"
And the Whale answered, "It is well. Put thy hand in my mouth!" And,
doing this, he found and took out a golden key. [Footnote: This is a
manifestly modern addition. There is every indication that the story
itself is ancient, probably Eskimo.] "Keep that," said the Whale.
"While you have it you will be safe against man, beast, or illness. The
foe shall not harm you; the spirits which haunt the wilderness shall
pass you by; hunger and pain shall not know you; death shall not be in
your road."
So the young man thanked the great magician, and went home; and as it
had been promised it came to pass. All was ever well with him; trouble
and trial were with him no more. Those who were, in his village never
knew hunger; the wild game abounded, and came to them when called; no
enemy attacked them; the sun and moon smiled on them; they sang the
songs of the olden time, and played the flute in peace.
In time the old chief drew near the end of his life, and his son asked
the friend if his father's days could not be prolonged. But the
magician thought it best to let him pass in peace; and he did so. Then
the young chief offered his place and power to his brother-in-law
(_wechoosul_); but he refused it, and passed his, life in aiding
his friend in every way by his power and wisdom. _Kespeahdvoksit_
(here the story ends).
This legend is little more than an enumeration of the recipes popularly
employed to obtain certain powers.
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