After a while the Angakok turned his face to the wall, as he always did
when he meant to tell a story or sing a song. Then he said, "Listen, my
children!" He called everybody--even the grown up people--his children!
Everybody listened. They always listened when the Angakok spoke.
The Angakok knew the secrets of the sun, moon, and stars. He had told
them so many times! The people believed it, and it may be that the
Angakok really believed it himself, though I have some doubt about that.
"Listen, my children," said the Angakok, "and I will tell you wonderful
things.
"There is a world beneath the sea! You catch glimpses of that world
yourselves in calm summer weather, when the water is still, and you
know that I speak the truth!
"Then you can see the shadows of rocks and islands and glaciers in the
smooth water. Far below you see blue sky and white clouds. That is the
calm world in which the Spirits of the Dead live. I have visited that
underworld, many times, I have talked there with the spirits of your
ancestors."
The Angakok paused and looked around to see if every one was paying
attention. Then he went on with his story.
"Do you remember how two springs ago there were so few walruses and
seals along the coast that you nearly died for lack of food and oil?"
he said. "My children, it was I who brought the seals and walruses back
to you! Without my efforts you might all have starved!
"I will tell you of the perils of a fearful journey which I undertook
for your sakes. Then you will see what you owe to the skill and
faithfulness of your Angakok!"
All the people looked very solemn, and nodded their heads. The Angakok
went on.
"You must know that in the depths of the underworld, far beyond the
beautiful abode of the Spirits of the Dead, lives the Old Woman of the
Sea!
"There she sits forever and forever beside a monstrous lamp. Underneath
the lamp is a great saucer to catch the oil which drips from it.
"In that saucer there are whole flocks of sea-birds swimming about! All
the animals that live in the sea--the whales and walruses, the codfish
and the seals--swarm in the saucer of the Old Woman of the Sea. That is
where they all come from. Sometimes the Old Woman of the Sea keeps all
the creatures in the saucer. Then there are no seal or fish or walrus
along our coasts, and there is hunger among the innuit (human beings).
"At the time of my journey she had kept all the creatures for so long a
time in her saucer that you and many others were nearly dead for lack
of food."
"It was then that I prepared myself for the perils of this journey to
the underworld. I called my Tornak, or guiding spirit, to lead my
steps. Without his Tornak an Angakok can do nothing. The Tornak came at
once in answer to my call. He took me by the hand, and we plunged down
into the water. First we passed through the beautiful World of Spirits,
where it is always summer. This part of the way was quite pleasant, but
on the farther side of that world we came to a fearful abyss. It could
be crossed only on a large slippery wheel, as slippery as ice."
"I mounted this wheel and was whirled across the chasm. No sooner had I
reached the other side than new terrors came upon me. I had to pass by
great cauldrons of boiling oil, in which seals were swimming about."
"A misstep would have sent me plunging into the boiling oil, and you
would have lost your Angakok forever!"
The thought of this was so dreadful that the Angakok paused and wiped
his eyes. Then he went on again with his story.
"However, with great courage I kept upon my way until at last I saw the
Old Woman's house! A deep gulf lay between us and her dwelling, and
outside it stood a great dog with bloody jaws. This dog guards the
entrance, and he sleeps only for a single moment, once in a very great
while."
"For six days I and my Tornak waited there for the dog to sleep. At
last on the seventh day he closed his eyes! Instantly the Tornak seized
my hand and drew me across the bridge which spanned the chasm. This
bridge was as narrow as a single thread."
"When we were safely across the bridge we passed the sleeping dog and
boldly entered the Old Woman's house. The Old Woman is terrible to look
upon! Her hand is the size of a large walrus, and her teeth like the
rocks along the coast!" The Angakok dropped his voice to a whisper.
"However, when she looked upon me she trembled!" he said. "She saw at
once that I possessed great power, and was a great Angakok. I spoke to
her flattering words. Then I told her of the hunger of my children!"
"I begged that she would send the seal and walrus and sea-birds to our
coast at once. But she had no mind to yield to my requests. Then I
stormed and threatened." The Angakok's voice grew louder. "The walls
shook with the thunder of my voice! At last I seized her by the hair! I
tipped over the saucer with my foot! My great power prevailed against
the mighty sorceress!"
"The seal and walrus swam away. The birds flew into the air and were
gone. I had conquered the Old Woman of the Sea! My children were
saved!" The Angakok was silent for a moment. Then he spoke again in a
natural voice.
"When I opened my eyes in my own igloo again," he said, "the famine was
already over. Flocks of sea-birds were flying overhead. The sea swarmed
with fish, and with walrus and seal. Every one along the whole coast
was happy. Ask yourselves--is it not so?"
The Angakok seemed very much pleased with himself, and he looked about,
as if he expected every one else to be pleased with him too. All the
people were filled with wonder at his great power. They began to talk
among themselves.
"Yes, I remember the famine well," said Koko's father. "I was away up
the coast that season. Several died in our village for lack of food."
Other men remembered things about other times when food had been scarce.
"It is lucky," they said to each other, "that here we have a great
Angakok who understands all the secrets of the World and who can save
us from such dreadful things."