Should the least fragment remain
unburnt, from it would spring a grown Chenoo, with all the force and
fire of the first. [Footnote: The idea is common to both Eskimo and
Indian that so long as a fragment of a body remains unburned, the
being, man or beast, may, by magic, be revived from it. It was probably
suggested by observing the great vitality and power of self-production
inherent in many lower forms of life, and may have given rise to the
belief in vampires.]
The fury of battle past, the Chenoos had become of their usual size.
The victor hewed the enemy to small pieces, to be revenged for the
insult and threat as to eating his liver. He, having roasted that part
of his captive, ate it before her; while she was yet alive he did this.
He told her she was served as she would have served him.
But the hardest task of all was to come. It was to burn or melt the
heart. It was of ice, and more than ice: as much colder as ice is
colder than fire, as much harder as ice is harder than water. When
placed in the fire it put out the flame, yet by long burning it melted
slowly, until they at last broke it to fragments with a hatchet, and
then melted these. So they returned to the camp.
Spring came. The snows of winter, as water, ran down the rivers to the
sea; the ice and snow which had encamped on the inland hills sought the
shore.
Pages:
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269