Now while this conversation had been going on, Lox, who was deeply
addicted to all kinds of roguery and mischief, had listened to it with
interest. And when the two little guests had ceased he asked them where
their village was, and who lived in it. Then he was told that all the
largest animals had their homes there: the bear, caribou or reindeer,
deer, wolf, wild cat, to say nothing of squirrels and mice. And having
got them to show him the way, he some time after turned himself into a
young woman of great beauty, or at least disguised himself like one,
and going to the village married the young chief. And having left
little Marten alone in a hollow tree outside the village, the boy,
getting hungry, began to howl for food; which the villagers hearing
were in a great fright. But the young chiefs wife, or the magician
Lox, soon explained to them what it meant. "It is," she-he said,
"_Owoolakumooejit_, the Spirit of Famine. He is grim and gaunt;
hear how he howls for food! Woe be unto you, should he reach this
village! Ah, I remember only too well what happened when he once
came among us. Horror! starvation!"
"Can you drive him back?" cried all the villagers.
"Yes, 'tis in my power. Do but give me the well-tanned hide of a
yearling moose and a good supply of moose-tallow, [Footnote: A great
delicacy among these semi-Arctic Indians.
Pages:
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216