eaten
all he could hold he was really quite happy and benevolent! He clasped
his hands over his stomach and smiled on everybody.
The women chattered in their corner of the sleeping-bench, and Koolee
showed Koko's mother the new fur suit trimmed with white rabbit's skin
that she was making for Menie. And Koko's mother said she really must
make one for Koko just like it.
The twins and Koko talked about a trap to catch hares which they meant
to made as soon as the long days began again, and the baby went to
sleep on a pile of furs in the corner. Menie fed the pups with some of
his own meat, and gave them each a bone. Nip and Tup buried their bones
under the baby and then went to sleep too.